Monthly news, events & updates | |
Building a Rainforest in the Desert | April 2026 | | Carbon Swarm Brings New Mexico Innovation to SXSW in Austin | |
Carbon Swarm recently took the national stage at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, competing in the Innovative World Tech category. Led by Dr. Scott Nowicki, Chief Scientist of Earth and Planetary Insights, LLC, the company showcased its autonomous drone technology designed to detect, locate, and measure methane leaks. By navigating complex and dangerous terrains, Carbon Swarm’s drones provide critical environmental data while keeping people out of harm’s way.
As recently highlighted in the Albuquerque Journal, Carbon Swarm’s success serves as an example of how New Mexico’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is effectively moving university-born science into real-world applications.
Read more
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In the Spotlight - Featured UNM Inventor | | | |
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Falko Schoeneweiss, MS, RN, CCRN
Nurse Educator - Simulation
College of Nursing
The University of New Mexico
Research areas include:
- Healthcare safety
- Task-based pedagogical training
- Home security
- Canine training
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| | Second Route 66 Centennial Seminar Explores Where Heritage Meets High-Tech | | |
On March 5, UNM Rainforest Innovations hosted the second installment in its three-part series called Creative People, Creative Places – Creative Technologies on the Mother Road. In honor of the Route 66 Centennial, the seminar aims to build connections and bridges across New Mexico’s creative ecosystem, engaging technologists and artists whose collaborative work drives entrepreneurial and economic development for the state.
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Larry Sklar, a distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Pathology at the UNM School of Medicine and Co-Lead of the Cancer Therapeutics Research Program.
Panelists included:
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Shani Harvie, Director, Creative Industries, New Mexico Economic Development Department
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Stephen Mora, Artist, Fabricator, Architect
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Sharina Palencia Desai, PhD, AIM Core Technical Director, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Health Sciences Center, The University of New Mexico
Watch the recording
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Join Us at the Rainforest Pitch Competition Finals Event
Wednesday, April 15 at 5:30 p.m.
Bow & Arrow Brewing Co.
Join us to support entrepreneurial students pitching in the final round of the Rainforest Pitch Competition. 10 finalists will each present a 90-second live pitch to the audience. No need to register, just show up!
| | Japanese Researchers Partner with UNMRI for Pitching and Entrepreneurial Training | | |
This past February, UNM Rainforest Innovations (UNMRI) welcomed five university PhD researchers from Japan, representing the University of Yamanashi, the Kyushu Institute of Technology, and the Osaka Metropolitan University. Organized and led by Eri Hoshi, CEO of KOSEI, LLC (Knowledge Transfer of Sports, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation), the visit provided the group with intensive training in pitching and entrepreneurship.
The six participants and their projects included:
- EXVIS – by Ricardo Celle (University of Yamanashi)
- NextStep Co-Creation Lab by Kengo Iwamoto (Kyushu Institute of Technology)
- Shine Infra Inc. by Tomohiko Niwa (Osaka Metropolitan University)
- LaunchStart by Sowa Moriyama(Osaka Metropolitan University)
- Remember Smart by Tomoro Marcus Jones (Kyushu Institute of Technology)
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A Legal Guide to Patentability Versus Freedom to Operate
April 29 | 11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Lobo Rainforest Building and Online via Zoom
Join us for this featured seminar to obtain answers to two important questions: “Can I get a patent?” and “Can I take my technology to market?”
Event Speakers:
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Indigenous Entrepreneurs Podcast | | | The Indigenous Entrepreneurs podcast aims to tell the story of the Entrepreneur’s Journey, specifically that of the indigenous entrepreneur, through candid conversations featuring successful indigenous entrepreneurs. | How to Leverage Grants for Your Business with Mary Ben, Director of The BEN Initiative | |
In this podcast episode, Mary Ben, Co-Founder of Bidii Baby Foods and Director of The BEN Initiative, shares how and why Bidii Baby Foods has used grants to build and grow their business on tribal trust land, what kind of businesses can use this model, what different types of grants there are, and what a business must keep in mind if they want to pursue grant funding.
Bidii Baby Foods LLC is a small family farm and agricultural cooperative incorporated and operating the Navajo Nation. Bidii Baby Foods LLC was establish in 2021 after Co-Founders Zach and Mary gave birth to their
first child during the peak of the covid-19 pandemic. Bidii Baby Foods LLC passionately believes that food is medicine, and that breastmilk and ancestral foods are the best source of nutrition for young children and future generations.
| | Native American Business Roundtable - City of Santa Fe Economic Development | | |
UNM Rainforest Innovations is collaborating with the City of Santa Fe Economic Development Department to bring this roundtable event to Santa Fe for Native American owned-businesses and entrepreneurs.
These monthly gatherings create space for Native American entrepreneurs, artists, and business owners to connect, share resources, and build pathways to success.
The next Roundtable event will be on April 30 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Santa Fe Business Incubator (3900 Paseo del Sol, Santa Fe, NM 87507).
| | SCORE Mentors Available for One-on-One Meetings | | |
Meet with SCORE mentors at the Lobo Rainforest Building or on Zoom! Mentors are available for one-on-one, confidential discussions and mentoring to inventors, students, and start-up companies.
SCORE mentors 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.
Interested? Contact Cara Michaliszyn at cmichaliszyn@innovations.unm.edu to arrange.
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