Monthly news, events & updates
Building a Rainforest in the Desert | September 2021
SAVE THE DATE
Business and Economic Summit
November 16
Pajarito Powder Rapidly Expanding Operations
Albuquerque Business First Interviews Pajarito Powder’s CEO and Discuss Company’s Future Plans
I-Corps Fall 2021 Cohort Accepting Applications
Avisa Diagnostics Appoints Dr. Richard Murray as Chief Medical Officer
Upcoming Events
Statewide Economic Impact Report quantifies UNM’s economic impact in 2020
A recently completed report analyzed the entire University of New Mexico system and quantified its impact on the New Mexico economy in academic year 2020. As one of New Mexico’s major employers, UNM enhances workforce productivity, improves quality of life, stimulates innovation, and drives economic growth statewide. The entire UNM system includes Albuquerque Main Campus, Health Sciences Center, Sandoval Regional Medical Center in Rio Rancho, and the four branch campuses in Taos, Valencia County, Los Alamos, and Gallup.
The report, “The Statewide Economic Impact of the University of New Mexico”, looked at four major components of UNM’s contributions to the New Mexico economy by analyzing university operations, student expenditures, alumni human capital, and technology transfer. These four components accounted for 40,153 jobs, $2.1 billion in annual labor income, and $5.2 billion in economic output.

Technology Trends Featured in Recent Technology Showcase
On August 17, UNM Rainforest Innovations hosted a Technology Showcase featuring key technology trends in life-science and physical-science technologies developed at the University of New Mexico. Six innovators presented their inventions to invited entrepreneurs, investors, and companies.
If you are interested in exploring any of these technologies further, please contact our licensing officers below.
Gregg Banninger, Ph.D.
Innovation Manager
Life Sciences
(505) 272-7908
Alex Roerick
Senior Innovation Associate
Engineering & Physical Sciences
(505) 277-0608
In the Spotlight - Featured UNM Inventor
Associate Professor
Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Department of Neurology
Co-Director, Brain & Behavioral Health Institute
Co-Director, New Mexico Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (NM-ADRC – Exploratory)
The University of New Mexico
Dr. Kiran Bhaskar's research areas include studying brain inflammation in driving Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and developing and testing novel vaccines for Alzheimer’s disease. He also directs the Scientific Core in the recently funded New Mexico ADRC and is developing novel blood-based biomarkers for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Thesis Publication Embargo to Protect Intellectual Property Rights
For theses or dissertations that disclose potentially patentable subject matter or is part of an invention disclosure to UNM Rainforest Innovations, an embargo on publishing is highly recommended. A published thesis or dissertation can prevent patenting of the invention in the U.S. if it is published more than a year from the filing of a patent application. In addition, it could be used as prior art against future patent applications. The embargo allows for restricting public-wide access to the UNM Digital Repository for a period of two years. While embargoed, the manuscript is still available within the University of New Mexico academic community for satisfying the program degree requirement.

NM Rainforest Webinar
September 15 | 11:00 a.m. (MDT) | Online via Zoom
When it comes to raising capital for your startup, certain types of investments will work better for your company than others depending on the stage of your company. In this presentation, Mike Freemen, CEO of Innosphere Ventures, will cover:

  • Available funding options for early stage companies
  • Steps to take in order to identify and attract an investor
  • What to expect in your capital raise timeline
  • Pragmatic advice on what it takes to attract investment
UNM Rainforest Innovations and the UNM Innovation Academy invite you to apply to this National Science Foundation program:

Lobo Rainforest NSF I-Corps (Regional Program)

Apply by September 26, 2021

The I-Corps program is funded by the National Science Foundation to help scientists and engineers to explore commercialization and prototyping. Selected I-Corps site teams will receive a $3,000 award to assist with customer discovery and also receive entrepreneurial training and guidance over 11 weeks to assess your idea’s commercial viability.
 
You are applying as a team that has at a minimum: an entrepreneurial lead (a UNM student or post-doc) and an academic lead (a UNM faculty member, staff, or advisor) with a STEM-related technology you wish to commercialize. We will pair you with an experienced mentor.
 
Benefits of participation:
  • Get entrepreneurial training, support, and guidance for customer discovery.
  • Explore the potential impact of your research project (prototype or proof-of-concept).
  • Learn how to assess the market opportunity and pathway for your innovation.
  • Achieve eligibility to apply for the national NSF I-Corps program and a $50,000 I-Corps team grant.
  • Strengthen your SBIR/STTR proposal if pursuing a startup.
 
Program Dates:
Mondays, 4:30pm-6:00pm (MT) from October 4 – December 13, 2021 online via Zoom meetings.
Final Presentation: Monday, December 13, 2021
 
Application Requirements:
  • Contact information of Team members
  • Description of technology/idea
  • Summary of problem being solved
  • Description of the target customer that would benefit from the innovation


For more information contact Cara Michaliszyn at cmichaliszyn@innovations.unm.edu.
Attend Upcoming Open Office Hours
Providing Mentoring for Your Startup/Idea
Stacy Sacco
Mr. Stacy Sacco teaches entrepreneurial studies at the Anderson School of Management, serves as the Director of the UNM Small Business Institute and is President of Sacco Connections, a management consulting firm.

Mr. Sacco will be available for one-on-one mentoring where he will give guidance, coaching and perspective to enhance entrepreneurship and provide connections to resources at UNM and in the community. There are many resources available to those who have ideas that they may want to turn into a business!

Upcoming Rainforest Mentoring Office Hours:

September 17, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (MDT)
Stacy Sacco will be available either IN-PERSON at the Lobo Rainforest Building or VIRTUALLY via Zoom based on your personal preference. Click Sign Up below to select the time frame you plan to attend.
SCORE Office Hours
SCORE mentors will be available for one-on-one, confidential discussions and mentoring to inventors, students, and start-up companies.

SCORE's mentors (https://albuquerque.score.org/) are successful business people and entrepreneurs who want to give back to the community by helping other entrepreneurs become and stay successful. SCORE has been helping small businesses start and grow in the Albuquerque area for over 50 years through mentoring and workshops and seminars. SCORE is the largest National resource partner of the Small Business Administration (SBA) with about 11,000 SCORE volunteers sharing their time and talents to help America's small businesses.

In Person at the Lobo Rainforest Building

September 24, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (MDT)
In accordance with UNM policy, please wear a mask. Walk-ins are welcome, or click Sign Up below to select the time frame you plan to stop by.
Talking To Your Customer: The Why and How
NM Rainforest Webinar
September 22 | 12:00-1:00 p.m. (MDT)
Join us for this webinar with Susan Cornelius where you will learn how to conduct market research, carry out customer discovery and navigate the development of your start-up in the virtual world of Covid-19. This workshop will give you strategies so that you can continue to develop your company and cater to the right customers in this new “virtual world.” This webinar will allow time to bring up ideas about strengthening your business model and get feedback from the instructor and participants. We will then use this information to design how to get feedback from your customers.
NM Rainforest Webinar
October 6 | 10:00-11:00 a.m. (MDT)
Join us and Randall McDonald, Attorney at Law for a webinar that will cover the anatomy of license & option agreements and various clauses
UNM Rainforest Innovations | Website

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