IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 FINAL

IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 UNM'S INCUBATOR FOR IDEAS, BUSINESSES, AND PEOPLE

ON THE COVER: Rainforest Pitch Competition Social Distancing Edition Finalists from Spring 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 UNM'S INCUBATOR FOR IDEAS, BUSINESSES, AND PEOPLE IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION: WHO ARE WE?................................................................................................................................. 2 STUDENT SNAPSHOT....................................................................................................................... 3 PROGRAMMING: STUDENT PROGRAMS RAINFOREST PITCH COMPETITION.................................................................................................. 4  COMCAST PITCH DECK COMPETITION .......................................................................................... 6 TECH NAVIGATOR CHALLENGE....................................................................................................... 8 I-CORPS .......................................................................................................................................... 9 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PITCH IN COMPETITION................................................................................................................... 10 IDEA SPRINT & DESIGN THINKING ................................................................................................... 12 CREATE, SELL, BANK! COMMUNITY COURSE ................................................................................. 13 EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: IA COURSES ................................................................................................................................... 14 INNOVATION SCHOLARS................................................................................................................. 15 2+1+2 STRATEGIC PATHWAY............................................................................................................ 16 INTERNSHIP ACADEMIC CREDIT....................................................................................................... 17 DISNEY COLLEGE PROGRAM.......................................................................................................... 18 FEATURED STUDENTS STUDENT BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: CLASS BUCKS (TM)...................................................................... 19 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: ALISSA CHAVEZ............................................................................................ 20 IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 1

MEET THE INNOVATION ACADEMY WHO ARE WE? INNOVATION ACADEMY OFFICE STAFF EXECUTIVE PROGRAM STUDENT SUCCESS STUDENT STUDENT DIRECTOR MANAGER SPECIALIST, SR.  OFFICE ASSISTANT  OFFICE ASSISTANT ROBERT TIFFINI REBECCA NICOLETTE STEPHANIE DELCAMPO PORTER-ARAGON RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ RESENDIZ PHD MPA  MPA The Innovation Academy shares a mindset with the UNM community that asks, “how do we teach and learn best so that students are prepared for life beyond college?” Based on the Rainforest theory of a bottom- up approach to innovation, the Innovation Academy encourages different people and groups to come together to create. It is a cross-pollinating approach to finding solutions to problems and developing new ideas. It is based on the belief that solutions can be found when people with different backgrounds and skills come together to work on real problems, while also addressing needs from companies and the community. This type of experiential, or hands-on, learning prepares students to be successful in careers and work places in the real world and deepens their core subject knowledge. IMPACT REPORT 2019 -2021 PAGE 2

STUDENT SNAPSHOT 1075+ STUDENTS >50% >65% >50% 86 MAJORS FEMALE FIRST STUDENTS REPRESENTED STUDENTS GENERATION OF COLOR COLLEGE STUDENTS 279 PITCH COMPETITION STUDENTS RECEIVED 89% PARTICIPANTS ACADEMIC CREDIT CURRENTLY IN BUSINESS TO START THEIR BUSINESS STUDENT 149 228 116COMPANIES IN IA AFFILIATED FACULTY COURSES OPERATION INVOLVED $483,200 1,250 ACTUAL IA ENROLLMENT AWARDED TO 1,000 STUDENTS BY IA 750 150 $1.8M 500 100 AWARDED TO STUDENTS FROM OUTSIDE INVESTORS PROJECTED IA ENROLLMENT 250 50 00 1 2 0 2 G NIRP 1S 2 0 2 LL AF 0 2 0 2 G NI RP 0S 2 0 2 LL AF 910 2 G NIRP 81 S 0 2 LL AF 81 0 2 G NIRP 71 S 0 2 LL AF 71 0 2 G NI RP 61 S 0 2 LL AF 61 0 2 G NIRP 51 S 0 2 LL AF FALL 2015 2016 2016 SPRING SPRING FALL 2017 2017 SPRING FALL 2018 2018 SPRING 2019 I M P A C T R E P O R TFALL 2019 - 2021 PAGE 3

BRINGING NEW IDEAS TO LIFE Each semester, in partnership with UNM Rainforest Innovations, the Innovation Academy hosts the Rainforest Pitch Competition at Bow and Arrow Brewing Company in Downtown Albuquerque. Students pitch for a live audience and judges, hoping to earn votes and win seed funding for their business idea.  In Spring 2020, we transitioned the competition to a virtual platform titled Rainforest Pitch Competition: Social Distancing Edition. This allowed the program to be accessible for our students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also held virtual competitions in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. We are hoping to be able to offer an in- person competition in the Fall 2021 semester. Rainforest Pitch Competition winners have gone on to create legitimate businesses and are continuing to produce revenue streams.  IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 4

