Albuquerque, NM – April 25, 2014 On April 3, the City of Albuquerque was the site for two events that recognized the achievements of innovators and organizations in New Mexico who are contributing to economic development by creating new technologies, new companies, and jobs and investing in small businesses in the state. STC.UNM’s Innovation Awards Dinner honored university inventors and TVC’s (Technology Ventures Corporation) Innovation Summit offered opportunities and information to entrepreneurs interested in starting high-tech companies. To commemorate this day that demonstrates Albuquerque’s growing innovation economy, Mayor Berry issued an executive order proclaiming April 3 “Innovators Day.”
STC’s April 3 Innovation Awards Dinner honored 51 inventors who have received issued patents within the past year and 10 local start-up companies that were created from technologies developed at the University of New Mexico. In addition, STC’s 2014 Innovation Fellow Award was given to UNM Professor, Dr. Plamen Atanassov, for his body of technologies that have had a beneficial social and economic impact on the community. TVC’s Innovation Summit targeted entrepreneurs thinking about or in the process of starting or expanding a high-tech business and recognized the efforts of Sandia and Los Alamos National Labs in assisting small businesses in New Mexico through their Small Business Assistance program.
STC CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer Lisa Kuuttila noted that having the right environment is vital. “A strong inventor ecosystem that fosters technologies and ideas that get noticed, and lots of entrepreneurial people in New Mexico with a strong interest in high-tech opportunities are central to bringing together the right people who have the chemistry and skills to create new companies in New Mexico. STC and the University of New Mexico are very appreciative of Mayor Berry’s proclamation.”
The “Innovators Day” proclamation is printed below.
From the
Office of the Mayor
Whereas, the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the home of Sandia National Laboratories and the home of the Air Force Research Laboratory; and
Whereas, Technology Ventures Corporation, founded and funded by Lockheed Martin, has led nationally in the commercialization of technology for twenty-one years; and
Whereas, Technology Ventures Corporation has had more than one billion two hundred million dollars invested in companies it has advised and assisted in the formation of more than one hundred twenty companies and aided in the creation of more than thirteen thousand five hundred jobs; and
Whereas New Mexico Small Business Assistance, composed of administrative and technical staffs of Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, has assisted thousands of businesses in every county in New Mexico; and
Whereas, STC.UNM nurtures innovation and economic development for the University of New Mexico community; and
Whereas, Technology Ventures Corporation today holds its Innovation Summit where entrepreneurs will learn actionable strategies, make critical contacts and gain access to some of the most innovative technical solutions available in the marketplace; and
Whereas, NMSBA today will recognize ten small businesses that have advanced their technologies with the assistance of the technical staffs of Sandia and Los Alamos; and
Whereas, STC.UNM tonight honors fifty-one faculty, staff and students who have received issued patents and registered copyrights/trademarks within the past year; and
Now, Therefore, I, Richard J. Berry, Mayor of the City of Albuquerque, do hereby proclaim April 3, 2014, as:
“Innovators Day”
Richard J. Berry, Mayor
Attest:
Amy B. Bailey, City Clerk
Source: STC.UNM
For more information, contact:
Denise Bissell
(505) 272-7310
dbissell@stc.unm.edu