A professional with prior experience at a Santa Fe artificial intelligence company has been chosen to lead the Office of Science & Technology (OST) at the New Mexico Economic Development Department.
As the director, Alex Greenberg will be focused on helping build New Mexico’s tech economy. Previously, he was a financial program specialist for the state government, according to the economic development department.
Under Greenberg’s leadership, the state is hopeful that the OST can capitalize on the synergy between the Air Force Research Laboratory, NewSpace New Mexico, Spaceport America and the Q Station workspace in Nob Hill. Together, all four organizations (and others) are working to provide startup programming for space and defense startups.
“We see [the] OST evolving to have a greater focus on technology specific to space so New Mexico can become a leader in this industry,” New Mexico Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said in a Jan. 10 statement.
Greenberg, who had been serving as the economic development department's financial program specialist, told Business First that access to capital is a "top priority" for his office, and can be provided through grants, Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer and federal programs such as the State Small Business Credit Initiative.
“Tech companies in our region generally have standout core competencies that give them strong value propositions … where many of these tech companies fall short is not having sufficient financing options or management experience,” he told Business First in a series of statements on Jan. 14.
Greenberg brings experience from the private sector as a project manager in the healthcare industry. He worked to implement a tele-medicine program in primary care clinics with VisionQuest Biomedical in Albuquerque, he told Business First.
Greenberg believes his past professional experiences lend perspective: “I think my key takeaway is understanding the problems tech startups and entrepreneurs face on a personal level."
Greenberg replaces outgoing Office of Science & Technology director Myrriah Tomar, who took a job as the executive director of the Office of Innovation Commercialization Business and Technology Management at New Mexico Tech, the university announced in September.
