Intake sources
Tribes & Pueblos · NM Universities · DOE Labs (LANL, Sandia — deep tech, needs entrepreneurial bridge) · Incubators
Arrowhead: expanding southern NM reach.
D. School
Jon Wettersten (IDEO / Creative Santa Fe) leads the bootcamp. Mentor assigned before Day 1.
Spark Labs
Licensed curriculum. Teachers pay license fee, may charge students at SRP — distributes program statewide without central staffing cost.
Ward teaches product-market fit. UNM investing class with $1M fund (if matched) in discussion.
Soft skills embedded throughout: leadership, networking, cultural adjustment, communications, expectations management.
Employment: pledge % of salary by pay band → self-sustaining revenue.
Startup: pledge equity → Ward's investment portfolio. NM Finance Authority: 0% loans available (Andrea Romero).
ASI addresses the "valley of death" post-incubator (per Eric Lee Smith). Graduates return as mentors, employers, and funders.
Capital asks (Ward's framing):
Capital · People · Partnerships · Licensing fees · University support ($15K/student from NMSU)