I'm Mario Cruz, a Miami-based technologist, entrepreneur, inventor, and musician. As a kid, I would take things apart and mostly put them back together. Then I started fixing musical instruments and building computers, and I was hooked. I studied music at Miami Dade College, co-founded Choose Digital in 2011 (acquired by Viggle Inc. in 2014), and have been CTO at Watsco Ventures since 2015. Today I work out of Moonlighter FabLab in Miami, building robots, IoT devices, and interactive installations.
Currently
- Restoring a 1984 Tomy Omnibot with Ring-O, a 3D-printed AI sidekick built around a Raspberry Pi 5 and IMX500 AI camera, for Maker Faire Miami 2026.
- Producing Maker Faire Miami 2026 with the Moonlighter team.
Roles
CTO, Watsco Ventures
Since 2015. Helping HVAC/R entrepreneurs scale and innovate through technology, cloud, and DevOps.
Executive Producer, Maker Faire Miami since 2014
Annual flagship event for Miami's maker community. Produced by Moonlighter FabLab, a 501(c)3.
Board, Moonlighter FabLab
Non-profit S.T.E.A.M. learning center providing access to CNC, laser, 3D printing, and mentorship.
Board, O, Miami
Non-profit on a mission to have every person in Miami-Dade encounter a poem.
Technical Advisor, Fairchild
IoT solutions for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, including the NASA Growing Beyond Earth program.
Co-founder, Bárbaro Mojo
Founded 2020 with my son Kevin. Small-batch Cuban hot sauces inspired by traditional Mojo Criollo.
Drummer, Switch
Because someone has to be in the back keeping time.
Co-founder, Choose Digital
Founded 2011, acquired by Viggle Inc. in 2014. Digital marketplace for incentive and loyalty programs.
Awards
- Maker of Merit Blue Ribbon — Maker Faire Orlando
- CIO Impact Award for Cloud Computing
- Techweek100 Award
- CIO of the Year — South Florida Business Journal (2009–2010)
Speaking & Community
I've spoken at DockerCon, Jenkins User Conference, DevOps Days, Sime Miami, and Google Startup Grind. I host MeetUps for Docker, DevOps, and Raspberry Pi open-source electronics, and I judge the South Florida Regional FIRST Robotics Competition.
Featured Work
My projects have been featured at Miami Maker Faire, Maker Faire Orlando, Maker Faire Bay Area, the O, Miami Poetry Festival, Frost Science Museum, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and DockerCon. Recent builds include the Banana Poem Phone (a landline phone that plays poems when dialed, made for the 2026 O, Miami Poetry Festival) and Ring-O (a 3D-printed AI robotic sidekick for a restored 1984 Tomy Omnibot).
Bárbaro Mojo
In 2020, I co-founded Bárbaro Mojo with my son Kevin. We make small-batch Cuban hot sauces inspired by traditional Mojo Criollo.
Press & Booking
For speaking, press inquiries, or collaborations, email Mario@MarioTheMaker.com. Headshots and bios available on request.