WINNERS AND FALL 2019 FINALISTS FROM RPC COMPETITIONS SPRING 2020 FALL 2020 SPRING 2021 IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 5

COMCAST PITCH DECK COMPETITION In Fall 2019, we were grateful to partner with Comcast, Nusenda, and UNM Rainforest Innovations to hold the first-ever Comcast Pitch Deck Competition. This event provided a platform for student entrepreneurs who are contemplating, starting, or operating an early stage venture to showcase their innovations and hone their pitching skills in front of investors. Students first submitted a preliminary video with a pitch deck of 15 slides or less. The top five finalists pitched live in front of an audience and judges at the Lobo Rainforest to compete for their share of a $20,000 prize pool! The winners from the 2019 competition shared that the feedback provided by the judges was incredibly helpful, and that the prize money was a crucial component in catalyzing their business development. For example, Smarter Starter has now published a series of products which are available on Amazon. Grand Prize winner, Perspective Components, stated that their prize winnings was extremely critical for their pivot from focusing on security technology to a COVID-19 prevention device called the Temp Check System. In Spring 2021 the Comcast Pitch Deck Competition came back in a virtual setting. Student teams submitted their pitch decks online for a chance to pitch in the live Zoom finals. Five finalist teams pitched their business ideas and did an incredible job adjusting to the virtual platform. Students pitched a wide variety of ideas including a research-based, intuitive video game to engage language learning for non-native speakers, as well as a circular RNA technology to help in the clinical fight against depression. IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 6

2021 2019 WINNING WINNING TEAMS: TEAMS: AMNOS SLEEP BITEKAST MODEST SMARTER HOUSE STARTER FAENA EASY FLO LAMIFLO FILM SPOTS PERSPECTIVE CIRCULAR COMPONETS GENOMICS IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 7

POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2022 DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC FACILITATED BY: TRANSFORM EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES INTO PRODUCTS! This annual team competition is open to all UNM & CNM students. Create a commercialization plan for an existing technology from one of our partners. A background in business is not necessary, your team will be given a mentor for guidance. 3 academic credit hours available for participating! Ask us how! 1st Place: $10,000 2nd Place: $5,000 3rd Place: $3,000 KICKOFF - Postponed until Spring 2022 due to COVID-19 Discover your technology and meet your mentor while enjoying some refreshments. FINALS - Postponed until Spring 2022 due to COVID-19 Pitch to judges, enjoy lunch, and celebrate the winning teams. IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 8

In this program, teams of students, entrepreneurs, and mentors receive funding to develop an idea, and complete extensive customer discovery, in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics area supported by the National Science Foundation. The UNM Lobo Rainforest I-Corps Site recently completed its third year of operation.  It has trained 91 teams over the past four years (two cohorts per year). Overall, the teams have been successful, generating over 30 new businesses, attracting capital from angel investors, VCs, SBIR/STTR funding programs, as well as other university and community resources.   More than 20 of these teams have won prizes in UNM pitch competitions over the past 3 years. The 2020 & 2021 cohorts faced some unique challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program typically consists of in-person training, group meetings, and presentations, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the program had to take a creative approach to collaboration. Utilizing online tools, teams quickly adapted to virtual teamwork and presentations. Throughout the history of our I-Corps site, 83.8% of our teams have at least one member of an underrepresented minority group. We are also proud of the gender diversity in our cohorts with 55.4% of our teams having at least one female participant. IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 9

PITCH IN NEW MEXICO'S SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE In April of 2020, we partnered with Bernalillo County, Nusenda Credit Union, and Sandia National Labs Center for Collaboration and Commercialization (C3) to host \"Pitch In,\" a pitch competition designed to find innovative ideas to help address the immediate and long-term economic impacts of COVID-19 in New Mexico. This competition provided an opportunity for anyone in the state to pitch their ideas for a chance to win from a prize pool of $10,000, and receive follow-on support from economic development professionals. Participants were asked to submit a 90 second video pitch. We had over 60 entries and were thrilled at the creative and helpful ideas our community developed to help each other during this difficult time. IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 10

