ASCEND2.0 has officially opened its call for proposals to support the advancement of new biomedical innovations with significant potential to improve quality of life and save lives.

We are thrilled to be part of UNLV Innovation Day 2024, a special event showcasing groundbreaking research and promoting entrepreneurship in brain health. On May 13th, at UNLV's vibrant campus in Las Vegas, this event promises to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators.

The University of Wyoming and JP Morgan are hosting the "Navigating the Startup Ecosystem Symposium" on April 25th, 2024, at the University of Wyoming campus.

John Chavez, Managing Director at the New Mexico Start-Up Factory and Principal Investigator for the ASCEND2.0 grant,  spoke at the New Mexico State University's (NMSU) College of Business as part of their "Executive Speaker Series."

As part of our collaboration with the University of Montana for ASCEND2.0, we are excited to engage in Mentoring Pilot Projects for researchers selected through the university's Center for Translational Medicine (CTM) Research program. The University of Montana's CTM program is at the forefront of bridging the gap between academic research and practical applications, facilitating the transformation of innovative ideas into tangible solutions. The CTM houses two transformative technologies that we believe will revolutionize healthcare.

At the New Mexico Start-Up Factory, we are thrilled to attend and exhibit at the 2024 AUTM (Association of University Technology Managers) Annual Meeting in San Diego.

Our ASCEND2.0 Grant Principal Investigators – John Chavez, Eric Prossnitz, and Rob DelCampo – are excited to attend the REACH (Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs) Annual Meeting on January 30-31, 2024, in Washington, DC.

ASCEND2.0 offers free access to their educational videos! These resources have been specifically created to assist aspiring entrepreneurs and are available on ASCEND's website by clicking on 'Program Resources' -> 'Education Curriculum' or simply visiting [https://ascendtwo.org/]. 

Equity Free Funding for Alaska Innovators: America's Seed Fund is coordinated by the Small Business Administration and funded through 11 participating federal agencies that fund innovations through the SBIR/STTR programs.
Alaska FAST. Alaska FAST, federal and state technology partnership program, was created to increase the number of America’s Seed Fund SBIR/STTR awards for women, socially/economically disadvantaged individuals, and small businesses in Alaska. Free to the community, Alaska Fast is Center ICE's one-stop-shop to prepare for, write, and win an Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant.

New Mexico’s startup economy is thriving, thanks in good part to a spate of fresh bioscience companies that are working to turn innovative technologies into new products and services.

In fact, the bioscience sector has dominated the startup landscape in recent years, with more patents issued to New Mexico innovators in that sector over the past decade than any other local industry, according to the national business research company D&B Hoovers.

Pharmaceutical research, development and manufacturing company Curia broke ground this fall on a $100 million expansion of its Albuquerque operations, potentially adding nearly 300 new local jobs to its current workforce.

It’s the second major expansion here since 2018 by the biotech company, which already employs about 400 people at two locations, including a 135,000-square-foot facility at the Midtown Business Park at I-25 and Montgomery, plus an 80,000-square-foot facility near Balloon Fiesta Park.

A novel ointment for topical treatment of HPV-induced warts and pre-cancers won first place at this year’s bioscience shark tank for University of New Mexico researchers in mid-November.

A three-member panel of judges, all local entrepreneurs, selected viral oncology professor Michelle Ozbun’s research as the winner in a pitch competition with other UNM investigators who presented on a new microfiber to make face masks more comfortable and effective in filtering viruses, and use of nanoparticles to prevent tooth and gum disease.

In a new collaboration, the New Mexico Start-Up Factory, UNM Health Sciences Center, and the UNM Anderson School of Management have been awarded a $3.25M grant from National Institutes of Health I-RED program to develop an educational product to promote technology commercialization and entrepreneurship by faculty, trainees and students in the western IDeA states, which include New Mexico, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming.

The ASCEND Hub is excited to share the achievements of one of our program participants, Dr. Sreejayan Nair. Dr. Nair is a professor and Associate Dean of Research in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Wyoming. In 2014, Dr. Nair founded Nutriwyo LLC, which focuses on developing novel therapeutic strategies for treating diabetic wounds. Nutriwyo’s goal is to develop a new approach to treat diabetic wounds by using a potent and selective protease inhibitor. To date, Dr. Nair has received:

In collaboration with the Proof-of-Concept Network Action Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (PACE), the ASCEND and DRIVEN Hubs are sponsoring a logo design contest.