Monthly news, events & updates
Building a Rainforest in the Desert | August 2023
New Mexico Sits Above National Average on New Entrepreneurs
A Few Spots Left for Advanced Economic Development Course
Confident Pitching and Presenting Seminar on August 28
Mentoring for Entrepreneurs with Mytegia Lee – August 17
Upcoming Events
How a Community Innovation Site is Advancing Entrepreneurship in Albuquerque
In their landmark 2012 book “The Rainforest,” entrepreneurship experts Victor W. Hwang and Greg Horowitt explained the evolution of Silicon Valley by drawing a distinction between a planted field and a rainforest. A planted field produces exactly what is expected, while a rainforest creates unanticipated interactions among species which produce outcomes that could not have been foreseen. Silicon Valley is the result of a rainforest of unscripted interactions, not a planted field. That’s why visitors looking to see what produced the area’s miraculous entrepreneurship often find nothing except corporate headquarters—which are the result of that process, not its genesis.

Drawing on this analysis, the University of New Mexico (UNM) has cultivated a hybrid institution: Lobo Rainforest. It’s a six-story building specifically designed to anchor a seven-acre innovation site; it is, therefore, a planted field, in the sense that it is purpose-built and visible. Yet it also functions as a rainforest by hosting activities that enhance entrepreneurship through unpredictable interactions. Having recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, Lobo Rainforest now offers a model—as well as some vital insights—for other cities seeking to jump-start the unscripted interactions of an innovation rainforest.

Lisa Kuuttila, CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer for UNM Rainforest Innovations, provided a commentary piece for the Brookings Institution on the development of the Lobo Rainforest Building and how it cultivates innovations.
UNM Rainforest Innovations Welcomes New Board Member
Distinguished Professor, Department of Pathology
The Victor and Ruby Hansen Surface Endowed Professor in Cancer Cell Biology and Clinical Translation
Cancer Center – Member Cellular & Molecular Oncology Program & Associate Director for Education, Training and Mentoring
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
The Gap Fund @ UNM Supports Successful Outcomes for University Technology
One of the major challenges university inventors face when commercializing their technology is the prototype funding gap. This void lies between early-stage research and the point where a technology is ready for the marketplace. A valuable resource to help close this gap and support industry licensing or investment funding of start-up companies is technology-to-market funding opportunities like the Gap Fund @ UNM. This program has seen many successful projects over the years including grant fund awardees whose technologies have gone on to be licensed by startup companies.

Below are some examples of how this type of funding supported further development of UNM technology:

  • Spray Drying of Essential Oil-Based Larvicides by Ivy Hurwitz: Gap funding allowed for the demonstration that spray drying is a viable solution to support mass larvicide production for commercialization. These advantages resulted in a better ability to upscale production and increase the shelf life of the spray-dried material. This technology is now licensed by YEEO Eco Safe, Inc.
  • Colorimetric Ionizing Radiation Detector by Fernando Garzon and Kannan Ramaiyan: Through this project, UNM researchers evaluated the potential mechanism for the UV sensing material and how to quantify the UV dosage exposure. Additionally, a variety of dye molecules were tested to gain better color contrast upon UV irradiation. This technology is currently optioned to Sun Safe Technology, LLC.
  • Treating Acute and Chronic Pain in Female Patients by Karin Westlund High and Sascha Alles: Funding allowed researchers to identify several novel exosomal microRNAs that may be involved in the pathophysiology of chronic pain in women. The modulators of these microRNAs have the potential to provide a basis for the development of therapeutics for treatment. It is also possible that these exosomal microRNAs may serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis of chronic pain. This technology is now licensed by Neurochronix, Inc.

