Writer: Alejandro Najera-Acosta, 575-646-2025, a_najera@nmsu.edu
The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship at New Mexico State University, in collaboration with Studio G and the Nusenda Fintech Lab, hosted the Bold Idea Conference on Oct. 30 at the Corbett Center Student Union, delivering a full day of inspiration, hands-on learning, and innovation-focused programming for students across campus.
Designed to spark creativity and equip students with practical entrepreneurial skills, the conference brought together industry leaders, faculty experts, and student innovators for a dynamic one-day experience. The event featured keynote presentations, interactive breakout sessions, and networking opportunities, culminating with the high-energy Bold Idea Challenge Pitch Competition where student-led startups presented solutions to global and community challenges.
The day began with opening remarks, followed by the keynote “AI for Everyday Innovators,” delivered by Rodrigo Fuentes, who provided students with practical insights on leveraging emerging AI tools to accelerate ideas and improve decision-making. Throughout the day, attendees engaged in a series of breakout sessions covering essential entrepreneurial skills. Robert Bellospirito led “Construction to Enterprise,” exploring how skilled tradespeople can apply business principles to transition into founders. Jacqueline Florez presented “Money Moves,” offering foundational financial guidance for new entrepreneurs. Frank Spencer III provided a roadmap for launching and scaling contracting businesses through “The Business Blueprint,” while Noah Torres shared strategies to strengthen personal branding and enhance LinkedIn presence during “Polish Your Profile.”
In the afternoon, keynote speaker Chuck Blakeman delivered “Building Success Around Life,” encouraging students to balance ambition, purpose, and fulfillment as they pursue entrepreneurial journeys. The conference concluded with the Bold Idea Challenge Pitch Competition, where students presented innovative ventures designed to address pressing societal and economic challenges. Team Hormona—Sydnee Johnson, Alyssa Hernandez, and Melissa Torres—secured first place for their at-home hormone tracking concept and will represent NMSU at the national Hult Prize competition. Civil engineering Ph.D. students Samriddhi Ghimire and Rasana Maharjan earned second place for their Smartcrete innovation, which focuses on intelligent, sustainable concrete systems.
“This conference was designed to ignite bold thinking and give students the tools to take meaningful steps toward building their ideas,” said Carlos Murguia, director of the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship. “The energy, creativity, and engagement we saw from participants throughout the day reaffirmed how much entrepreneurial momentum is growing at NMSU.”
The Bold Idea Conference was made possible through the generous support of its sponsors: New Mexico Mutual, the Mike Hunt Construction Sprints program, and Nusenda Credit Union. “This event showcased the power of bringing together students, industry partners, and campus leaders to build an ecosystem where ideas can thrive,” said Dana Catron, interim director and CEO of Arrowhead Center. “We are deeply grateful to New Mexico Mutual, the Mike Hunt Construction Sprints program, and Nusenda Credit Union for enabling us to create opportunities that empower NMSU students to innovate with confidence.”
For more information about the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship, contact Murguia at cmurguia@nmsu.edu or visit https://arrowheadcenter.nmsu.edu/program/the-hunt-center/.