A South Florida startup wants to disrupt streaming by taking on both traditional Hollywood and major social platforms — putting independent creators first in a market increasingly dominated by vertical video.
Vurt is a Miami-based vertical streaming media and entertainment platform run by music and tech executive Ted Lucas, who founded the iconic Miami-based independent hip-hop label Slip-In-Slide records, and renowned tech entrepreneur Hilmon Sorey.
Miami-based Sorey, who spent 25 years in Silicon Valley and invested in over 100 technology startups, told WLRN he wants to help "cement South Florida as an epicenter for mobile-first storytelling."
The vertical streaming platform is "tapping into that vein of culture and society where folks are doing really innovative things at that level with their art," Sorey added.
Vurt pairs multi-format streaming with revenue sharing to help creators build scalable careers through revenue and access.
Lucas said the platform is helping creatives "take their talent to the next level, not just stay on social media."
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Vurt, which include original and licensed programming such as My First Love, recently partnered with this year's Urban Film Festival in Miami's historic Overtown to help connect independent filmmakers from the festival with post-screening distribution opportunities.
Vurt offers creators an "equal 50-50 revenue share on advertising" unlike traditional social media networks that typically keep the lion's share of ad dollars, Sorey said.
Proven space for diverse, vertical storytelling:
Pioneered in markets like China and South Korea, vertical video has expanded into a global industry expected to reach $150 billion in revenue by late 2026.
Success has reached diverse communities, especially Black creators like comedian Kountry Wayne and actress Issa Rae.
Issa Rae's Hoorae Media, for example, partnered with TikTok earlier this year to launch vertical micro-series, debuting with the thriller Screen Time on TikTok and PineDrama. The viral-hit series generated tens of millions of views in 24 hours and nearly 75 million in its first week, surpassing 150 million views in total.
The Miami-based Vurt adapts this format into micro-dramas consisting of 30 to 90 two to three minute episodes, each engineered with dramatic hooks and cliffhangers tailored for mobile and connected TV viewing.
Ted Lucas, who launched Slip-N-Slide Records 25 years ago to bring Florida musical artists like Trick Daddy, Trina, Plies, and Rick Ross to global prominence, told WLRN he sees Vurt as the natural evolution for modern storytellers.
Lucas said now is the right moment to capitalize on vertical content and create an entrepreneurial pipeline through tech.
"There are a lot of talented people I see on social media that have what it takes to go to the next level," Lucas noted. "But social media is the only platform they have to work with currently. Vurt is here to change that."
Vurt is part of a broader Black-owned tech hub under The Source — also founded by Lucas and Sorey — which bridges funding, mentorship, and workforce development in South Florida through skill-building workshops like its popular bi-weekly Tech Tuesdays. They recently partnered with Grow with Google to offer tech certifications and scholarships.
Contributing to Miami's growing creative, tech infrastructure
Vurt's rise shows how creative talent and money are moving away from traditional hotspots like New York and LA to South Florida, which is fast becoming a major hub for artists and entrepreneurs.
"This is creator central," Sorey said. Artists aren't just producing art — they're increasingly involved in the tech and business side.
Sorey and Lucas wants to contribute to Miami’s independent film and tech industry without displacing the local community, a problem Sorey witnessed firsthand in San Francisco.
"We are supporting all of these things that are feeders into that creative space," Sorey added. He wants "the whole ecosystem to have a chance to thrive and Vurt is a space for folks to put their content."
