Politics

Miami Mayor Tries to Build a Tech Mecca, One Tweet at a Time

His powers in City Hall are limited, but Francis Suarez has become Miami’s most visible, and ambitious, booster.

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By Jonathan Levin and Michael Smith

April 7, 2021 at 8:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

This article is part of the April 12, 2021 issue of businessweek.

The viral moment that turned Francis Suarez, the mayor of Miami, into a tech recruiter happened on Dec. 4, shortly before 9 p.m. Miami time. On Twitter, Delian Asparouhov, a Founders Fund venture capitalist, had mused: “ok guys hear me out, what if we move silicon valley to miami”?

“How can I help?” Suarez responded.