What Innovate ABQ does

Innovate ABQ is a public-private partnership and New Mexico 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and operates a 7-acre innovation district at the corner of Central Avenue and Broadway in downtown Albuquerque, founded in 2015 by the University of New Mexico. The district is anchored by the six-story, $35 million, 160,000 sq ft Lobo Rainforest Building (opened August 2017, housing 310 UNM students in 155 apartments, the UNM Innovation Academy, STC.UNM/UNM Rainforest Innovations offices, the Cecchi Venture Lab incubator, and permanent offices for Sandia National Laboratories, the Air Force Research Laboratory, General Atomics, and a Nusenda Credit Union Virtual Branch), the 13,400 sq ft FUSE Makerspace operated with Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), and the under-renovation 71,000 sq ft First Baptist Church property which will host a planned 25,000 sq ft BioScience Center. Approximately 48 startups, 36 revenue-generating student-run companies, and ~900 Innovation Academy students were on site as of mid-2018. Following the University of New Mexico's July 2020 takeover from the original nonprofit entity, oversight is jointly exercised by Lobo Development Corp. and UNM Rainforest Innovations.

The district's underlying technology stack includes a 288-strand dark-fiber trunk running directly under Central Avenue through the InnovateABQ parking lot, providing tenants with high-bandwidth broadband; co-located digital-fabrication equipment at FUSE (3D printers including Ultimaker 2 nozzles, a plasma cutter, CNC router, collaborative robot arms from Universal Robots via Build with Robots); and the planned 35,000 sq ft Roadrunner Quantum Lab supporting quantum compute, sensing, and networking founders, opening fall 2026. The platform underwrites licensed UNM technology transfers including BennuBio's patented acoustic cellular positioning flow cytometry, which achieves up to 100x greater efficiency (200,000 cells/second) than incumbent technology, and operates as an NSF Innovation Corps site funding approximately 120 commercialization teams over five years ($3,400 per team in year one, scaling to 25 teams annually by year three).

Innovate ABQ does not operate a conventional commercial revenue model. The organization is funded through a combination of federal grants (EDA: $1.5M in 2014 and $1M in 2017; NSF: $444K over five years starting 2017), state capital (the State of New Mexico's $300M commitment to the quantum economy supporting the Roadrunner Quantum Lab), low-cost commercial financing through the New Mexico Finance Authority's Opportunity Enterprise Fund, partner contributions from the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, UNM, CNM, and Nusenda Credit Union, and bespoke tenant lease revenue. Tenant rents are negotiated case-by-case with a target of $30/sq ft for incubator space (vs. the $45 national average), subsidized via federal New Markets Tax Credits and low-cost loans. The organization pursues deliberate inclusion of underserved entrepreneurs (people of color, women, veterans, elders, youth) via Roanhorse Consulting LLC using a grassroots "go to them" outreach model.

Name

Innovate ABQ

Legal name

InnovateABQ, Inc.

Website

https://innovateabq.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Innovate ABQ is a public-private 501(c)(3) partnership operating a 7-acre downtown Albuquerque innovation district — anchored by the Lobo Rainforest Building, FUSE Makerspace, and a planned quantum lab — serving startups, UNM students, national laboratories, and underserved entrepreneurs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation District / Business Incubation Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Education & Research Facility Construction (Schools, Universities, R&D) (IMAFACAE), Quantum Community, Developer Relations & Ecosystem Programs (HDAGALAJ), Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

Keywords

• Innovation district development
• Public-private partnership
• Startup incubator space
• Technology commercialization
• Community makerspace

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public-private partnership funding: Operates as a public-private partnership between City of Albuquerque, University of New Mexico, and broader business community (including Bernalillo County, Nusenda Credit Union, CNM). No direct commercial revenue model — funded through partner contributions and grants.
2. Tenant lease revenue: Long-term (30-year) ground lease with UNM as anchor tenant in the $35M Lobo Rainforest Building; office/incubator/co-working space leases to startups, research labs, and national labs in additional buildings (First Baptist Church, FUSE Makerspace). Roadrunner Quantum Lab tenancy is a recent major lease win.
3. Federal and state grants: $1 million U.S. EDA grant (2017) for bioscience incubator establishment, with required matching funds; $1.5M prior EDA grant (2014) for site acquisition; $444,000 NSF I-Corps five-year grant for technology commercialization. New Mexico state has committed $300 million to quantum economy buildout.
4. Low-cost development financing: Loan through New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) Opportunity Enterprise Fund, providing low-cost commercial financing for economic development and job creation.
5. Federal New Markets Tax Credits: Pursuit of federal tax breaks through the U.S. Treasury Department's New Markets Tax Credit program to make rent affordable for cash-strapped startups (target $30/sq ft vs. $45 national average).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

InnovateABQ operates a 7-acre physical innovation district in downtown Albuquerque (at the corner of Central Avenue and Broadway) that provides more than 720,000 square feet of planned physically-compact, technically-wired, walkable space to bring together university students, entrepreneurs, researchers, and national laboratories. Core assets include the $35M, six-story Lobo Rainforest Building (student housing, UNM Innovation Academy, business incubator offices, national-lab tenant suites), the 13,400 sq ft FUSE Makerspace (digital and analog fabrication tools), the First Baptist Church Building renovation (planned BioScience Center), and partner facilities such as the Roadrunner Quantum Lab. The district's mission is to foster economic development, job creation, and technology commercialization through direct access to capital, lab infrastructure, and researcher expertise.

