In another sign that South Florida is further trying to become a major High-Tech nexus, a South Florida Technology Summit was organized last Wednesday. South Florida has always been known for its tourism industry and real estate. To that one should add technology.

The first South Florida Technology Summit will offer attendees an opportunity to learn about the hottest gadgets and to prepare for future tech advancements with workshops, tutorials, presentations, keynotes and exhibits.

The annual technology summit, which is presented by TigerDirect.com in collaboration with The LAB Miami and Refresh Miami, took place from 1 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Miami Airport Convention Center, 777 N.W. 72nd Ave. in Miami. The event is free and open to the public.

Companies showcasing their latest products include Intel, Microsoft, Sony, Dell, Samsung, LG, Toshiba and Canon, according to a news release.

Attendees can also expect top businesses, product executives and representatives from leading vendors to be on hand.

The Lab Miami, which is a campus for social and technology innovation, will host 15-minute workshops throughout the day. Topics will include product photography, pitching to venture capitalists, applying to accelerators and hardware hacking.

Businesses will be emphasis at the summit from 1 to 5 p.m. with dedicated seminars every 30 minutes. This portion will focus on how the latest technology and ideas can make businesses more productive, enhance the employee and consumer experience, and take the business to the next level.

Consumers will be the focus from 5 to 9 p.m. with complimentary food and beverages and the opportunity to chat with leaders in the technology field.

RefreshMiami, a nonprofit for the entrepreneurial and technology community in South Florida, will host its Demo Night at 7 p.m. and give 10 local technology companies five minutes to demonstrate their products and share their ideas.

Further promoting the Tech industry will lead to a better diversified local economy which will be able to grow in a more sustainable way and better weather any future downturns that may occur. We have a rich and diverse cultural makeup, which is one of South Florida’s great competitive advantage.