In the latest episode of What the Tech by Boast, we sat down with Bernie Florido, founder and CEO of Cocoflo Innovations—a Vancouver-based company developing technology that makes it easier for governments and communities to connect. Cocoflo brings together business licensing, parks and recreation, and payment processing into software solutions that help municipalities better serve their citizens. As Bernie and his team believe, smarter cities lead to better lives.
What makes Bernie’s journey especially compelling is his background: he spent over 13 years as a police officer before fully committing to his tech-driven mission. That experience shaped his resilience, leadership, and deep dedication to public service—qualities that continue to guide how Cocoflo approaches civic technology today.
Seeing Both Sides of the Table
Bernie’s unique perspective comes from living in two worlds at once. While serving as a police officer, he had also been active in real estate since 2003, both as an investor and as a land developer building homes. This dual experience gave him valuable insight into both sides of how municipalities operate.
“I found myself in this unique position where I could see both sides of the table,” Bernie explains. “I got to experience what it’s like working behind the scenes for the city, and I also saw what it’s like working with the city.”
That experience revealed pain points not just in Vancouver, but around the world. Bernie recognized patterns in how municipalities struggled to serve their communities effectively—and how citizens found it difficult to access the services available to them. The question became: how could he help solve these challenges?
The Foundation: Church and Sports
Looking back on his own life, Bernie realized two constants kept him on a positive path: church and sports. Both represented community, connection, and easy access—exactly what municipalities often struggle to provide at scale.
This perspective inspired Rec+, Cocoflo’s flagship product. Rec+ streamlines parks and recreation management, handling everything from program administration and registrations to calendars and payment processing for cities. Most importantly, it also makes it easier for residents and communities to access and participate in these programs.
“We make it easier for people to sign up for classes, customize programs to their interests, and boost participation so more people can lead active lives.”
The vision goes beyond making municipal operations more efficient. It’s about breaking down barriers so everyone—not just those who know how to navigate complex systems—can get involved in their community.
Building With, Not For
One of Cocoflo’s biggest challenges was truly understanding the sector they were entering. To overcome this, Bernie found champions within municipal leadership who offered honest feedback and shared their vision for how they wanted their communities to grow.
“We’re building this for them. We’re building it for communities, and we can’t just create something generic and expect it to work for everyone,” Bernie notes. “We really took a step back and gathered input not just from municipal leaders and staff, but also from the people who would actually use it.”
This collaborative approach paid off in a big way. Cocoflo is launching with the City of Myrtle Beach, which became one of their strongest supporters through its Living Lab program. The city gave Cocoflo access to staff, residents, and neighboring municipalities, partnering closely to build a solution that genuinely meets community needs.
The Funding Journey
Bernie initially bootstrapped Cocoflo Innovations, wanting to prove the concept before seeking outside investment. Once he confirmed there was real market demand, he brought in friends and family who believed in the vision and the impact Cocoflo could have.
A key part of Cocoflo’s funding strategy has been Canadian SR&ED tax credits. As Bernie explains, “A lot of what we’re doing is about making our software future-ready—whether it’s AI, crypto, or just focusing on a product in a sector that’s often overlooked.”
The SR&ED program has been essential for funding R&D that goes beyond just building new features. It’s allowed CocoFlow to reimagine civic engagement technology for the future, addressing a sector that’s been underserved by modern software.
“The SR&ED R&D program has been fantastic. We’ve worked with you for several years now, and every experience has been great. Everyone I’ve dealt with has been incredibly responsive and truly an expert in their field.”
The fact that Cocoflo Innovations qualifies for SR&ED credits year after year is proof of the real innovation they’re delivering. These credits aren’t available for minor tweaks—the program requires teams to tackle genuine technological uncertainty and create something truly new.
Future Ready: What’s Next
With the Myrtle Beach launch, Cocoflo is entering an exciting new chapter. In the months ahead, they’ll ramp up marketing and sales, scaling and commercializing Rec+ to reach more municipalities, universities, high schools, and private organizations.
But the vision goes beyond parks and recreation. Cocoflo is building an integrated platform that covers every touchpoint between municipalities and citizens—from business licensing to payments and more. The goal: create a seamless ecosystem where civic engagement is as simple as shopping online.
Bernie’s background in law enforcement taught him about public service. His experience in real estate taught him how to navigate bureaucracy. And his roots in church and sports taught him the value of community. Cocoflo brings all these experiences together, transforming them into technology that truly serves people.
Key Takeaways
Lived experience brings unique insights—Bernie’s dual perspective as both a city employee and someone who worked with the city gave him visibility into problems others might overlook.
Build with champions, not in isolation – Finding municipal leaders who will partner with you to shape the solution ensures you’re building something people will actually use and adopt.
Non-dilutive funding extends runway – SR&ED tax credits have been crucial for CocoFlow’s ability to invest in future-ready features and reimagine civic tech for an underserved sector.
Community is the foundation – Whether it’s church, sports, or civic engagement, removing barriers to participation builds stronger, more connected communities.
