NM FAST to host free workshop on startup funding, licensing, and IP strategy

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

NM FAST at New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center is accepting registrations for a virtual workshop designed to help early-stage New Mexico founders navigate startup funding pathways, intellectual property strategy, and licensing considerations as they pursue Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer awards. The workshop, “SBIR: Startup Funding, Licensing & IP,” will be held on Wednesday, June 17, from 9 to 11 a.m. MDT via Zoom. 

Led by Daniel Jones, a startup operator and advisor with more than 20 years of experience working with technology companies in healthcare, ag-tech, fintech, and Internet of Things, the session will cover capital raising strategies, different funding sources, and how founders can build an intellectual property strategy that strengthens their competitive position. Participants will also learn key licensing concepts and how to navigate technology commercialization opportunities, including work with academic and corporate spinouts. 

“New Mexico founders are translating research from national labs and universities into companies that can compete for federal R&D dollars, but capital strategy and IP decisions made early can determine whether that work reaches the market,” said Carlos Murguia, director of the Technology and Innovation Gateway at Arrowhead Center. “This workshop gives founders in Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and rural communities across the state a practical framework for funding, licensing, and protecting their technology as they pursue SBIR and STTR awards.” 

The workshop is offered at no cost and is tailored to New Mexico startups and small businesses pursuing federal innovation funding across the four priority sectors named in the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant: advanced computing, bioscience, advanced energy, and aerospace. 

NM FAST is administered by Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University and operates statewide. 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 workshop is sponsored by the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Technology and Innovation Office through the New Mexico Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support Grant, which funds continued statewide programming for SBIR/STTR-eligible companies in the four priority sectors.

Registration is available at luma.com/tnwgs42r.