IDEA SPRINT The Sandia Idea Sprint, created in partnership with Sandia National Labs Center for Collaboration and Commercialization (C3), provided crucial skills to staff members interested in commercializing science and engineering innovations. Over the online four-week short course offered in June 2020, a core team of commercialization specialists worked with participants to model, test, and develop opportunities for exciting new ventures. The program culminated in a virtual pitch competition. Zoom \"Pitching Your Idea\" presentation by Gavin Leach DESIGN NANCY LEWIS THINKING TRAINING In February 2020, we provided an introductory Design Thinking training and its application to the Kirtland Air Force Base 58 SOW. This training was presented by design thinking pioneer Nancy Lewis. This program was created to help foster the development of commercialization of ideas for AFRL scientists. The goal is to encourage scientists to get out of the lab and into the economic community! IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 11

Create, Sell, Bank! Community Class Take and Expand your Business Online In partnership with UNM Rainforest Innovations, we offered a special course beginning in Spring 2020 to help New Mexico business at this critical time for our state's economic recovery. The Create, Sell, Bank! Community Class provides community members an introduction into the world of e-commerce platforms and strategies for the online marketplace. This course assisted businesses in building or increasing their online presence to offset a decline in retail in-person traffic, as well as grow business beyond New Mexico borders. This course was offered for $17 (the cost to run the program, the UNM Innovation Academy and UNM Rainforest Innovations did not profit from this course). This course was made possible by a grant from the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration called the NM EDA Rainforest University Center, and was open to anyone in the community and available completely online. In Fall 2020 we were pleased to hire Program Specialist Morgan Parker who manages the CSB Community Course. \"When the pandemic struck, life came to a standstill. My family was in the middle of opening a restaurant. There were tests to take, and inspections to pass, but we couldn't do a thing. This course was a lifeline. Bill provides you with the best, most comprehensive resources for any kind of entrepreneur to succeed in today's market. While it focuses on building an online presence, it presents underlying principles for marketing in general. I'm so grateful. I loved the flexible structure and that you're rewarded by the amount of work you put into it. Bill and the TAs we're also so helpful and accommodating, imparting guidance specific to your unique business situation, even though they were overseeing so many students. We just received a bill of good health from the city for our restaurant to finally open after months of preparing, and we couldn't be more stoked. Yes, this market is still super scary, but I feel so much more confident in our ability to succeed with the skills and direction offered by this great class.\" - Uphoria Blackham, Tio David's \"This is the best CE course that has intrigued me to dig deep into my business philosophy and to implement the ideas that I have learned to transform my business with a visible online presence. This instructor Professor Bill [Szaroletta] is on top of his game and showing us individually how we can dissect the issues that hinder us and ways to propel us in the right direction.\" - Ralph Constancia, Infinity Digilab IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 12

INNOVATION ACADEMY COURSES Innovation & Japanese Culture Design, Build, Bank! LAIS 309 - Special Topics LAIS 309 - Special Topics Instructors: Tiffini Porter-Aragon & Instructor: Daniel Wolfskehl Rebecca Rodriguez This course is designed to prepare students for Design sprint class where students create an immersive two-week trip through Japan that will a product/service business idea from scratch to showcase the rich Japanese culture through a lens pitch in a week time frame. This class is an of innovation and creativity. Due to the COVID-19 interactive project-based course. Open to all pandemic the study abroad component of this class students in any major, including dual enrollment was postponed until summer 2022. students and graduate students. Create, Sell, Bank! Innovation Academy - Idea Incubator LAIS 343 Instructors: Tiffini Porter-Aragon LAIS 341 & Rebecca Rodriguez Instructor: Rebecca Rodriguez Learn all about the world of selling products and This class encourages students to think like an services online! In this course you will learn about a entrepreneur and solve problems by developing a variety of e-commerce practices such as drop- business/product/service idea. This class is shipping, affiliate marketing, online courses, digital nontraditional, and is instructed in an independent agency, as well as selling on Amazon and Etsy. study format. The majority of students' time in this course will be dedicated to researching what steps are required to turn their business idea into reality. IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 13

INNOVATION SCHOLARS In Fall 2019 we created the Innovation Scholars designation, which is designed to award students with an academic honor for infusing innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship into their time at UNM.   The Innovation Scholars designation is available for all graduating Innovation Academy students in all academic levels (undergraduate/graduate). There are no specific requirements to earn an Innovation Scholars designation, students are just asked to apply during their last year/semester of their degree program. The application asks students to list which Innovation Academy programs/classes they have participated in, and how they have included innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship in their degree.  Students who are awarded the honor will be given turquoise and black honors cords to proudly display at graduation. STEPHANIE RESENDIZ SPRING 2021 INNOVATION SCHOLAR IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 14

