Make the federal R&D funding ladder
accessible to every NM founder.
The federal SBIR/STTR program puts roughly $4 billion a year into small-business R&D. New Mexico's share of that is growing — but the proposal process is a wall for most first-time applicants. NM FAST lowers the wall.
We meet founders wherever they are: pre-idea, pre-SBIR, mid-draft, or post-Phase-II. Every program below is free to NM companies.
The team.
Runs the NM FAST grant day-to-day — cohort ops, partner coordination, NMEDD reporting, and statewide outreach.
cmurguia@nmsu.edu →Runs weekly office hours, the front door for any NM founder with an SBIR question. Book directly via the calendar.
Oversees Arrowhead's startup portfolio, ACSA cohort design, and mentor network.
Designs and leads the DOE/Energy ACSA cohort. Works directly with applicants on technical proposal narratives.
To reach any team member, email cmurguia@nmsu.edu and we'll route you.
Who we work with.
The New Mexico Economic Development Department funds NM FAST through the federal FAST grant and administers the state SBIR matching grant.
National SBIR commercialization training partner. Provides structured workshops and 1-on-1 coaching for NM teams.
Prototyping and community-based technical expertise in northern NM for hardware-heavy teams.
Federal contracting and SBIR outreach partner. Co-hosts the Cybersecurity for SBIR workshop.
Leads the Commercialization Bridge II–III cohort, supporting NM companies transitioning from Phase II to Phase III.
DOE, NSF, NASA, DoD, NIH, USDA, NOAA, DHS, DOT, and others. We coordinate directly with program managers when it helps an NM applicant.
Where the money comes from.
NM FAST is funded through the federal FAST (Federal and State Technology Partnership) grant, administered by the SBA and matched by NMEDD. That's why every program on this site is free to NM-based applicants.