FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fort Lauderdale’s Ubicquia Powers South Florida Tech Surge as Regional Venture Capital Hits Record $1.15 Billion in Q1 2026

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – April 15, 2026 – According to the latest PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor report released today, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area has officially entered a new era of economic dominance, capturing a record-breaking $1.15 billion in venture capital investment during the first quarter of 2026. At the heart of this regional surge is Ubicquia, the Fort Lauderdale-based pioneer in intelligent infrastructure, whose recent $106 million Series D funding round has become a flagship success story for Broward County’s maturing technology ecosystem. This historic quarterly performance not only places South Florida in the top tier of national innovation hubs but also signals a fundamental shift in how the region is perceived by global institutional investors.

A Milestone for Intelligent Infrastructure and Grid Resiliency

The $106 million capital infusion, led by 67 Capital and Marunouchi Innovation Partners, represents more than just a financial milestone for Ubicquia; it is a validation of the company’s “AI-first” approach to modernizing the world’s legacy infrastructure. As global energy demands soar—driven by the rapid expansion of data centers and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles—the stability of the power grid has become a matter of national security and economic survival. Ubicquia’s plug-and-play solutions, which are compatible with over 450 million streetlights, 500 million transformers, and 1 billion utility poles worldwide, are providing a cost-effective and immediate path to digital transformation.

“Ubicquia’s AI-driven solutions are proven by the largest utilities, municipalities, and businesses,” said Ian Aaron, CEO of Ubicquia. “This investment allows us to further scale our business and bring our solutions to customers worldwide, driving financial and operational improvements in grid resiliency, power quality, and public safety. We are not just building gadgets; we are building the digital nervous system for the modern city.”

The funding round saw significant participation from a marquee group of existing and new investors, including Hamilton Lane, ClearSky, GMS, and strategic partner Sercomm. This diverse backing reflects the broad market appeal of Ubicquia’s technology, which spans the energy, public safety, and telecommunications sectors.

Revolutionizing the Smart City Landscape with Edge AI

Ubicquia’s portfolio is built on the disruptive premise that the fastest and most sustainable way to modernize a city is to upgrade what already exists rather than tearing it down and starting from scratch. By embedding intelligence into the “fixed” assets of the urban environment, Ubicquia allows municipalities to gain real-time visibility into their operations without the multi-year timelines and massive capital expenditures typically associated with “smart city” projects.

Key innovations driving the company’s recent growth and attracting investor interest include:

• UbiCell® Micro: Recognized as the industry’s smallest and most advanced universal streetlight controller. It features dual-LUX sensors, high-precision GPS, and the ability to autosense voltages from 120V to 480V, making it a “one-size-fits-all” solution for roadway and ornamental fixtures.
• UbiScout™: A Zhaga Book 18-compliant AI camera accessory that integrates seamlessly with existing UbiCell controllers. It enables adaptive lighting based on real-time pedestrian and vehicle activity, as well as sophisticated “curb analytics” to help cities manage parking and traffic flow.
• UbiHub®: A powerful edge processing platform that serves as a force multiplier for law enforcement. By leveraging the existing streetlight network, UbiHub enables advanced license plate recognition (LPR), high-definition livestreaming, and vehicle intelligence, helping budget-constrained departments meet the safety needs of their communities.
• UbiVu®: The “brain” of the operation, this intelligent asset management platform processes more than 3.5 billion data points daily. It allows utilities to anticipate transformer failures, improve outage response times, and extend the lifespan of critical equipment through predictive maintenance.

Catalyzing the South Florida Economic Transformation

The record-shattering $1.15 billion Q1 performance for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area is a testament to the region’s resilience and its growing reputation as the “Silicon Coast.” For the first time, the region has secured a spot as the No. 7 venture capital hub in the United States by deal count and No. 8 by deal dollars, outperforming traditional strongholds like Austin, Denver, and Seattle.

This momentum is fueled in part by the ongoing “blue state exodus” and the massive capital migration from traditional financial centers. In the last 60 days alone, South Florida developers have reported over $126 million in real estate sales to buyers relocating from California, New York, and Illinois. This influx of wealth is not just inflating property values; it is being recycled into the local economy as these new residents launch startups, join executive boards, and invest in the next generation of Florida-born technology companies.

Fort Lauderdale is at the epicenter of this shift. While the city was once primarily known as a tourism and maritime hub, it has successfully diversified its economic base. The success of Ubicquia is joined by other recent triumphs, including SynthBee’s $100 million funding round and Future Tech Enterprise’s global partnership with Nexthink to enhance IT lifecycle management. These stories collectively illustrate a community that is no longer playing “catch-up” with Miami but is instead carving out its own identity as a leader in industrial AI and infrastructure tech.

