Tag Archives: Venture Acceleration Fund

Funds aim to spur growth of six Native American ventures

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Bison Star Naturals owners Jacquelene and Angelo McHorse with daughter Judy. Article by Damon Scott.

(note from editor: The RDC now manages the Tribal Economic Diversity Fund, more information here )

Bison Star Naturals is one of six enterprises that shared $60,000 of investment in 2018 as part of the Native American Venture Acceleration Fund program administered by the Regional Development Corporation. NA VAF aims to create jobs by boosting revenue and advancing the business goals of Native American-owned Northern New Mexico companies.

Jacquelene and Angelo McHorse, owners of Bison Star Naturals, sought the funds to launch a line of liquid jojoba and yucca root soap to augment the bar soaps and lotions the business is known for.

“We also are expanding our line to include our unscented lotion,” Jacquelene said. “The funding allows us to release a new product line and expand our current offerings — which are great leaps for our small business.” Continue reading →

Economic Development Remains LANL Focus Under Triad

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MidSchoolMath cofounders Scott Laidlaw and Jennifer Lightwood in 2011 after receiving a grant and other assistance from LANL’s economic development programs. Article by Jason Gibbs.

New leadership at Los Alamos National Laboratory hopes to increase business development and educational programs for small businesses, while relying even more on New Mexico companies to fulfill contracts.

On the heels of LANL’s 75th anniversary in the summer of 2018, Triad National Security LLC has taken the helm as the new managing contractor for the research facility in Northern New Mexico. In accordance with mandates given to previous managers, Triad plans to continue or expand many of the educational and business development programs already in place while increasing opportunities available to the New Mexico community. Continue reading →

Fund Accelerates Product Commercialization

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Monica Abeita

Monica Abeita, Regional Development Corp. for NNM Connect

A $100,000 award from the Venture Acceleration Fund in 2011 helped Santa Fe startup Vista Therapeutics speed up the commercial introduction of the NanoBioSensor, which employs nanowires to measure in real time the multiple blood proteins and other biomarkers the body produces in response to trauma or disease. Biomarker measurement is especially critical for emergency room doctors, who have little time to gauge the severity of a patient’s condition and choose a proper intervention. Benefits continue during recovery, when ongoing monitoring is essential.

As the first commercially available device capable of such on-the-spot analysis, the NanoBioSensor is expected to improve the lives of people and also reduce the suffering of research animals: Pharmaceutical scientists and other biomedical researchers often must sacrifice many animals to obtain sufficient blood or tissue samples for analysis of biomarker changes over time. The sensitivity and rapidity of Vista’s sensor will allow many biomarkers to be monitored with a simple nick of the research animal’s tail or ear.

Continue reading →