Researchers at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology with dreams of startup success will now have a dedicated office space to handle their business practices.
New Mexico Tech has partnered with Nusenda Credit Union to access office space adjacent to its location at 1019 North California St. in Socorro. New Mexico Tech faculty, staff and students — or businesspeople in Socorro — can use the office space for free.
Often entrepreneurial ideas come out of shared labs, personal office space or home, said Myrriah Tomar, Ph.D., the executive director of New Mexico Tech's Office of Innovation Commercialization. The partnership means these ideas can now grow out of space dedicated to enhancing New Mexico Tech's efforts to develop and commercialize intellectual property developed by its faculty, staff and students, she said.
"To have a place of business where they can receive mail, meet with potential investors, meet with other people in the community and colleagues, that is very important," Tomar said. "[The office] is accessible to the community and the people that these companies need to interact with on the business side."
"It's a lot more professional to have an office space where you can meet and discuss things," she added.
New Mexico Tech's President, Stephen G. Wells, Ph.D., and Nusenda Credit Union's CEO and President, Joe Christian, signed the partnership agreement on Sept. 27.
The university's Technology Commercialization Accelerator, a program directed by the Office of Innovation Commercialization with the New Mexico Small Business Development Center Network, will co-occupy the office.
NM Tech's Office of Innovation Commercialization began in 2017. Currently, two companies — RD Health Sensing and Socorro Membrane Technologies — that spun off from university research, are working with the Office of Innovation Commercialization to build their business practices.
RD Health Sensing develops sensing technology used in smart clothing and wearable electronics. Socorro Membrane Technologies develops membrane technology used in filtration systems.
