FIU Business students stepped into the headquarters of one of Miami's growing energy infrastructure companies with business ideas in development and an opportunity to test them before industry professionals.
Students in professor Agustin Cohen's Marketing for Entrepreneurs course visited Hut 8, a publicly traded energy infrastructure company supporting artificial intelligence and data center development, at its recently expanded headquarters in Miami's Brickell district.
The company recently relocated to a 56,600-square-foot office at 777 Brickell Ave., nearly seven times the size of its previous location. Its expansion reflects Miami's growing role in the technology sector, giving students a firsthand look at an industry attracting investment and creating new career opportunities in South Florida.
The visit served as a project coaching session ahead of Panther Tank, the course's culminating entrepreneurial pitch competition. Student teams presented their developing business concepts to three Hut 8 leaders: Tim D'Agostino, senior vice president; Kevin Ruiz, director of Miami ecosystem and impact; and Michael Waggoner, one of Hut 8’s strategic finance leaders.
Each team had five minutes to explain its proposed venture, followed by questions and feedback intended to strengthen the projects ahead of their Dec. 4 final presentations.
One team pitched a venture that would transform discarded food into a bio-stimulant designed to improve soil health and agricultural productivity. The students outlined plans to collect organic waste from retailers and producers, process it into an agricultural product and generate revenue through sales to farmers.
The presentations prompted discussions about business models, financial viability and how entrepreneurs communicate the value of their ideas to potential investors.
D'Agostino urged students not to rely on their phones for notes, and focus on delivering their pitches with confidence.
"Speak confidently, and speak with conviction," he advised, reminding students that investors ultimately want to understand how a business will generate returns.
Putting students in situations where they must defend their ideas before experienced business leaders is precisely the kind of challenge Cohen wants them to encounter before entering the workforce.
“Learning by doing is at the heart of this course and Panther Tank,” Cohen said. “This year, we took the class out of the classroom.”
Cohen says he chose Hut 8 for a reason: it’s a disruptive company with entrepreneurship in its DNA.
“Students traveled there, pitched their projects and were coached by its senior executives, in their space and on their terms,” said Cohen. “It’s harder and more stressful than any typical class, and it’s meant to be. The professional world won’t wait until students feel ready. I want them comfortable with the uncomfortable now, while they’re still in college.”
The feedback gave students an opportunity to reassess their approaches while their projects were still taking shape.
Haru Ogata, an international business major, said hearing directly from industry professionals helped his team identify areas for improvement before the semester's final presentation.
"I think every group had really impactful feedback, and we're going to apply that to our pitches and hopefully do better for our next presentation," Ogata said.
The visit also opened doors to professional connections beyond campus. Hut 8 representatives discussed their backgrounds in finance and technology and encouraged students to explore career and internship opportunities with the company.
Marketing senior Kelly Ho had never visited a company's headquarters as part of a class before. The opportunity to engage with professionals working in technology and artificial intelligence made an impression.
"This is the first time I was able to go out and actually go to a company," Ho said. "I think it's really pivotal for us to do more of that."
With their Panther Tank finale approaching, the students returned to FIU with practical feedback, new professional connections and a clearer understanding of how their ideas might hold up in the business world.