WRITER: Alejandro Najera-Acosta, 575-646-2025, a_najera@nmsu.edu
The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship at New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center recently celebrated the completion of its GenAI for Fundraising Excellence Sprint, a six-week accelerator designed to help New Mexico and Borderplex founders strengthen their investor readiness using generative AI.
The six-week program, held from October 9 to November 20, equipped 11 participating startups with practical tools to streamline investor research, build data-supported fundraising materials, personalize outreach, analyze term sheets, and prepare confidently for investor conversations. Sessions incorporated interactive workshops, hands-on exercises, and real-time feedback from one of Arrowhead Center’s Entrepreneurs-in-Residence to ensure founders received individualized guidance throughout the experience.
“The GenAI for Fundraising Excellence Sprint enabled entrepreneurs to approach fundraising with more clarity, confidence, and efficiency,” said Carlos Murguia, director of the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship. “Founders learned how to integrate AI into key stages of their capital strategy — from sourcing investors and crafting targeted messaging to preparing for meetings with greater precision.”
Participants worked with generative AI to develop and refine pitch decks, strengthen narrative structure, tailor communications for specific investors, and experiment with negotiation scenarios. The program emphasized real-world application, ensuring startup teams could directly apply these AI-driven methods to support their ongoing capital-raising efforts.
“AI is reshaping the fundraising landscape, and programs like this ensure founders have the tools to adapt quickly and strategically,” said Dana Catron, interim director of Arrowhead Center. “This cohort demonstrated a strong commitment to elevating their fundraising readiness and leveraging AI to communicate their value with greater clarity.”
Participants highlighted the GenAI for Fundraising Excellence Sprint’s efficiency, the clarity of instruction, and the direct relevance to their fundraising challenges. The program offered both strategic insight and tactical guidance that accelerated their preparation for investor interactions.
“This class has demonstrated how AI can dramatically improve the quality of our fundraising process — from outreach to negotiation,” said Sergey Dryga, CEO and Founder of Q Biotech Corp. “It gave us practical tools we are already incorporating into our investor strategy.” Other founders shared that the Sprint helped them refine their messaging, improve the structure of their pitch materials, and gain a deeper understanding of how to position their companies with data-backed storytelling.
The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship continues to advance regional innovation by offering accessible, high-impact programming that strengthens fundraising readiness, supports startup growth, and expands access to early-stage capital across New Mexico and the Borderplex.
For more information about the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship, contact Murguia at cmurguia@nmsu.edu or visit https://www.linkedin.com/company/hunt-center-for-entrepreneurship.