New Mexico selects Roadrunner lead for $25M state quantum hub; EDD outlines new tech office funding

Nora Sackett, director of the Technology and Innovation Office (TIO) at the New Mexico Economic Development Department, briefed the committee on recent state actions to accelerate science and technology commercialization, including creation of TIO by House Bill 20 and a competitive award for a quantum hub in Albuquerque.

“ We are the state's science and tech economic development office,” Sackett said, describing TIO’s mandate to grow advanced computing, advanced energy, aerospace and bioscience in New Mexico. She told the committee that House Bill 20 created TIO and an accompanying Technology and Innovation Network Advisory Board and that legislators seeded a research, development and deployment fund “with an initial investment of $40,000,000.”

Sackett described a recent competitive procurement that awarded $25 million in one‑time state funding to a Roadrunner Venture Studios‑led coalition to build a quantum venture studio and company hub. The awarded proposal includes a $4 million private capital commitment and, Sackett said, will co‑locate multiple facilities — a packaging facility tied to the federal Elevate Quantum Tech Hub, dilution refrigerators, a quantum test bed, a rapid prototyping center and a demonstration facility — in downtown Albuquerque at 523 Commercial.

Nut graf: The new office and quantum hub signal a state strategy to convert laboratory assets into companies, Sackett said, offering grant programs, industry assistance contractors and hub infrastructure to keep startups in New Mexico.

Sackett outlined TIO programs and grant tools added in the last two years: a Quantum Technologies Award (used to attract companies such as Mesa Quantum), a University Research Commercialization Award, an Advanced Energy Award and new Innovation Hubs and Entrepreneurship Programmatic Support grants. She said program design includes competitive grant manuals, scoring rubrics and technical review with lab and university partners.

Sackett said the Roadrunner proposal will immediately bring three named quantum companies into New Mexico and that the hub will house up to 80 people when completed. She emphasized coordination with Sandia, Los Alamos and the University of New Mexico to reduce duplication and “unlock collaboration between folks from the universities and from the labs.”

Legislators praised the office and urged continued funding. Senator Ben Padilla and others asked what TIO will seek in upcoming sessions; Sackett said the road map recommends continued operational support for the hub, further commercialization investments and improvements to university tech transfer and licensing systems.

Ending: Sackett told the committee TIO will roll out the full science and tech roadmap and stressed the office will continue grant competitions and technical assistance to translate lab breakthroughs into New Mexico businesses.