NM FAST announces final call for Larta Institute commercialization cohort

WRITER: Alejandro Najera-Acosta, 575-646-2025, a_najera@nmsu.edu 
SOURCE: Carlos Murguia, 575-646-2025, cmurguia@nmsu.edu 

New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center NM FAST program is making a final call for applications to its Larta Institute commercialization cohort, with a Friday, May 1, deadline for New Mexico-based deep-tech startups pursuing federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer funding.

The cohort, offered at no cost, will admit up to 20 New Mexico startups and begin on May 7, 2026. Programming includes five virtual workshops delivered every other week, covering customer discovery, sales and marketing strategy, SBIR/STTR Phase I application development, intellectual property strategy, and pitching and investor readiness. Participants also receive one-on-one advisory with Larta Principal Advisors, written Phase I proposal reviews, and SBIR/STTR mentorship through submission. 

“New Mexico has world-class research and a growing pipeline of founders ready to translate that work into companies that can compete for federal R&D dollars,” said Carlos Murguia, director of the Technology and Innovation Gateway at Arrowhead Center. “This cohort pairs that talent with one of the most experienced commercialization teams in the country, and it is offered at no cost to applicants. Founders who have been waiting for the right moment to pursue SBIR or STTR funding should not let this deadline pass.” 

The program aligns with the four priority sectors named in the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant: advanced computing, bioscience, advanced energy, and aerospace. Larta Institute, NM FAST’s commercialization partner, has supported startups that have collectively raised more than $23.7 billion since 1993 and brings that track record to founders working in New Mexico. 

NM FAST is administered by Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University and operates statewide, serving founders in Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and rural communities across the state. Over more than a decade of programming, NM FAST has supported more than 470 New Mexico startups and helped companies secure nearly $28 million in federal SBIR awards. Targeted outreach is directed to rural, women, veteran, and minority entrepreneurs. 

The cohort is funded through the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant from the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Technology and Innovation Office, which supports continued statewide programming for SBIR/STTR-eligible companies in the four priority sectors. 

Applications close Friday, May 1, 2026. Interested founders can apply at https://nmsbirsupport.com.