Reimagining Government Innovation: How Miami-Dade Innovation Authority is Accelerating Tech Adoption

Highlights

• Miami-Dade Innovation Authority is the first public innovation authority in the US, accelerating government adoption of emerging tech.
• Innovation challenges have attracted 444 companies from 55 countries, expanding solution sourcing globally.
• Miami-Dade Innovation Authority invests $100,000 in winning startups to support pilots and increase contract opportunities.
• Procurement cycles for pilots cut by 67%, enabling solutions to move from selection to pilot in under six months.
• Unique challenges tackled include repurposing sargassum seaweed via circular economy solutions.
• Miami-Dade Innovation Authority operates embedded within government, reducing friction and shifting culture toward innovation.
• Expansion plans underway, focusing on municipalities with strong leadership buy-in and innovation readiness.

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Summary

In this episode of The Innovators and Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez interviews Leanne Buchanan, president and CEO of the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority (MDIA). MDIA is the first public innovation authority in the United States, created to help local governments accelerate the piloting and procurement of emerging technologies that improve quality of life. The authority focuses on areas such as mobility, housing, healthcare, sustainability, and reducing friction in government-citizen interactions.

MDIA operates by running public innovation challenges that replace traditional Request for Proposal (RFP) processes with a more open, market-driven approach that attracts a wider pool of startups and companies globally. Since launching nearly two years ago, MDIA has run five innovation challenges, attracting over 444 companies from 55 countries and 19 states, with roughly 30% having connections to Florida. The challenges have addressed unique problems such as repurposing sargassum seaweed into useful products, showcasing the authority’s ability to tackle diverse and complex issues.

Leanne highlights the evolution of MDIA’s work: initially focused on startups, they recognized the importance of also transforming government systems to reduce barriers for startups and become catalysts for technology commercialization. MDIA invests $100,000 in winning startups per challenge to support pilot projects and increase the likelihood of successful government contracts.

A critical aspect of MDIA’s success is its embedded role within local government, created in partnership with the mayor’s office, which reduces friction in bureaucratic processes. Leanne explains the concept of “public innovation readiness levels,” a framework for assessing a government department’s capacity for innovation across five dimensions, including readiness to pilot, leadership culture, innovation track record, economic efficiency focus, and supporting infrastructure.

MDIA has significantly shortened the procurement cycle for pilot projects in Miami-Dade County by 67%, reducing timelines from 18 months to under six months. This efficiency, combined with a culture shift toward agility and experimentation, has enabled faster adoption of emerging technologies including AI and machine learning.

Leanne also shares her personal journey from a complex commercial litigation attorney to an innovation leader focused on social impact, emphasizing the importance of purpose-driven work. She stresses that individuals should distinguish their platform (job or role) from their purpose, a lesson she imparts to youth through her nonprofit work.

Looking ahead, MDIA aims to expand its innovation authority model beyond Miami-Dade to other cities and counties, carefully selecting markets based on leadership buy-in, budget capacity, and innovation ecosystem readiness. The authority maintains a network of over 120 external partners, including investors and accelerators, to support startup success and ecosystem growth.

Leanne concludes by highlighting the importance of relationships, purpose, and impact in driving meaningful change, and offers contact information for those interested in learning more about MDIA or connecting with her personally.

Key Insights

• Global Solution Sourcing Drives Broader Innovation: By casting a wide net internationally, MDIA accesses a diverse range of technologies, far surpassing traditional RFP response rates. This approach not only increases competition but also introduces unconventional solutions that might be overlooked in localized procurement. The global reach fosters a cross-pollination of ideas and aligns local government challenges with cutting-edge technologies worldwide.
• Systemic Change in Government Is as Important as Startup Support: MDIA’s evolution from focusing solely on startups to addressing government innovation readiness reveals a deep insight: startups cannot succeed without a receptive and agile government partner. By investing in government processes and culture, MDIA removes systemic barriers, creating a conducive environment where startups can pilot, validate, and scale solutions effectively. This dual focus is crucial for sustainable public innovation.
• Strategic Investment Catalyzes Startup Growth and Validates Market Fit: The $100,000 investments per winning startup reflect MDIA’s role as an investor, not just a facilitator. This capital helps defray pilot costs and signals confidence in the startups, increasing their credibility with other investors and customers. The direct support enhances startups’ ability to prove product-market fit within the public sector, a notoriously challenging market, thus accelerating commercialization and scaling pathways.
• Shortening Procurement Cycles Creates Efficiency and Cost Savings: Reducing pilot procurement from 18 months to less than six months is a game-changer for government innovation. This efficiency gain results in significant time and cost savings, enabling governments to respond rapidly to emerging needs and technologies. It also minimizes opportunity costs and frustration often associated with cumbersome bureaucratic procedures, making government a more attractive customer for startups.
• Innovation Readiness Model Enables Tailored Government Engagement: The five-factor public innovation readiness assessment—pilot readiness, leadership culture, innovation track record, focus on economic efficiency, and infrastructure—provides a diagnostic framework to identify friction points and customize support. This structured approach helps manage expectations, allocate resources effectively, and build internal champions, which are essential for cultural transformation and sustained innovation adoption.
• Social Impact and Economic Development Are Intertwined: Leanne’s career narrative underscores the integration of technology, innovation, and social investment to enhance economic mobility and community outcomes. MDIA’s work is situated within a broader ecosystem that includes philanthropic capital deployment and educational initiatives, illustrating how public innovation authorities can be hubs for inclusive economic growth and social equity.
• Scaling Innovation Models Requires Strategic Market Selection: MDIA’s cautious approach to expansion—waiting until their blueprint is refined and selecting new markets based on leadership readiness and ecosystem maturity—demonstrates best practices in scaling public innovation. This strategic scaling ensures that the model’s impact is replicable and sustainable, avoiding pitfalls of premature or misaligned expansion common in public sector innovation.

The Miami-Dade Innovation Authority stands as a pioneering example of how public institutions can leverage innovation challenges, strategic investments, and cultural transformation to accelerate technology adoption and improve public services. By balancing startup support with systemic government change, MDIA reduces procurement friction, expands global solution sourcing, and shortens innovation timelines. This integrated approach not only drives efficiency and cost savings but also fosters social impact and economic development. As MDIA prepares to scale its model beyond Miami, its work offers valuable lessons for municipalities seeking to modernize governance through innovation.

Stay up-to-date with Leigh-Ann Buchanan and her work with Miami-Dade Innovation Authority.

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