GM of the LAB Miami - Miami's Innovation Campus Partner Reefside Ventures Taught 500+ founders how to launch startups as creator of the Built in Miami Startup Program

Hi, I’m Joel Mena — a product leader, coach, strategist and community builder proudly based in Miami. For more than a decade, I’ve worked alongside startups, founders, and innovation teams to turn bold ideas into real-world products. From real estate and healthcare to education, entertainment, and emerging tech like AR/VR, IoT and blockchain to name a afew — I’ve helped launch dozens of digital products that drive impact and put people at the center of experience. In my role as Chief Experience Officer, I lead a diverse team of PM’s designers, researchers, and technologists focused on transforming complex challenges into elegant, scalable solutions. Whether I’m crafting a user journey or guiding a founder through their product vision, I believe great products start with empathy and are built through collaboration. Beyond the work, I’m deeply invested in the creative and tech community. For nearly a decade I led the Miami chapter of the Interaction Design Association (IxDA) and more recently co-founded Product People Meet, a growing network for product professionals to connect, share, and grow together. I’ve mentored with top-ranked UX bootcamps and often speak on topics like user-centered design, emerging technologies, and the role of product leadership in shaping the future of startups and tech ecosystems.

I am the founder and principal consultant at Trace Impact Consulting. At Trace, we help Credit Unions and CDFIs (mission aligned lenders) turn small business lending into a powerful tool for economic growth. I founded Trace to help Credit Unions and CDFIs develop and scale small business lending programs through expert underwriting. I am committed to strengthening the impact finance ecosystem by equipping lenders with the tools to underwrite loans responsibly, enabling them to scale their business lending programs to have maximum impact in the communities they serve.

Designer turned engineer with 13 years of experience across industries. Contributed to the growth of projects on blockchain, AI, SaaS, Agencies, SMEs and music artists. Love meeting new people and crazy ideas.

Outsider in Chief | Co-Founder @1nationup | VP Engineering @getextendly | Co-Host @hello_miami | @Docker Swarm | Sync Engines | 🇨🇺🇺🇸 #MiamiTech

Co-Founder @ WRTH