Product overview

InnovateABQ is not a software product but a 7-acre physical innovation district in downtown Albuquerque built through a public-private partnership between the City of Albuquerque, the University of New Mexico, Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), Bernalillo County, Nusenda Credit Union, and the broader business community. Its offering is a platform-plus-modules architecture of buildings, facilities, and programs: the core campus (the Innovation District itself) anchors a portfolio that includes the Lobo Rainforest Building (a six-story mixed-use building housing student housing, the UNM Innovation Academy, STC.UNM/UNM Rainforest Innovations tech-transfer offices, the Cecchi Venture Lab business incubator, Sandia Labs C3 Downtown, the Air Force Research Lab, Nusenda Credit Union Virtual Branch, and General Atomics), the FUSE Makerspace (a 13,400-square-foot fabrication community center operated with CNM), the First Baptist Church Building renovation (planned offices and BioScience Center), and partner facilities such as the Roadrunner Quantum Lab (RQL), ABQid accelerator, and CNM's STEMulus Center. These named facilities and programs together comprise the district's overall service offering of "physically-compact, technically-wired, walkable space" for innovators, entrepreneurs, students, researchers, and the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The FUSE Makerspace: 13,400 sq ft community fabrication/maker space on the InnovateABQ site, operated in partnership with Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). Houses Build with Robots and ABQID.
• Lobo Rainforest Building
• UNM Rainforest Innovations

Products and services

• InnovateABQ Innovation District A 7-acre innovation site in downtown Albuquerque developed through a public-private partnership that brings together more than 720,000 planned square feet of physically-compact, technically-wired, walkable space for university students, entrepreneurs, researchers, and national laboratories to foster economic development and job creation in New Mexico.
• Lobo Rainforest Building A six-story, 160,000 sq ft mixed-use building at 101 Broadway Blvd. NE that houses UNM student housing, Innovation Academy classrooms, STC.UNM/UNM Rainforest Innovations offices, the Cecchi Venture Lab business incubator, Sandia National Labs C3 Downtown, Air Force Research Lab, Nusenda Credit Union Virtual Branch, General Atomics, and co-working/event spaces.
• FUSE Makerspace A 13,400 sq ft community center operated in partnership with CNM that provides members access to digital and analog fabrication tools including woodworking, metal fabrication, welding, rapid prototyping, 3D printing, screen printing, jewelry making, plasma cutters, CNC routers, and software, with required basic operation and safety courses.
• UNM Rainforest Innovations (STC.UNM) Tech-Transfer & Incubator Initiative

