LiveTalk: Raising Capital with Octavio Visiedo: Raising Capital, The Story Beyond the AI Version
11 AM Friday 10 Januuary 2025
Ratcliffe Art+ Design Incubator
FIU Biscayne Bay Campus – Academic II Suite 150
3000 NE 151st St, Miami, FL 33181
FREE ADMISSION
RA+DI Research Associate Octavio J. Visiedo discusses raising capital, including best practices, and presents traditional strategies for achieving a successful “raise.” He will also share a personal journey of how a concept resulted in raising $55 million in the capital markets by utilizing many of the strategies specified in the discussion. Other related topics will be discussed that will help attendees gain a better understanding of the capital raising process.
About Octavio J. Visiedo
Mr. Visiedo began his employment with MDCPS as a 19-year-old bus aide at Ada Merritt Junior High School. Mr. Visiedo ascended through the ranks and served as an Assistant Principal, Principal, Director, Executive Director, Assistant Superintendent, and Deputy Superintendent which uniquely prepared him to lead MDCPS through historically challenging times. Mr. Visiedo was appointed to the position of Superintendent of Schools at the age of 39, making him at the time the youngest urban school Superintendent in the nation.
Under Mr. Visiedo’s leadership the $1.5 billion capital construction program that languished for several years was placed on track, Pre-kindergarten programs expanded dramatically, raised over $3.5 million of private funding for scholarships, dramatically improved the academic performance of MDCPS students at all grade levels and most significantly, led the recovery for MDCPS after Hurricane Andrew, at the time, the single largest national disaster in the history of the United States. As a result, Mr. Visiedo was honored by the South Florida community for being one of the Heroes of Hurricane Andrew.
In search of different challenges, he moved to the private sector. He proceeded to raise over $55 million in Wall Street to establish Chancellor Academies and a variety of other educational-related enterprises throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico.
Currently, Mr. Visiedo serves as a Faculty/Research Associate with Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator at Florida International University. This initiative aims to promote and foster social entrepreneurship and innovation among upcoming FIU artists and designers.