Miami women bucking crypto’s ‘tech bro’ culture; find out who’s leading them
Web3 Equity is only about 8 weeks old. But already, the Miami female-focused cryptocurrency and non-fungible token group has attracted nearly 450 members. That makes it among the fastestgrowing and most effective communities for gender equity in tech that the Miami ecosystem has seen.
Its founder is a familiar name: Michelle Abbs, the former director of Miami’s Babson WIN Lab women-in-tech group and Mana Tech. She’s now a vice president at Metagood, a Web3 venture that uses funds from NFTs for social causes.
Last week, Web3 Equity and Abbs said the group would be dropping a collection of 3,050 — yes, that is a “305” reference — NFTs created by Miami artist SUPERAMA, in collaboration with Venture Miami and with the financial support of Tradestation. The goal is to extend the reach of the group even further, bringing more women into the Web3/NFT sphere.
The digital art work is anchored in the legend of Miami’s “founding mother,” Julia Tuttle, credited as the city’s first property owner in the 1880s.
Without Tuttle’s vision, “we may have never had the Miami we know today and without the vision of the amazing women in tech, we may never fulfill our potential,” Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said in a statement.
Tech Trail caught up with Abbs in advance of the NFT drop on March 16 to learn more about the project and Web3 Equity’s mission.
Q: Where does Miami stand in its push for gender equity in tech?
A: I’m so optimistic right now. I feel like Miami actually has a chance to show the nation and the world what it looks like to build technology in a more inclusive, dare I call it a feminine
leadership community. We do still have work to do, of course. But that’s why the nod to Julia Tuttle is important. When I look around at the other leaders and conference organizers, CEOs of new companies here, there are women here. It’s still an uphill battle, but we are defying what tech bro culture is. Web3 Equity presents an opportunity to say, this is what it looks like to lead in a co-ed or more feminine leadership style.
Q: What is the genesis of Web3 Equity and its NFT project?
A: After hosting NFTBZL at Art Basel, I started getting questions about how to get into the world of NFTs. People were saying, I know I should be investing or buying, but I’m not quite sure how to start. So I started an online group chat to answer those questions, and we’re now at almost 500 members. So I just saw the interest in the space, especially from women, about how to onboard into Web3. We know women’s relationship with risk and investing overall is nuanced, so I wanted to offer a space that felt safe, to answer all the questions, and learn in a tactile, hands-on environment.
We held two events really quickly, and based on interest from the community — they kept getting sold out, and we didn’t have enough room for people. So in conversation with the mayor and Venture Miami team, we want to make sure we’re educating and onboarding women into Web3.
Q: What do the images in this NFT collection signify?
A: We know the power of NFTs as a digital asset can represent something more than just the image, and that’s what this collection does. These are very beautiful images that have some cool odes to Miami, and has a utility aspect built in that allows people access to those learning experiences.
Our artist, Amaranta Martinez, who goes by SUPERAMA, is an Emmywinning artist. She is well known in her field but had not transitioned into NFTs yet.
There are three core themes we hope come through in the images: The first is female empowerment. There’s a lot of femininity in them, but also strength. The second piece is digital wealth. This is about gender equity, but it’s also about the “equity” getting the equity, the investment. We don’t want to be scared to talk about that part, so you’re going to see images of digital coins, money, Ethereum. And the third is Miami, and a bright and vibrant future merging empowerment equals the future of Miami.
Q: What is the goal of Web3 Equity and why has it resonated so quickly in this community?
A: Web3 Equity is an educational community pursuing gender equity in Web3 by onboarding more women, and male allies, to Web3. We are bringing them on as creators, as collectors, or as investors. We want people to engage in Web3 in the way that feels right to them. This isn’t necessarily, ‘Everyone go buy an NFT,’ but the core is an educational community.
At first, it lived on the Telegram messaging app, and then it extended into in-person learning events and virtual learning events. It now has 448 members and counting. That’s real people discussing and engaging resources. And the 3,050 holders of the NFTs will now also become part of the community, and will rapidly grow to a much larger audience.
Q: Why is it important for people to learn about Web3 and NFTs?
A: NFTs are ownership of digital assets. Right now we’ve seen digital assets in the art market become the ones that are most known in this moment in time. The art market is really the basement of the entire skyscraper we’re about to build on top of that. Ownership of digital assets is the future. We are going to start to see more things become digital assets, and the market for ownership of them will start to grow.
Think about how many digital assets could come out of a wedding. Instead of writing in a memory book that you may lose you can send an NFT of their well wishes. I think about medals I’ve gotten for running that I end up losing. Soon that will be a digital asset of what race you ran. The use cases are going to start touching everything in our day-today lives, so I think the potential for that is so big. I want people to get in now, want them to learn how to apply it in their lives, in solving real challenges as a community.
FINALISTS FOR AARP AGETECH SOLUTIONS PITCH COMPETITION
AARP Innovation Labs, tech accelerator group for the organization focused on empowering Americans 50 and older, and Venture Miami announced six finalists for the upcoming Connect & Thrive Pitch competition highlighting innovations and startups combating loneliness and social isolation.
They will present their AgeTech solutions in front of a global audience and panel of judges at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami on March 9. The people’s choice winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize and the grand prize winner will receive a $20,000 cash prize.
“Tech solutions can be critical in reducing social isolation among older adults, from telehealth visits, to online shopping to virtual connections with loved ones,” said Andy Miller, senior vice president of AARP Innovation Labs. “We look forward to hearing how these innovative solutions can help further address the issue of social isolation and loneliness among older adults.”
The finalists are:
Carevocacy ,of Hollywood, aims to reduce social isolation and promote independence through tech education by matching older adults with tech tutors called “Carevocates.”
Chatables, of West Palm Beach, creates virtual characters to engage isolated older adults in conversation and interactive skits to reduce feelings of loneliness, exercise the social and emotional brain and potentially slow the onset of mental decline.
Mind&Melody Inc. ,of Miami, is a nonprofit that uses interactive music programs with educational and therapeutic benefits for individuals experiencing neurological impairments in order to improve quality of life.
Storybook App ,of Miami, combines narrated bedtime stories, music and relaxation techniques like meditation and infant massage to help parents and grandparents spend quality time with their children before bedtime to improve emotional health and sleep.
RAZ Mobility ,of Tysons Corner, Virginia, offers mobile-assistive technology and services to people with disabilities, including a special cellphone for seniors with cognitive decline.
Vivo, of Atlanta, provides small group personal training online in an interactive two-way experience that addresses the loss of strength and independence in older adults.