WRITER: Carlos Cuesta Albornoz, carlosic@nmsu.edu
Arrowhead Center, the region’s entrepreneurship and innovation hub at New Mexico State University, is set to host the highly anticipated 2024 Aggie Shark Tank event from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the ASNMSU Center for the Arts.
A reception will follow the pitches. Admission is free, and attendees can secure their spot by registering online at www.nmsu.link/ast.
Aggie Shark Tank, sponsored by The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship, brings the excitement of the popular “Shark Tank” television show to NMSU. The event offers student entrepreneurs participating in Studio G, Arrowhead Center’s business accelerator, the opportunity to present their business ideas to a panel of seasoned investors and potentially secure funding to advance their startups.
This year’s panel of “sharks” includes Bill Smallwood, local angel investor; Isaac Romo, scout for the Campus Founders Fund; Chuck Blakeman, serial entrepreneur, author and speaker; and Beto Pallares, Arrowhead Center’s investor-in-residence.
This year’s event promises a compelling lineup of business pitches, showcasing an array of concepts ranging from cutting-edge software-as-a-service technologies to innovative hardware solutions and services.
In addition to the possibility of securing investment, participants will compete for several awards:
- The $5,000 Shark Favorite Award – sponsored by New Mexico Mutual and chosen by the panel of expert investors.
- The $1,000 Crowd Favorite Award – sponsored by the Fintech Lab powered by Nusenda Credit, where audience members can vote online for their favorite pitch.
- The Arrowhead Founders Award – a new addition this year, selected by Arrowhead Center staff, celebrating a pitch that exemplifies innovation, potential, and alignment with Arrowhead’s mission.
Last year’s event saw Adriana Garcia, founder of Baclog, take home the Shark Favorite Award, highlighting the event’s tradition of recognizing entrepreneurial talent.
“Aggie Shark Tank is an exhilarating event that we eagerly anticipate. Our student entrepreneurs have dedicated tremendous effort to reach this stage, and I extend a warm invitation to our community to join us in supporting our local student entrepreneurs,” said Studio G Director Carlos Cuesta.
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PHOTO CAPTION: Adriana Garcia, founder of Baclog, received the Shark Favorite Award at last year’s Aggie Shark Tank, hosted by Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University. This year’s Shark Tank event will take place Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the ASNMSU Center for the Arts. (Courtesy photo)
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Head and shoulders of a woman.