Monthly news, events & updates | |
Building a Rainforest in the Desert | October 2026 | |
2026 UNM Business and Economic Summit
Thursday, November 19 | 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Lobo Rainforest Building
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Translating New Mexico Technologies into Job Creation – Impact of Research and Development in New Mexico
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About the event:
Building on the statewide dialogue of past UNM Business & Economic Summits, the 2026 event will examine New Mexico’s technology commercialization pipeline—from research and innovation to impact.
Panel speakers will spotlight success stories, opportunities, and barriers across the state’s innovation ecosystem, spanning bioscience, quantum, advanced energy, aerospace, creative industries, and Indigenous entrepreneurship. The Summit will also feature conversations with leaders from New Mexico’s research institutions, exploring how we can strengthen connections between research, entrepreneurship, investment, and economic growth.
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NAI Hispanic Heritage Month Highlights Christina Salas
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This month, the National Academy of Inventors is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and has highlighted the work of University of New Mexico associate professor Christina Salas.
Salas is a tenured associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNM, with a joint appointment in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering and a secondary appointment in the Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation. She is also the Director of the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, and is recognized not only for her academic leadership, but for her innovative research initiatives that combine engineering, medicine, and community service.
Read more
| | UNM Rainforest Innovations Showcases Three Emerging Start-ups at Fall Rainforest Forum | |
On September 15, UNM Rainforest Innovations hosted a Rainforest Forum featuring three newly emerging start-ups from The University of New Mexico. The forum brought together entrepreneurs developing their technologies ranging from water quality and photonics to health care and home accessibility.
The panelists included Suzanne Burns, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of myAccessibleHome; Tybur Casuse-Driovínto, PhD, Founder of Elemental Sensing; and Denis Seletskiy, PhD, CEO of SELA Photonics, LLC. The discussion was moderated by Lisa Kuuttila, CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer of UNM Rainforest Innovations.
The panelists provided updates on their respective start-ups, delved into recent challenges and successes, the support they have received from UNM Rainforest Innovations, and their plans for the future.
Read more
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In the Spotlight - Featured UNM Inventor | | | |
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Sephira Ryman, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Neurology
University of New Mexico
Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center
Associate Director and Clinical Core Co-Director
NM Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
Dr. Ryman's research areas include:
- Gut-brain mechanisms in psychiatric and neurological conditions
- Novel treatments to activate brain clearance pathways
- Influence of the cerebrovascular system on brain clearance and neurodegeneration
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Office Hours: Intro to America’s Seed Fund at NSF
Thursday, October 8, 12:00 p.m. (MT)
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The U.S. National Science Foundation relaunched its Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (NSF SBIR/STTR) programs with $250 million for the nation's startups and small businesses, including a new $40 million pilot emphasis area targeting the next generation of scientific instrumentation. The programs will support technologies that open entirely new fields of discovery, including novel experimental platforms and advanced scientific equipment.
In this session, NSF SBIR/STTR Program Directors will answer questions about how to get started, the basics of eligibility, and what we look for when we review Project Pitches.
Before joining the webinar, we recommend that you:
| | Creative People, Creative Places: Exploring Museums on Route 66 | | |
On September 10, UNM Rainforest Innovations hosted its third installment of Creative People, Creative Place – Creative Technologies on the Mother Road seminar series, which featured museums in Albuquerque on and around NM Route 66.
In honor of the Route 66 Centennial, the seminar series 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 September panel featured Leba Freed, President of the WHEELS Museum, Inc.; Alicia Romero, Head Curator at the Albuquerque Museum; and Sheldon Hamilton, Director X Studio at the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum. 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.
Check out the highlights
Join us for the next seminar which will take place on October 15:
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Rainforest Student Pitch Competition
Do you have an innovative idea for a product, service, or technology?
The Rainforest Pitch Competition provides an opportunity for students of all majors and from any New Mexico university to pitch their entrepreneurial ideas for a chance to win from a pool of over $10,000!
Applications due by Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Learn more
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Save the date and join us at the Finals!
Open to all (family, friends, supporters)! The evening reception and final round of presentations will be held at Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. on November 4 at 5:30 p.m. Finalists will present a 90-second "live" pitch in front of a panel of judges and the audience. Attendees will also participate in voting for one of the top winners.
No registration is needed, simply show up to support these young, aspiring entrepreneurs!
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The University of New Mexico Technology Showcase
About this event:
Join us on Tuesday, October 27 from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Lobo Rainforest Building for this featured event, hosted by UNM Rainforest Innovations, to learn about innovative technologies from the University of New Mexico (UNM).
UNM researchers will present their latest innovations and answer questions.
This event is ideal for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone looking to discover new opportunities for startup company formation, investments and collaboration.
Light breakfast and lunch will be provided.
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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. | |
From Recording Artist, to Miss Indian World, to CEO, Interview with Kansas Begaye
In this episode, Kansas Begaye shares about her journey as a young recording artist and how those skills translated into her starting her own company, Hozho Naasha Consulting.
Listen to the conversation
| | 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.
| 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
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