EXPLORE A PATHWAY TO THREE DEGREES IN AS LITTLE AS FIVE YEARS 2+1+2 DEFINED: The UNM Innovation Academy,  in partnership with CNM and UNM, provides an unexpected route to a  graduate degree. The 2+1+2 Program strategically utilizes already established academic programs at two of New Mexico's finest higher education institutions and helps students navigate them in a faster and more affordable way.  Students can transition from an associate degree, through a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts degree, and complete a Master of Business Administration or a Master of 100+ ACTIVE Public Administration graduate STUDENTS degree in as little as five years.  PROJECTED Beginning in Fall 2021 the 2+1+2 SPRING 2022GRADUATION SEMESTER Program will transition to being run exclusively through the Liberal OF FIRST 2+1+2 STUDENT  Arts & Integrative Studies $40,000 APPROXIMATE SAVINGS FOR advisement office. 2+1+2 STUDENTS WHEN ELIGIBLE FOR NM LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP APPROXIMATE SAVINGS $28,000FOR 2+1+2 STUDENTS  IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 15

INTERNSHIP ACADEMIC CREDIT HELPING STUDENTS EARN CREDIT FOR ANY INTERNSHIP: PAID OR UNPAID The Innovation Academy Internship Academic Credit Program helps students apply the knowledge they have learned in the classroom and build transferable skills not easily taught in the traditional academic setting. Internships also help students understand the process needed to find a job after graduation. FIND AN INTERNSHIP  FIND AN INTERNSHIP THAT COMPLEMENTS YOUR INTERESTS AND/OR CAREER GOALS AGREEMENT & CLASS COMPLETE IA STUDENT LEARNING AGREEMENT REGISTER FOR LAIS 311 COMPLETE REQUIREMENTS COMPLETE DELIVERABLES FOR LAIS 311 COURSE BY END OF THE SEMESTER COMPLETE 100 HOURS OF WORK IN THE SEMESTER IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 16

DISNEY COLLEGE PROGRAM  PAID INTERNSHIPS AT THE WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT IN FLORIDA OR DISNEYLAND RESORT IN CALIFORNIA LOBOS MAKING MAGIC The Disney College Program (DCP) at UNM provides students with the unique internship opportunity to spend a semester or school year with Disney Parks and Resorts, where they live with students from all over the world, learn hands-on from Disney experts, and earn a paycheck too! Students can earn up to six credit hours for their participation in the program, dependent on the length of internship. They can also earn three hours for completing the IA-DCP Reflective Learning Course taught by our program manager, Tiffini Porter-Aragon, upon their return to UNM. Many of our Disney College Program students have gone on to work for the Walt Disney Company in roles ranging from Entertainment and Merchandising, to Theme Park Management and Imagineering. In addition, the Innovation Academy facilitates a credit program for students from other universities who are unable to earn credit from their home institution. This program offers students a $100 per credit hour tuition rate for up to nine hours of credits. In early March 2020 members of the IA staff were able to visit Disney College Program students at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. In addition, they also had the opportunity to experience Disney educational offerings at the Disneyland Resort, and meet with the Disney Internships & Programs team on both coasts. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic students were sent home from their programs in late March 2020. We are thrilled to announce that the Disney College Program has resumed for Summer 2021 arrivals! IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 17

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT ALISSA CHAVEZ Alissa Chavez is University of New Mexico student and entrepreneur best known for her product, Hot Seat, an alarm system that prevents children from being accidentally left in a hot car. Alissa started her company, Assila, Alissa’s name backwards (which was inspired by Oprah’s Harpo) at age 17. Hot Seat started as a project for her school science fair after she heard too many tragic stories about children being accidentally left in a hot car. Since starting her company, Alissa and her company have received national recognition and accolades. She was named one of Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year, American Business Award Startup of the Year, Albuquerque Business First 40 Under 40 and many more. Alissa has continued to grow her company based in Albuquerque, NM introducing a new product, EasyFlo in 2018. EasyFlo is an eco-friendly baby bottle designed to prevent the waste of single use, plastic water bottles and storage containers.   EasyFlo has already gained national recognition. Alissa was featured in “Funded in America,” a series produced by T-Mobile, SoulPancake, Indiegogo and Lala Anthony following female entrepreneurs from around the United States as they build their companies. EasyFlo has also won several awards this year including second place in Texas Christian University’s Values and Venture International Business Plan competition, second place in Comcast Pitch Deck Competition,  third place in Future Founder’s National Pitch competition and “Judge’s Choice” in the Lobo Rainforest Pitch competition. Since starting her company she has also become and ambassador for Technolochicas, an organization that promotes young Latinas to explore careers in STEM and an ambassador for Celebrities Who Give, raising awareness for a variety of social causes. She plans to continue her philanthropic work, visiting schools and encouraging other young girls to reach their dreams. Alissa is also a TEDX speaker and patent holder. She was also recently featured in the book “Girl’s Think of Everything” written by award -winning author Catherine Thimmesh. The book tells the story of female inventors from the 1800’s to now. Alissa plans to continue to build her company with hopes of leaving a positive impact on our community and our world. IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 18

