Melissa Medina has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur, operator, investor, as well as a community leader and philanthropist.
A native to Miami, FL Melissa is the Co-founder & CEO of eMerge Americas, a venture-backed platform that has led the transformation of Miami into a global technology hub. eMerge’s flagship event, launched in 2014, is a premier global tech conference and startup accelerator held annually at the Miami Beach Convention Center. With Melissa’s leadership, the eMerge Americas conference now attracts more than 20,000+ attendees from over 50 countries and over 5,000 companies. Additionally, the eMerge Global Accelerator has graduated over 1,000 early-stage companies that have raised over $2 billion and over 15 alumni companies have successfully exited to date.
eMerge gathers the brightest minds and convenes investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, business executives, government leaders, academia and renowned subject matter experts from across the world to discuss technologies transforming our lives. Additionally, eMerge hosts year-round executive summits, innovation challenges, startup pitch competitions, masterclasses, webinars, and tracks venture activity, issues investment insights reports and publications. Melissa has been at the forefront of fostering a thriving entrepreneurial and tech ecosystem in South Florida.
In 2015 Melissa launched the Women, Innovation & Technology Summit (WIT), which convenes top female leaders and entrepreneurs from across the globe to showcase how they are transforming industries through technology & innovation. Melissa is passionately committed to and has a strong track record in supporting women and minority founders and entrepreneurs.
Prior to eMerge Americas, Melissa was a Financial Manager at Terremark Worldwide, a leading operator of integrated network access points, the critical infrastructure that connects the internet around the World. Beginning her career as a Research Assistant in the Development Department, Medina worked her way up as an Account Manager & Financial Analyst, analyzing company revenues and implementing audit systems.
Melissa is also a Partner at Medina Ventures, an early-stage venture fund, as well as the President of the Medina Family Foundation (MFF). As President of the foundation, Melissa dedicates her family’s resources to supporting initiatives focusing on climate research, homelessness, mentoring children, and empowering families by enhancing the education system and quality of life. Melissa currently serves on the Board of Trustees of The Miami Foundation. As a mom of 5 children, Melissa is extremely passionate about empowering the next generation.
Melissa has received dozens of honors, most recently she was honored with the 2023 annual “Woman of Distinction” award by Florida International University’s Dr. Lillian Kopenhaver Center. Melissa has also been honored with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce “Difference Maker” HYPE Award and the “Pace-Setting Woman in Miami” by the State of Florida for her commitment to her city. Furthermore, the Junior League of Miami recognized Melissa as a “Woman Who Makes A Difference” and was named one of the six most influential women in philanthropy by Ocean Drive Magazine. The Catalyst Miami organization awarded Melissa the “2018 Community Catalyst” award. Melissa has also been named multiple years, including in 2023, as one of the “Power Leaders in Technology” by the South Florida Business Journal.
Melissa attended the University of FL and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & a Master’s in International Business. Additionally, as part of her Master’s program, Melissa attended ESADE in Barcelona, Spain - one of the top global universities in business management.
