Meet the Finalists of Miami-Dade County’s BizUp Pitch Competition (Round 1)

The BizUp Grant program is managed in partnership with StartUP FIU and Bank of America. The grant includes awards of either $50,000 or $100,000 and one full year of small business support and training for the finalists. To qualify, the competing businesses must have a positive impact on their community and align with the Mayor’s Four E’s: Equity, Engagement, Environment, and Economy.

After receiving hundreds of applications, the judges narrowed the finalists down to 30 businesses. The selected businesses then pitched to a panel of experts. On September 16th, at StartUP FIU, the first round of winners were announced. Let’s learn a little bit more about them.

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Zaytouna Foods 

A conscious driven enterprise whose mission is to help women from Syria resettle in South Florida by creating permanent gainful employment for them by catering and producing delicious packaged foods from the Middle East.

• Founder: Christa Tawil 
• Email: order@zaytounafoods.com
• Phone: (305) 204-5474‍
• Social Media: @zaytounafoods

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Lean Orb 

A compostable food packaging company whose mission is to eliminate all single-use plastic waste and offer safe, plant-based packaging.

• Founder: Anastasia Mikhalochkina
• Email: sales@leanorb.com 
• Phone: (305) 988-0877
• Social Media: @leanorb ‍
• Website: leanorb.com

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Metro Mommy Agency

An agency that fills in gaps and provides sound, hands-on maternal support for mothers from metropolitan communities lacking consistent childbirth education and cohesive healthy support systems for families.

• Founder: Esther McCant 
• Email: metromommyagency@gmail.com
• Phone: (786) 553-3122
• Social Media: @icandoula 
• Website: metromommyagency.com ‍
• Location: Serves Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties

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MUCE 305

An arts production company that brings brands and ideas to life with art through exhibitions, workshops, festival production and cultural programming. 

• Founders: Ashlee Thomas & Bart Mervil
• Email: muce305@gmail.com 
• Social Media: @muce305 
• Website: muce305.org
• Location: 246 NW 54TH ST, Miami, FL 33127

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The Magus Films

A video content production company that believes in the power of good stories. With more than 10 years of experience, The Magus Films specializes in the direction and production of audiovisual content.

• Founder: Xenia Marcinko
• Email: info@themagusfilms.com 
• Phone: (786) 631-0315
• Social Media: @themagusfilms ‍
• Website: themagusfilms.com

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Venus Builders Inc

Window and door replacement experts servicing Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe Counties. 

• Founder: Vickie Lopez
• Email: info@venuswad.com
• Phone: (305) 482-3348
• Social Media: @venuswad 
• Website: venuswad.com‍
• Location: 18710 Sw 107 Ave Unit 15B, Cutler Bay, FL 33157

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Haute Academy Fashion Incubator

A business incubator dedicated to supporting fashion focused entrepreneurs to help them launch, grow, and scale a fashion business.

• Founder: Qiana Armstrong
• Email: qarmstrong@hauteacademy.org 
• Phone: (786) 282-6763
• Social Media: @hauteacademy 
• Website: hauteacademy.org
• Location: 1020 NW 163rd Drive, Miami Gardens, FL 33169

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Click here to learn about the winners that were announced during the second round (October 20th).