ALISSA ON IA'S IMPACT: \"The University of New Mexico’s Innovation Academy has been very beneficial to my company. In 2018, I introduced my newest product EasyFlo, at the Rainforest Pitch Competition. This was the first live pitch of my new product so I was so excited to have the opportunity to share my new product and get feedback from the audience and judges. I won Judge’s choice at the competition. This past year I participated in the Lobo Rainforest I-Corps program where I was given the opportunity to work with mentors and other student entrepreneurs. I found this experience to be so valuable because, being a business owner, while still being a student can be very challenging. This program gave me the opportunity to work with other student business owners who know just how challenging that can be. I also was able to work with my wonderful mentor Bill Szaroletta. It is also to helpful to be able to get feedback from others outside of my team. Rob DelCampo and Cara Michaliszyn were also amazing mentors. Throughout the entire program, there was so much positive, supportive and helpful energy given to all of the entrepreneurs in the program. Just having that support is so meaningful to entrepreneur. I completed the program in the fall of 2019. In December of 2019, I was selected to compete in the Comcast Pitch Deck Competition. That event was so much fun and such a great experience. It was great to be able to pitch my product to so many members of our community, the judges and watch the other students compete. I won second place in that competition which I was so humbled by. UNM’s Innovation Academy has been so valuable to me and my company because of the support that I and other students receive through these programs. For many startups and the founders behind those companies, that type of support can make all the difference.  In the first quarter of 2020, my company was working on finalizing our capital raise and moving into manufacturing with EasyFlo. In March of 2020, like the rest of the world that had to be paused. We are starting to pick up where we left off. I am optimistic about the future of my company. I know that we will be able to continue forward and I look forward to what the future has in store.\" - Alissa Chavez IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 19

STUDENT BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT With the combined passion for learning and innovation, a group of dedicated educators created and formed Class Bucks (TM). Leveraging their collective 70 years of teaching and leadership experience in schools in addition to their diverse background, they have developed a one-of-a-kind web and app-based program that gamifies the learning process for students. With Class Bucks (TM) teachers can increase engagement, reduce distractions, and promote financial literacy skills. These “edupreneurs” met and built meaningful friendships through UNM Anderson’s MBA in Educational Leadership program. They continue to passionately advocate for equity in education and society, while making a positive contribution to New Mexico's economy and communities.  \"The Innovation Academy has played a key role in the preparation of our product launch. The student pitch competitions—as well as the pitch/presentation coaching—helped us to formulate and express our idea effectively while building our confidence, momentum and affirmation. Through the coursework and mentorship of the I-Corps experience, we were able to conduct an extensive market analysis; fine tune our current and projected budget; validate, enhance and add features of/to our product design; and develop our strategic management procedures. Thanks to the Innovation Academy, their continued support and access to valuable resources, Class Bucks (TM) is well-positioned to become a game- changer in education and a benefit to students everywhere.\" - Class Bucks (TM) Team IMPACT REPORT 2019 - 2021 PAGE 20

MAKING MOVES We have been given the opportunity to offer more inclusive and robust programming for our students, so we are excited to announce that beginning in Summer 2021 the Innovation Academy will become part of the new office of Community and Corporate Engagement in the UNM Anderson School of Management. We will continue to offer programming and courses for all students at UNM to empower them to infuse creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship into their degree. We are excited to see how this move will propel our student entrepreneurs and help them engage in meaningful ways with local economic leaders. IMPACT REPORT 2019 -2021 PAGE 21

THANK YOU GENEROUS SPONSORS: FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS PLEASE VISIT: INNOVATIONACADEMY.UNM.EDU IMPACT REPORT PUBLISHED JULY 2020