When you’ve led one of South Florida’s biggest tech organizations, people naturally wonder what comes next. For Nikki Cabus, the longtime CEO of South Florida Tech Hub, the answer came from the community itself.
“After I left Tech Hub, I started having members and partners reach out to ask what was next,” Cabus told Refresh Miami. “It was really the community that pushed me to start my own thing.”
That “thing” is Studio Solian, a consultancy that helps nonprofits and small to mid-sized businesses sharpen their sales, marketing, internal operations, and event planning. “I’m still working with a lot of tech companies,” she said, “but I’m not just focused on tech anymore. I’m focused on innovation as a whole.”
If that sounds like a natural extension of what she’s always done – connecting people, ideas, and opportunity – you’d be right.
“A lot of what I’m doing now feels like what I did at Tech Hub, just more focused,” she said. “I’m helping companies run great events, create systems, and grow strategically, but without the silos that sometimes come with tech-only spaces.”
Event planning, in fact, has become an unexpectedly popular part of her new business. She’s organizing everything from cybersecurity conferences to construction company trainings to community networking nights. “I didn’t expect that to take off the way it has,” she admitted. “But people are hungry for authentic connection.”
Her next big stage? The Miami Open. This spring, Cabus’s Studio Solian is teaming up with Google Fiber for Net Gains: Tech Night at the Miami Open 2026, an event blending tennis, technology, and high-level networking.
“It’s not tech for tech’s sake,” she said. “It’s about creating spaces where founders and business leaders can meet people outside their usual circles. That’s where real innovation happens.”
Cabus believes the region’s growth depends on exactly that kind of cross-pollination. “One of the biggest challenges we still face is this scarcity mentality,” she said. “People sometimes act like there’s not enough business or opportunity to go around. But there is. If we help each other rise, we all win. It shouldn’t be Miami versus Broward or Broward versus Palm Beach. It should be Florida versus the world.”
Her perspective comes from experience. As a born-and-raised South Floridian, she’s seen the ecosystem evolve through hype cycles – from blockchain to AI to quantum computing – and worries about how easily trends come and go.
“We jump on whatever’s shiny,” she said. “But then a year or two later, it fizzles. The conversations are happening, but we need to make sure we’re turning them into something lasting; something that integrates into our companies, our schools, and our communities.”
Still, she’s optimistic. “There’s so much good happening here,” she said. “My goal is to help build an ecosystem where people can stay and thrive. I want to make sure our kids don’t feel like they have to move away to find a great career.”
For now, Cabus is focused on growing Studio Solian, hosting events that bring the region together, and gearing up for a major announcement in early 2026. “I’m just taking what I do best and offering it back to the community,” she said. “South Florida has given me so much—it’s time to give back by helping businesses here grow and connect.”
Scene from a recent event hosted by Nikki Cabus’ Studio Solian.
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I am a Miami-based technology researcher and writer with a passion for sharing stories about the South Florida tech ecosystem. I particularly enjoy learning about GovTech startups, cutting-edge applications of artificial intelligence, and innovators that leverage technology to transform society for the better. Always open for pitches via Twitter @rileywk or www.RileyKaminer.com.
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