As October unfolds, Miami embraces the spooky season and the arrival of cooler weather, marking a time dedicated to celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. This month honors the dynamic cultures that have heavily influenced the community through their rich history, diverse food, language, and music.
In alignment with this celebration, eMerge Americas, Miami’s premier global tech conference, hosted its ¡Celebrar! Pitch Competition as part of the eMerge eMpower Series. The event took place at The LAB Miami and highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of five Hispanic founders, each tasked with pitching their innovative startup ideas to a gathering of tech enthusiasts, investors, and members of the #MiamiTech community.
Each founder had under four minutes to present their vision, after which a panel of judges evaluated the pitches and selected one startup as the winner. The victor received a $2,500 grant alongside a fast track pass to the eMerge Americas Global Startup Accelerator + Showcase 2026. Additionally, the winner benefited from an extra $1,000 provided by B.I.G. Capital.
Among the standout pitches was Interview Coach AI, founded by Carmelo Colon. This startup employs AI-driven, video-based interview simulations to aid job seekers in preparing for roles in industries such as consulting, banking, and tech. Colon’s platform differentiates itself through instant feedback, progress tracking, and customized coaching, setting it apart from competitors who typically offer only audio or generic feedback.
Alix Gallardo introduced Invent AI, a startup designed to assist businesses that rely on social media for customer interaction. The platform enables companies to seamlessly implement AI-powered digital assistants and chatbots across Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram, all managed through a unified inbox. With model-agnostic, pay-per-message pricing and integration with services like Shopify and Stripe, it significantly streamlines operations.
National Energy made a compelling case with its innovative approach to waste management, founded by Dave Robau. The startup utilizes AI-driven sorting technology and robotics, aiming to convert organic waste into clean, renewable energy. With a mission to eliminate the need for landfills, Robau emphasized that their method targets the organic fraction of waste, which typically constitutes about 80 to 85% of pollution sources.
Todd Paton pitched One Home Service, an AI-powered application designed to make home maintenance easier for busy homeowners. Its virtual assistant, “AI Ali,” helps users remember essential tasks, such as changing air filters and scheduling maintenance, while also providing a secure digital vault for important household documents, effectively eliminating the clutter associated with traditional junk drawers.
Oscar Hedaya’s startup, Space Safe, introduces a new wave of home security with its next-generation smart safe. The safe features built-in cameras, touchscreens, and tamper sensors, all synchronized with a mobile app to alert users of any unauthorized access in real time.
The competition culminated with National Energy being chosen as the winner. Robau shared, “As a garbologist for the Air Force, my job was to put those nasty burn pits out of business. We had to develop technology for that, and we did. We’re taking about 80 to 85% of waste, extracting the valuable portion of that waste stream, and turning that into energy.”
National Energy is currently seeking investors to join them in a $2 million seed round, having already amassed approximately $3 million in revenue through projects with the Department of Defense. Robau expressed excitement for eMerge Americas in April, stating that it would be their initial participation. He offered advice to budding entrepreneurs: “Just do it – it’s never going to be perfect, so you just have to get out there and start.”
image source from：refreshmiami
