Miami's Moment

After decades based primarily in New York, we moved SpringOwl's headquarters to Miami. This wasn't a lifestyle decision—it was a strategic one.

The Shift

Something changed in American geography over the past several years. The pandemic accelerated trends that were already underway, but the result is unmistakable: talent, capital, and entrepreneurship are migrating to new centers.

Miami is one of the primary beneficiaries. The numbers tell part of the story—population growth, business relocations, venture investment. But the numbers don't capture the energy. You feel it walking around Brickell, talking to founders at events, seeing what's being built.

Why It Matters for Gaming

Miami has specific advantages for a gaming-focused investment firm.

Latin America proximity. Gaming markets across Latin America are evolving rapidly. Brazil is legalizing sports betting. Mexico is growing. Argentina, Colombia, Peru—all have interesting dynamics. Being in Miami puts you closer to these markets, both literally and culturally.

Time zone efficiency. Miami time works for both coasts of the U.S. and overlaps reasonably with Europe. For a firm with global interests, this matters more than it might seem.

Regulatory sophistication. Florida has a complex gaming regulatory environment—tribal gaming, pari-mutuel, various ballot initiatives over the years. Being in-market helps you understand these dynamics and develop relationships with stakeholders.

Talent attraction. Recruiting has become easier. Young professionals who might have dismissed Miami five years ago are now actively interested. Quality of life, cost of living (relative to New York), and the sense of momentum all contribute.

What We're Seeing

The Miami tech and finance scene has matured significantly. Early skeptics predicted a bubble—all talk, no substance. That hasn't proven true.

Real companies are building here. Serious investors are deploying capital. The ecosystem has developed the connective tissue—service providers, mentors, events, gathering places—that successful innovation hubs require.

Is it Silicon Valley? No, and it probably won't be. But that's not the right comparison. Miami is becoming something distinctive: a bridge between North and South America, between finance and technology, between established capital and emerging markets.

The Integration Point

SpringOwl's structure—headquarters in Miami, team members in New York and Tel Aviv—reflects how we think about opportunity. Different markets have different strengths. New York remains essential for capital markets and certain relationships. Tel Aviv has exceptional technology talent. Miami provides a strategic center of gravity.

This distributed model requires intentionality. You have to work harder at communication, at culture, at maintaining cohesion. But it also provides resilience and access that a single-location firm wouldn't have.

Looking Ahead

I'm bullish on Miami's trajectory. The fundamentals are strong: population growth, capital formation, business-friendly policy, quality of life. The network effects are building—each new arrival makes the city more attractive to the next.

This doesn't mean Miami is right for everyone or every company. Geography still matters, and different businesses have different needs. But for SpringOwl's focus areas—gaming, hospitality, technology, with an eye toward emerging markets—Miami is exactly where we should be.