Claudia Durán, Managing Director, Endeavor (Miami)

Invest: sat down with Claudia Durán, managing director of Endeavor Miami, to discuss the organization’s mission, its impact on the South Florida market, and the strategies it employs to support and inspire high-impact entrepreneurs.

What is the mission and purpose of Endeavor in the South Florida market?

Our vision is to be the leading organization that supports high-impact entrepreneurs — those with big ideas leading innovative companies capable of scaling in the local market. We aim for these entrepreneurs to inspire the next generation, invest, and mentor future leaders. At Endeavor, we call this the “multiplier effect.” Our purpose is to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem with and for these entrepreneurs in collaboration with other ecosystem builders.

What does it mean to inspire founders and entrepreneurs to think big and how does this create a positive community impact?

The multiplier effect is seen when founders grow their companies to become influential entities, like “unicorns” or major success stories. We can map how these entrepreneurs invest in others and how their employees eventually become entrepreneurs themselves. These high-impact entrepreneurs inspire not only their teams but other founders to dream big and invest in the next generation. This impact multiplies, starting with a single entrepreneur and rippling through the community. For example, if you research MercadoLibre, one of our first Endeavor entrepreneurs in Argentina, you can observe their significant impact on the local ecosystem. When such companies are part of the community, the ecosystem thrives. We encourage these entrepreneurs to mentor others, invest in new talent, and inspire employees to pursue their entrepreneurial paths.

Are there specific milestones or accomplishments from the past year that you would highlight?

In the past year, we partnered with JP Morgan to support our Endeavor Lab program, which serves underrepresented founders through three cohorts: female, Black, and Latino entrepreneurs. This was a significant partnership for us. We also selected a remarkable husband-and-wife team, which is made up of Endeavor entrepreneurs. They were recently acquired by Globant, an Argentine company. This acquisition exemplifies the multiplier effect within our network. We also have an exciting event coming up—our summit on December 10th, which will be our largest since 2019, hosting about 200 entrepreneurs. Key speakers include our founder and C-level executives sharing global insights. Additionally, we’ll host our international selection panel, which occurs eight times a year, with four in-person events. This will be the first in Miami in eight years, with 20 companies participating from around the world.

We’ve also partnered with IMDB and the White House under the Americas Partnership. This partnership is focused on creating an investor network to support investments in Latin America.

What do you believe has attracted technology businesses and entrepreneurs to Miami, particularly over the past year?

There are multiple reasons. Miami has long been a logical entry point for Latin American entrepreneurs looking to access the U.S. market. It serves as a gateway, and many companies that start in Latin America aim for Miami as their second market or even establish themselves as U.S. companies from the beginning. Safety concerns also drive this move. Domestically, entrepreneurs from states like California and New York are drawn to Miami for its business-friendly tax policies, appealing lifestyle, and relatively lower costs. Although living expenses have increased, it’s still more affordable compared to places like New York.

What challenges do entrepreneurs face when relocating to Miami, and what strategies is Endeavor implementing to help overcome these challenges?

The main challenges are talent and capital. Finding local tech talent, especially for senior positions like CTOs or CFOs, remains difficult. Universities are working to provide better programming, but there is still a gap. Capital has become easier to access in Miami, but overall economic conditions have made fundraising more challenging. The focus has shifted from growth to profitability, making it harder for founders to secure investments. Entrepreneurs now need to show real traction, client pipelines, and solid growth metrics. While this has led to more resourcefulness and efficiency, some business models still require significant capital to scale.

What is Endeavor’s process when selecting businesses?

It depends on the stage of the company. For growth-stage businesses, we evaluate year-over-year growth, team composition, and their ability to execute strategies. We also look at client concentration and overall business viability. Importantly, we assess whether the founder is committed to reinvesting in the ecosystem, mentoring, or becoming an angel investor to continue the multiplier effect. For earlier-stage companies in our shorter programs like Endeavor Lab and ScaleUp, we still look for potential growth and product-market fit but with the understanding that they’re at different development stages. We don’t select service-based companies; our focus is on clear products, with a strong emphasis on Fintech and SaaS companies lately.

What business development or investment trends are emerging in Miami?

Healthcare presents a significant opportunity, but it’s still underrepresented compared to its potential. In our current ScaleUp cohort, we do see some CPG (consumer packaged goods) and F&B (food and beverage) innovations, like functional, non-alcoholic spirits. There’s also some movement in deep tech and space technology, particularly in areas like Orlando and Boca Raton. Fintech remains a broad category, including payments, financial services, and niche sectors like e-commerce lending and tech stack development.

How are DEI principles reflected in Endeavor’s efforts, and what initiatives are in place to support them?

Diversity and inclusion are central to our mission, which is why we created Endeavor Lab. We observed a gap in representation, with fewer women and minority founders leading growth companies. Our lab, supported by Tech Equity Miami and JP Morgan, specifically targets underrepresented founders to bridge this gap. We aim for our portfolio to reflect Miami’s diverse community.

What are your priorities for the next few years?

Our main priority is fostering collaboration between the private and public sectors to strengthen Miami’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. This requires collective effort and investment. We also aim to ensure successful entrepreneurs give back, not just through philanthropy in traditional areas like education and health but also in supporting entrepreneurship. It’s essential to have self-aware entrepreneurs who understand the importance of reinvesting in the community.

What is your vision for Miami’s business landscape over the next decade, and how will Endeavor contribute to it?

I envision a positive future where Miami remains welcoming, diverse, and supportive for both families and businesses. Entrepreneurs who feel at home can focus on building impactful companies. Collaboration and a thriving network are key — one that is integrated, not divided by communities or backgrounds. Endeavor will continue to play a significant role in nurturing this ecosystem and ensuring that entrepreneurs here understand their responsibility to contribute back.