Beginning in September, UNMRI will start accepting applications for FY2024 gap funding. Each proposal, which can be funded up to $25,000, is evaluated based on merit and uniqueness of the technology as well as its potential for commercialization. Gap funding is intended to help a university inventor reduce an invention to practice (proof-of-concept), develop more experimental data for better patent applications, or make an invention or copyright more commercially interesting to a company or an investor.
In the Spotlight - Featured UNM Inventor
Eric Bartee, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Internal Medicine
Division of Molecular Medicine
UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center
The University of New Mexico

Dr. Bartee’s research areas include:
  •    Oncolytic virotherapy
  •    Molecular virology
  •    Tumor immunology
Circular Genomics Announces New Study Linking circRNA to Predicting Patient Response to Clinical Depression Treatment
Circular Genomics, a local startup commercializing circular RNA (circRNA) biomarker technology at the University of New Mexico, announced exciting results from a new study testing the effectiveness of circRNA as a predictor of patient response to depression treatments.

The study involved depression patients of the ‘EMBARC’ (Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response for Clinical Care for Depression) study. This large antidepressant response study led by Dr. Madhukar Trivedi from UT Southwestern Medical Center resulted in exciting findings, linking circRNA to effectively predicting a patient’s response to the commonly used clinical depression SSRI, Sertraline.
Confident Pitching and Presenting
New Mexico Rainforest Seminar
Monday, August 28 | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. (MDT)
Passionate entrepreneurs spend so much time working on their business ventures, but can often feel nervous and tongue-tied when asked to pitch to investors or speak about their businesses in public forums. Join High Performance Coach Ingela Onstad to learn skills to manage anxiety, present clear content, and to use our voices and bodies confidently in high pressure situations.

Ingela Onstad is a High-Performance Coach for attorneys, performing artists, executives, and other professionals who are in the public eye.

Her coaching business, Courageous Artistry, supports high performing individuals in their quest to perform at the top of their abilities when in front of the public by working on skills to target voice, body, anxiety-management, and mindset.
This HYBRID event is offered in-person at the Lobo Rainforest Building and virtually via Zoom.
Key Resources in New Mexico for Indigenous Entrepreneurs
Interview with Bill Stimmel, Entrepreneurial Director, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Zachariah Ben’s Traditional Farming Methods Featured in the Guardian
Zachariah Ben was featured in an article by the Guardian on his traditional farming methods and baby food company Bidii Baby Foods. Zachariah serves as a Tribal Liaison for UNM Rainforest Innovations’ New Mexico Tribal Entrepreneurship Enhancement Program.

See Cecilia Nowell’s July 15 article, “The Navajo farmer taking a traditional approach to making baby food.”
Entrepreneur & Community Engagement Event
Thursday, August 31 | 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. (MDT) | UNM-Taos HIVE
Come join community members and entrepreneurs from Taos and surrounding areas to support and engage with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem!

At this event we will:
  • Come together as a community in support of our local entrepreneurs;
  • Hear a practice pitch from a local entrepreneur;
  • Network and learn how to "work the room" from University Center Mentor, Stacy Sacco;
  • Participate in a listening session - What are your needs as an entrepreneur running and growing your business in northern New Mexico;
  • Build and grow our local entrepreneurial ecosystem!
Attend Upcoming Open Office Hours
Providing Mentoring for Your Startup/Idea
Mentoring for Entrepreneurs with Mytegia Lee
August 17, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. (MDT)
Come to virtual 1:1 mentoring with Mytegia Lee where she will provide guidance, coaching, perspective, and connections to enhance entrepreneurship and 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! Join Mytegia on Zoom and learn more about what is available and which connections are the best fit for you.

Ms. Lee is the Executive Director of the Southwest Native Assets Coalition (SNAC). Prior to joining SNAC she worked in the commercial banking and financing services industry providing credit analysis, financial education as well as small dollar loan origination and servicing throughout western New Mexico.
These are VIRTUAL office hours, please register to select the time frame when you can attend your meeting on Zoom. After you register, a Zoom link and calendar invitation will be emailed to you.
UNM Rainforest Innovations | Website

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