Building a Rainforest in the Desert | July 2026

Effective July 1, UNM Rainforest Innovations is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael F. Buehler as Chair of its Board of Directors. Buehler succeeds Sandra K. Begay, who is stepping down as Board Chair after 15 years of leadership in the role and will continue serving as a member of the Board of Directors. 

The UNM Rainforest Innovations Board of Directors brings together a diverse group of entrepreneurs, researchers, inventors, academics, administrators, business executives, and community leaders with local, national, and international expertise. The board provides strategic guidance to advance the UNM Rainforest Innovations mission of supporting the University of New Mexico and its partners through innovation management, technology commercialization, and economic development.

As Board Chair, Buehler will work alongside fellow board members and UNM Rainforest Innovations leadership to strengthen the organization’s efforts to translate University research into commercial opportunity, support startup creation, and drive innovation and economic growth in New Mexico and beyond.

Read more

Noblespace is proud to announce the award of a loan through the New Mexico Finance Authority’s (NMFA) Opportunity Enterprise Fund in support of its ongoing development at InnovateABQ, the 7-acre innovation district in the heart of downtown Albuquerque. This investment marks a significant milestone for Noblespace and the broader effort to build a world-class hub for science and technology companies in New Mexico.

The NMFA’s Opportunity Enterprise Fund provides low-cost commercial financing to catalyze economic development and job creation across the state. This loan will enable Noblespace to expand and enhance flexible work and lab facilities at InnovateABQ, creating the kind of inspiring, infrastructure-ready environments that growing science and technology companies need to move from concept to scale. Noblespace transforms underutilized real estate into vibrant innovation environments – filling the critical gap between incubator and full-scale commercial space – and this investment will accelerate that mission right here in Albuquerque.

Read more

The recent reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs brings important changes and opportunities for entrepreneurs, academic innovators, and startup companies seeking non-dilutive federal funding. Understanding how these updates affect proposal development, commercialization strategies, and funding eligibility is essential for organizations looking to maximize their chances of success.

Osage University Partners (OUP) will host an engaging discussion featuring perspectives from across the innovation ecosystem. The panel will explore the current SBIR/STTR landscape, key considerations for applicants, common pitfalls to avoid, and practical strategies for developing competitive proposals.

A promising new approach to treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease has come from collaborative research among the New Mexico VA Health Care System, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, and the Mind Research Network.

Led by Dr. Henry C. Lin, the research team discovered a novel method for stimulating glymphatic clearance while patients are awake. The technique uses timed inhalation of low concentrations of carbon dioxide to trigger the natural movement of fluids to remove unwanted proteins from the brain.

To help successfully move this technology to market and distribute to patients who need it most, Dr. Lin and colleagues are actively partnering with the VA’s Technology Transfer Program (TTP) to develop and commercialize a prototype device. The team has also submitted grant applications to the NIH to support the next phase of clinical testing. If successful, this technology could offer a noninvasive, drug-free approach to supporting brain health and address a range of neurodegenerative disorders.

Read more

Renowned hand surgeon at the University of New Mexico, Dr. Nathan T. Morrell, is the first hand surgeon in the state to perform a new, high-tech thumb joint replacement procedure. The surgery re-establishes stability, motion, and strength to the thumb, offering new hope for patients who haven’t responded well to traditional treatments.

Additionally, he is involved with Sandia Medical Technologies and is developing a separate trapezium prosthetic for the treatment of thumb CMC (carpometacarpal) arthritis. The device is used for the complete joint replacement of the trapezium bone and it works by replicating the hand’s natural geometry and restoring quality of life to patients.

Learn about Sandia Medical Technologies here: https://sandiamedicaltechnologies.com

Read more

DESCRIPTION

The University of New Mexico is partnering with Hesperus to bring an Entrepreneurship Bootcamp to Native American Veterans in New Mexico and the Southwest Region of the United States.

Offered only to Native American Veterans, the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV-NAV) is a unique program created to leverage the skills, resources, and infrastructure of higher education to offer cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to Native American Veterans in New Mexico and the Southwest Region of the United States.

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM

• Phase 1 – Online Course | Begins July 27th | Complete by August 23rd
• Phase 2 – In-person in Albuquerque, NM | September 21st through 24th
• Phase 3 – Ongoing Support and Resources

DISCUSSION TOPICS

• Financing • Legal Issues • Marketing • Design Thinking • Business Model Canvas • Idea Recognition • Operations • Profit Models • Supply Chain • Personal Selling • Leveraging Technology • Government Contracting

ELIGIBILITY

Native American Veterans from New Mexico or the Southwest Region of the United States that have a passion for business ownership.

COST

This program is provided at no cost through the generous support of Hesperus and the University of New Mexico. Expenses covered by the program include lodging, food, and course meals.

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.

Advanced Economic Development Leadership Program Accepting Applications for the 2026 Cohort

November 2–5, 2026 in Fort Worth Texas

Participants receive an Economic Development Master Practitioner certificate from the partner universities.

AEDL immerses participants in a collaborative, team-centric approach that fosters learning through exploration, debate, exercises and team competition. The program attracts practitioners from across the U.S. bringing a wide range of thought, ideas and experiences to these sessions. Through this approach and the diversity of thought represented, participants often learn as much from interaction with fellow professionals as they do from faculty instruction.

Learn more and apply

UNM Rainforest Innovations | Website

Staff Listing

Board of Directors

Sign Up to receive our e-newsletters and event emails