WRITER: Alejandro Najera-Acosta, 575-646-2025, a_najera@nmsu.edu
The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship at New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center is launching two cutting-edge programs to help startups in New Mexico and the Borderplex region harness the power of generative artificial intelligence: the GenAI Product Development Sprint and the GenAI Fundraising Excellence Sprint.
The fast-paced, virtual accelerators are designed to empower early-stage startups to integrate AI into core business functions, significantly enhancing how they develop products and raise capital. The GenAI Sprints are open to startups based in New Mexico, as well as those in the broader Borderplex region, including El Paso and Chihuahua, Mexico. This regional focus underscores the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship’s mission to advance economic prosperity by fostering innovation, supporting high-growth ventures and expanding equitable access to entrepreneurial resources.
By delivering world-class training to startups across the region, the center aims to strengthen cross-border collaboration, boost the competitiveness of local companies and create new pathways for sustainable economic development, particularly in communities that have historically been underrepresented in national innovation agendas.
The GenAI Product Development Sprint is designed to help founders streamline the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to market launch, by integrating GenAI into key stages of the process. Sessions will be held Thursdays from Aug. 7 to Sept. 11 via Zoom. Participants will learn how to use AI tools for feature prioritization and customer requirement analysis, conduct competitive benchmarking, build data-driven product roadmaps, and automate product marketing and launch planning to accelerate time-to-market and improve execution.
The GenAI Fundraising Excellence Sprint aims to help startups simplify and optimize their capital-raising process by leveraging the power of generative AI. Sessions will take place Thursdays from Oct. 9 to Nov. 13 via Zoom. Throughout the program, participants will gain tools to automate investor research, personalize outreach strategies and create compelling, data-driven pitch decks. Founders will also receive tailored insights to better prepare for investor meetings and communicate their value proposition with greater clarity and impact.
“These sprints are part of our commitment to strengthen the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Carlos Murguia, director of the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship. “By equipping startups with the tools and training to use GenAI strategically, we’re helping them scale faster, pitch smarter, and bring innovative solutions to market.”
Participants will engage in a comprehensive learning experience, combining interactive workshops, personalized mentoring and real-time feedback from industry experts.
“The challenges and opportunities we face as a region are shared, and so are the solutions. By working together across New Mexico and the Borderplex, we can pool our talent, capital and ideas to build a thriving innovation economy that benefits all of us”, said Dana Catron, interim director and CEO of Arrowhead Center.
For more information and to apply, visit https://tinyurl.com/GenAISprints.
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.
The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship is committed to strengthening the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem by empowering diverse communities to engage in entrepreneurship, improving access to early-stage investment opportunities and inspiring students to develop innovative products and services for the commercial market.
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PHOTO CAPTION: Rodrigo Fuentes, one of Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University’s entrepreneurs-in-residence and a GenAI expert, will be leading the GenAI Product Development Sprint and the GenAI Fundraising Excellence Sprint. (Courtesy photo)
IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Man in a plaid shirt with his arms crossed smiling and talking to a woman.