Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University is now home to southern New Mexico's first co-innovation hub for NewSpace Nexus, a nonprofit organization that focuses on accelerating the pace of space innovation by uniting and igniting the industry.
The co-innovation hub will be housed at Arrowhead Center's SPACE Incubator, which unites startups and assistance providers across the space, agriculture and clean energy sectors. Representatives from Arrowhead Center and NewSpace Nexus made the announcement during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 17 at Arrowhead.
"This moment represents more than just a new location; it's a powerful testament to the synergy between New Mexico's rich history of innovation and the boundless potential of the global space industry," said Dana Catron, interim director and CEO of Arrowhead Center.
Arrowhead Center's SPACE Incubator is a re-imagined version of Arrowhead's certified business incubator calling for bold innovation, relentless collaboration, and addressing the world's greatest challenges in space, agriculture and clean energy.
The center's collaboration with NewSpace Nexus aims to pioneer clean energy solutions, push the frontiers of the space economy and create a launchpad where entrepreneurship thrives, and breakthrough technologies are brought to life.
"NewSpace Nexus embodies the very spirit of what this incubator stands for," Catron said. "Arrowhead Center and NMSU are deeply appreciative of NewSpace Nexus for its unwavering partnerships with Arrowhead, our community and collaborators, and, most importantly, the brilliant entrepreneurs who are making this mission a reality. Together, we are not just transforming New Mexico's space sector; we are propelling the entire global space industry forward, working on the front lines of advancing space technologies, transforming visions into reality, and creating a brighter future for New Mexico and beyond."
At the ceremony, Arrowhead and NewSpace Nexus officials also announced a recent award from the Small Business Administration for a Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, through which they will collaborate to advance local entrepreneurial efforts in science, technology, engineering and math, and research and development-focused small business and startups.
"The New Mexico Spaceport Authority is excited by the collaboration of NewSpace Nexus and the Arrowhead Center," said Scott McLaughlin, executive director of NMSA. "As Spaceport America works toward supporting orbital launches and orbital reentry, we need a full space ecosystem in the region to support those customers. This collaboration aids greatly in that effort."
The Pathway to the Stars Leadership Council met after the ceremony at Arrowhead Center. Representatives from NMSU, Arrowhead Center, the Physical Science Laboratory and Doña Ana Community College joined more than 25 stakeholders both in person and virtually.
"We are excited about reaching the southern section of our ecosystem and working with collaborators in industry, academia, elected officials, government offices and other nonprofit organizations to assure a space-ready workforce," said Casey Anglada DeRaad, NewSpace Nexus founder and CEO.
NewSpace Nexus has been a driving force behind New Mexico's flourishing space innovation ecosystem since its formation in 2019. NewSpace Nexus has launched several programs and initiatives, including space industry forums and the State of the Space Industrial Base conferences. The organization opened the Launchpad, an 8,000-square-foot co-innovation facility near the Albuquerque Sunport, as a first-of-its-kind co-innovation hub where stakeholders gain access to workspaces, equipment, programming, rapid prototyping and demonstration, and networking and business resources needed for innovation and rapid progress.
The organization's latest initiative, Pathways to the Stars, will grow the space industry talent pipeline with programming, mentoring, experiential learning and career connection services.
The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-s-arrowhead-center-welcomes-newspace-nexus-co-innovation-hub/s/5959b537-cc42-4a62-a0ce-af9993690bea
