Miami’s small–business community took center stage as OpenAI Academy brought its inaugural nationwide Small Business AI Jam to Miami, one of only five cities selected across the country. The hands-on workshop, created to make artificial intelligence practical and accessible for everyday business owners, featured the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at FIU Business as a key regional partner.
More than 1,000 small businesses registered nationwide, including over 200 hundred in Miami, where SBDC consultants, OpenAI mentors, and ecosystem partners guided local business owners through building AI-powered tools they could put to work immediately. The partnership reflects FIU’s continued momentum as an “AI-first” university, embedding artificial intelligence across research, instruction and community impact.
“Big businesses drive the stock market and headlines, while small businesses drive our local economy,” said Brian Van Hook, regional director of the Florida SBDC at FIU Business, during his opening remarks at the event. “The fact that so many of you are taking time away from your operations to learn how AI can help you—that’s huge. AI is a game changer whether you are a large business or small business.”
Nancy Hull, consultant at FSBDC at FIU, Felipe Millon, government affairs at OpenAI, Brian Van Hook, regional director of FSDC at FIU, Adriana Madriana, consultant at FSBDC at FIU, Alden Chance, founder of Tropirollz, Mark Mungenast, consultant at FSBDC at FIU.
OpenAI Academy’s goal is simple: give small business owners access to AI tools to help them compete and innovate. A recent survey conducted for OpenAI showed that half of small business owners believe AI skills are increasingly essential for employees, and 60% expect meaningful efficiency gains when AI knowledge becomes part of their teams’ capabilities.
At the Miami Jam, business owners worked on solutions to support a range of tasks– from automated marketing content and customer communication tools to data-driven decision-making assistants that improve scheduling, purchasing, and inventory planning.
National partners like DoorDash and SCORE supported the Small Business AI Jam events across all participating cities. Local recruiting and on-the-ground assistance were provided by regional conveners. In Miami, those conveners included the Idea Center at Miami Dade College, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, and the Florida SBDC at FIU.
One of the featured Small Business Hero speakers was SBDC at FIU client Alden Chance, owner of Tropirollz, a Miami-based Caribbean Fusion Sushi restaurant. Chance shared how AI allowed him to automate time-consuming tasks and reclaim hours he desperately needed to run and grow his business.
“Time is one of the biggest challenges we have as small business owners,” Chance told the audience. “OpenAI and ChatGPT helped us break through the administrative overload.”
Chance uses AI to draft marketing materials, create campaigns, respond to customer emails, and even analyze customer behavior. The impact, he said, has been transformational.
“If I’m stuck on email, ChatGPT writes the response. If I’m not sure what my next marketing move should be, I ask it to analyze my data and fill the gaps,” he said. “It’s like having an extra team member.”
Chance also credited the Florida SBDC at FIU for helping him adopt AI in a meaningful way. “Without SBDC at FIU, I wouldn’t be in this room today. Reach out to them—they’re amazing resources.”
In attendance at the Small Business Jam from SBDC at FIU were three business consultants specializing in AI for small businesses. As with Tropirollz, these consultants focus on using AI to help small businesses grow, increase productivity, and become more competitive in the digital age.
For FIU Business, the event reinforced its commitment to ensuring Miami’s entrepreneurs and small business owners benefit from emerging technologies. FIU has continued to expand its AI ecosystem, including new coursework, research initiatives, partnerships, and community programming in collaboration with OpenAI and other tech leaders.
“The SBDC at FIU, the university, and our partners are making sure local businesses have the tools to innovate and compete,” Van Hook said. “Small businesses drive Miami. Giving them access to AI drives Miami forward.”