MIAMI (CBSMiami) – NFTs or non-fungible tokens, have really exploded in the past years, and it was evident Friday, as thousands made their way to the NFT conference in Wynwood, where the Mayor of Miami Francis Suarez said the city is making a name for itself in the tech industry.
“We may have a little competition from places who think they can keep up with us,” said Suarez.
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One local venture capitalist, Brandon Buchanan, said he relocated here from New York a few years ago specifically to restart a tech company.
“You have engineers, people who want to work in the tech industry whereas I think before Miami was mostly known as a tourist destination now you can actually go out and hire folks, a lot of people are starting businesses it’s a very attractive place to be if you’re in venture capital or tech,” said Brandon Buchanan, founder, and managing partner of Meta4 Capital.
Craig Skilling, a director of innovation technology from Florida Memorial University says that digital art or NFTs has changed the way business is done.
“Tokens, NFT’s are really a part of our future, and it’s not going anywhere. And if you’re not considering a stagey that involves cryptocurrency you’ll get left behind,” said Craig Skilling, director of innovation technology entertainment and eSports programs at Florida Memorial University.
Buchanan says one of the most known NFTs, Bored Ape, his company Meta4 owns.
That one was worth 3.4 million.
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He said part of the reason he came to Miami to start this was because of Mayor Suarez’s stance on cryptocurrency.
“I think Mayor Suarez has been great at attracting talent, he’s been very progressive in terms of his stance on cryptocurrencies,” said Buchanan.
“This is something that has to happen, it’s not going away,” said Skilling.
All of this is in an attempt put Miami on the map when it comes to tech.
“These kinds of democratizing technologies like non-fungible tokens are going to change the world they’re going to create access for everyone and as a country and as a city and as a world we’ve got to take advantage of it,” said Mayor Suarez.
The conference goes throughout the weekend, big names like Mark Cuban is set to be there on Saturday.
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The NFT conference goes from the 1st through the 3rd at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center.
