Mayor Francis Suarez says FIU grads will power the Miami tech movement

FIU’s graduates are critical to Miami’s booming technology and innovation hub.

So says the man at the helm of the city and one of the university’s best-known alumni.

Mayor Francis Suarez ’01 came to campus Monday for an hourlong public conversation with Interim President Jeanette Nuñez, herself a two-time alumna and a leader committed to meeting the needs of industry with a steady stream of well-rounded, career-ready graduates.

Nuñez described the “high wage, high skill, high success,” outcomes that have resulted from very intentional efforts to boost undergraduate technology instruction in recent years. She enumerated the programs and critical public-private alliances that are winning students internships and full-time jobs upon graduation. These include the Tech Talent Academy that offers students hands-on software development experience and mentorship and an enhanced partnership with educational organization CodePath that provides students with resources that elevate their competitiveness in the computer science field.

Suarez stressed that continued tech growth must have its roots in a dynamic, well-educated workforce. FIU has claimed its role as a leader in turning out needed professionals to power local expansion and meet the demands of an increasing number of relocating companies and startups populating the 305. With some 16,000+ students graduating annually, the breadth and depth of talent available to industry, across all jobs and sectors, knows no limits.

“This is why universities are so important,” Suarez said, “because they develop the most precious asset that you have in a community, which is your people. It's that simple.”

Even before his election as mayor in 2017, Suarez promoted the city as an ideal location for businesses of all types and has especially showcased its potential for those in the tech industry, all of which appears to be paying off.

Reports from Venture Miami, Miami-Dade Beacon Council, Startup Genome and eMerge Americas show that the city now ranks 16th among the world’s best startup ecosystems, with a total value of $95 billion. Venture capital funding has soared in recent years, to $4.6 billion in 2024. Accelerators, government initiatives and a focus on health tech and climate tech support Miami’s bid to become a global technology powerhouse, say experts, which should create thousands of jobs and solve real-world problems. And existing companies likewise are heeding the call. Fifty-seven migrated part of all of their divisions to the city in 2022, and another 150 were in transition at that time, according to statistics from the Beacon Council.

Speaking to students in the audience, Suarez encouraged them to “understand that living in this world means learning every single day, being challenged to learn. 

“I see it in your faces as I speak into the crowd and I connect with you,” he continued. “When I talk about excellence and competitiveness, you guys are shaking your head. You guys get it. The future is ours if we're bold.”

Junior logistics major Devesh Hargobin appreciated Suarez’s visit at a time when technology is rapidly advancing. He attended the event to learn how “regular individuals” are benefiting from the influx of tech companies and, more directly, how the city is using new technology to satisfy everyday needs and concerns.

“How does that help with housing prices? How does that help with traffic? How does that help with transportation?” he asked, echoing a question posed to the mayor by another attendee in the audience. “He gave some pretty good answers to that.”

A student of business, Hargobin recognizes the work ahead and wondered how longtime residents will fare in the midst of the ongoing tech explosion. “He gave a lot of answers on the benefits of AI and the benefits of this new tech capital, but, truthfully, it remains to be seen how that works out.”

Even with developments unfolding and the future still somewhat in flux, one thing remains clear: FIU graduates have a big role to play in building Miami's brave new tech world.