Strengthening the Local Talent Pipeline through Academic Partnerships

A key pillar of Ubicquia’s long-term strategy is its commitment to fostering the talent that will sustain this growth. In a landmark move for the region’s educational landscape, the Aaron Family Foundation and Ubicquia provided a $1.5 million gift to Florida Atlantic University (FAU) to establish the Ubicquia Innovation Center for Intelligent Infrastructure (UICII).

Located within FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, the center serves as a high-tech incubator where students and faculty work directly on the cutting edge of the “Fourth Industrial Revolution.” By focusing on Large Language Models (LLMs), real-time analytics, and advanced industrial sensors, the UICII ensures that the next wave of engineers is equipped to handle the complexities of a digitized world. This partnership also creates a unique “innovation triangle” between academia, private industry (Ubicquia), and public utilities (such as Florida Power & Light), accelerating the speed at which research can be turned into commercially viable products.

Global Ambitions from the Heart of Broward

With the fresh Series D funding, Ubicquia is poised for an aggressive international expansion. The company already has a significant footprint in Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East, but the goal is to become the “standard” for intelligent infrastructure globally. The new capital will support the launch of “infrastructure-as-a-service” (IaaS) models, which allow cash-strapped municipalities and utilities to access Ubicquia’s hardware and software through subscription-based plans with no upfront costs.

“We are defining the next generation of intelligent infrastructure,” said Cort Ahl, Partner at 67 Capital. “Ubicquia stands out for its ability to turn existing urban assets into AI-enabled networks that deliver immediate operational and financial value. Their traction with over 1,000 customers proves they are the category leader, and we are thrilled to support their journey to global scale.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What was the total venture capital raised in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area in Q1 2026?
The region captured a record $1.15 billion in venture capital during the first quarter of 2026, marking its best start to a year in history and placing it among the top 10 VC hubs in the United States.

How much did Ubicquia raise in its recent Series D round?
Ubicquia secured $106 million in Series D funding. The round was led by 67 Capital and Marunouchi Innovation Partners, with participation from Hamilton Lane, ClearSky, GMS, and Sercomm.

What is the “Ubicquia Innovation Center for Intelligent Infrastructure”?
The UICII is a $1.5 million partnership between Ubicquia and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) designed to accelerate the development of AI-driven sensors and train the next generation of engineering talent in South Florida.

Which key technologies does Ubicquia provide to cities and utilities?
Ubicquia’s flagship products include the UbiCell universal streetlight controller, the UbiScout AI camera accessory, the UbiHub edge processing platform for public safety, and the UbiVu asset management platform.

Who is the CEO of Ubicquia?
Ian Aaron is the Chief Executive Officer of Ubicquia, a role he has held as the company scaled to serve more than 1,000 municipalities and utilities worldwide.

How does Ubicquia’s technology improve grid resiliency?
By monitoring power quality at the transformer level and providing real-time data through the UbiVu platform, Ubicquia helps utilities identify potential failures before they occur, reducing outages and maintenance costs.

Why is Fort Lauderdale becoming a hub for technology companies?
Fort Lauderdale offers a combination of a favorable tax environment (no state income tax), a growing pool of skilled talent, and a high quality of life that has attracted both significant venture capital and a wave of executive relocations from across the U.S.

Does Ubicquia offer a subscription model for its services?
Yes, the company is expanding its “infrastructure-as-a-service” models, which allow cities and utilities to deploy intelligent infrastructure with predictable recurring costs and no upfront capital investment.

How many data sets does Ubicquia process daily?
Ubicquia’s platforms currently process over 3.5 billion data sets per day, providing actionable insights that help improve public safety, energy efficiency, and operational reliability.

What is the environmental impact of Ubicquia’s smart lighting?
Ubicquia’s controllers enable adaptive lighting and dimming protocols that can significantly reduce energy consumption across municipal lighting networks, contributing to local sustainability goals.

About Ubicquia

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Ubicquia offers AI-driven platforms that make existing critical infrastructure intelligent. The company’s solutions increase grid resiliency, reduce energy consumption, and enhance operational efficiencies for utilities, municipalities, and commercial enterprises. For more information, visit www.ubicquia.com.

About the Q1 2026 Venture Capital Report

The PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor is the authoritative source for venture capital activity in the United States. The Q1 2026 report highlights the Southeast as a major growth engine, with the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area reaching new heights in both deal volume and total capital raised.

Media Contact:
Public Relations Department
media@ubicquia.com
Fort Lauderdale, FL

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