Building a Rainforest in the Desert | June 2025

In April 2022, UNM Rainforest Innovations was awarded an $800,000 American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance grant from the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help break down barriers and generate opportunity through entrepreneurship in historically underserved communities in New Mexico with a primary focus on coal-impacted tribal communities. Over the past 3 years, the funding has been primarily used to hire a Program Manager and Tribal Liaisons to identify gaps and barriers for entrepreneurship and to foster engagement within the communities.

As of this year, 2025, the program has identified these gaps, needs, and barriers and compiled them into a discovery report which was presented to the public at the Lobo Rainforest Building on April 24^th at the program’s Showcase and Celebration. In addition to the report and discovery, the program has engaged with multiple communities, countless entrepreneurs, connected many nodes within New Mexico’s entrepreneurial ecosystem that may have otherwise never met, and had an impact far beyond the program’s original vision.

Read more about the accomplishments and transition plan

New Mexico Economic Development Department Offers SBIR Matching Grants – Apply by June 10

Students Pitch Their Innovative Ideas at Spring 2025 Rainforest Pitch Competition

Bringing Economic Empowerment & Language Revitalization to San Juan County with Anthony Chee Emerson

In this episode, Anthony Chee Emerson, Artist and Founder of Ma'ii Productions, LLC shares his journey as a successful artist eventually leading him to starting his own media and production company. His mission is to preserve and promote the Navajo culture and language through art, animated characters, and various story lines.

Listen on Spotify

Watch on YouTube

SCORE Mentor Office Hours at the Lobo Rainforest Building

Friday, June 27, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (MDT)

Meet with SCORE mentors at the Lobo Rainforest Building! Dar Johnson and Vik Berniklau will be 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.

IN-PERSON at the Lobo Rainforest Building. Click "Sign up" to select the time frame you plan to attend.

Meet the Mentors:

Dar Johnson has over 57 years in the aerospace private sector and with the Government, including over 38 years in senior and C-level management positions. He has been responsible for achieving growth nation-wide, obtaining new customers, cost containment, turning around marginal operations, increased profitability, customer satisfaction, staffing, and policy and procedure development. He also has worked in business development, proposal support, capture manager and proposal manager. He has owned a successful consulting business.

Areas of Expertise:

• Business Plan
• Government Regulations
• Management & Operations
• Marketing
• Product Development

Vic Berniklau is retired from the US Department of Energy as Senior Executive after filling positions in Technical and Administrative Leadership. Started two small businesses in electronic security with wife and son growing them to 30 employees ($2M sales) and turned them over to son who continues to grow them. Consultant in technology management and business management. Instructor at University of New Mexico at Graduate Level in Public Administration (Research Methodology) and Business Administration (Management of Technology).

Areas of Expertise:

• Accounting & Finance
• Business Plan
• Government Regulations
• Management & Operations
• Product Development
• Technology