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 100x greater flow cytometry efficiency (200,000 cells/second) achieved by BennuBio using InnovateABQ-supported FUSE prototyping and STC.UNM licensing
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• NoblespacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Real estate development platform serving emerging science and technology businesses with flexible work and lab facilities. Awarded an NMFA Opportunity Enterprise Fund loan in June 2026 to expand flexible work and lab facilities at InnovateABQ. Critical partner/manager in design, execution and build-out of the 35,000 sq ft Roadrunner Quantum Lab. Founder & CEO Howard Kozloff.
• HatchSpaces, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021California-based development firm partnered with UNM to design and build a bioscience lab in the old First Baptist Church parochial school. Track record of building state-of-the-art lab facilities for science communities in California with a 'build it and they will stay' retention philosophy for early-stage science/biotech startups.
• Roanhorse Consulting LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 June 2019Contracted in June 2019 to drive InnovateABQ's community outreach to overlooked entrepreneurs (people of color, women, veterans, elders, youth). Project Director Vanessa Roanhorse, Project Manager Jaime Gloshay, Project Coordinator Annie Sanchez. Grassroots 'go to them' model rather than 'come to us'.
• ABQIDminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018Community-funded accelerator program housed within FUSE Makerspace.
• Sandia National LaboratoriesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2017On-site tenant and ecosystem partner; announced permanent 1,000 sq ft suite in the Lobo Rainforest Building during the August 25, 2017 grand opening. Permanent presence linking entrepreneurs to lab capabilities. Deputy Lab Director Dave Douglass led the announcement.
• Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2017Tenant occupying a 1,700 sq ft space on the ground floor of the Lobo Rainforest Building. Holds open office hours allowing direct engagement with entrepreneurs. Kirtland Air Force Base / AFRL also runs a $15,000 public-help challenge.
• General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2017Tenant in the ground floor of the Lobo Rainforest Building as part of the broad spectrum of national-lab and industry partners.
• Navajo NationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2017Leases the top two floors of the Lobo Rainforest Building to provide culturally-sensitive housing for Navajo students (particularly first-generation college students).
• Air Force Research Laboratory Technology Engagement OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2017On-site office within the Lobo Rainforest Building offering open office hours for entrepreneurs to engage directly with AFRL scientists and engineers on technical problems.
• Build with RobotsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2017Albuquerque startup co-located at FUSE Makerspace HQ; partnership with CNM Ingenuity to deploy Universal Robots cobot arms and accessories for FUSE users. Co-founders Randy Krall and Chris Ziomek, serial entrepreneurs backed by Verge Fund.
• Goodman Realty GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 May 2017Master development partner; signed master development agreement with the Innovate ABQ board in May 2017. Vice President of Development Darin Sand led the First Baptist Church redevelopment plans. Co-developer of the $35M Lobo Rainforest Building.
• Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) / CNM Ingenuity Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Founding partner; operates the 13,400 sq ft FUSE Makerspace on the southwest side of the InnovateABQ site. Provides affordable classes and mentoring via the FUSE partnership. CNM Ingenuity's Senior Program Manager Dawnn Moore leads FUSE; Executive Director Kyle Lee oversees the Build with Robots cobot integration.
• UNM Rainforest Innovations (formerly STC.UNM)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017UNM's technology transfer and economic development arm; co-manages the InnovateABQ project alongside Lobo Development Corp. since July 2020. Operates the Cecchi Venture Lab business incubator in the Lobo Rainforest Building. CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer: Lisa Kuuttila.
• McKee Wallwork + Co.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Albuquerque-based marketing/advertising firm that built Innovate ABQ's rebrand campaign and new website in 2017. Work included hero video, presentation materials, construction signage, and a vibrant motion-graphic identity replacing the previous minimalistic look. President Steve McKee led the engagement.
• Signet Development (Ohio) and Dekker/Perich/SabatinicoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2016Co-developers of the $35M, 160,000 sq ft Lobo Rainforest Building alongside Goodman Realty Group; UNM leases the building for 30 years before assuming ownership.
• University of New Mexico (UNM)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founding public-private partner; UNM originally acquired the First Baptist Church property in 2014. InnovateABQ was set up by UNM as a nonprofit 501(c)3 in 2015 to independently manage the site. In July 2020, UNM accepted transfer of Innovate ABQ back; Lobo Development Corp and UNM Rainforest Innovations jointly oversee the project. Innovate ABQ is also listed as the city's Innovation District centerpiece.
• City of Albuquerque (COA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founding public partner; contributes leadership and funding via the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency. Plans the new 'rail trail' corridor and multi-modal connections linking InnovateABQ to surrounding downtown neighborhoods.
• Bernalillo CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founding public partner supporting the Innovate ABQ site; site leadership representation on the 13-member InnovateABQ board of directors. Source of the two-year property tax dispute with the Assessor's Office that contributed to UNM retaking control in 2020.
• Nusenda Credit UnionflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Founding private-sector partner and Innovate ABQ board member. Operates an on-site Virtual Branch (live teller kiosks and private video-conferencing member-service suite) inside The Press Room Cafe at 100 Broadway. President Terry Laudick served as Innovate ABQ board chair during the 2017 grand opening.
• Perkins&Will (now Perkins+Will)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2013Design firm that created the original Innovate ABQ master plan in 2013 and refreshed it in 2021. Led by principals Stephen Coulston and David Green, with project manager Paul Ward. Update reframed direct construction as flexible four-to-five-story multi-tenant buildings.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University City Science Center: Philadelphia-based nonprofit that translates research from 30+ universities into commercial ventures, operating lab/office incubator space and a startup community. Comparable to InnovateABQ's UNM Rainforest Innovations tech-transfer mission and university-affiliated startup-incubation model.
• Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC): CIC operates large, multi-tenant innovation campuses in Cambridge, Boston, Philadelphia, and beyond, providing co-working, wet/dry lab, and office space to startups, corporates, and research institutions. Comparable to InnovateABQ in offering flexible lab/office leases and curating an on-site community of science- and tech-driven ventures.
• Innovation Depot: Birmingham, Alabama's nonprofit business incubator housed in a refurbished historic building, supporting tech and biotech startups with lab/office space, mentorship, and a public-private partnership model. Directly comparable to InnovateABQ's adaptive-reuse approach (e.g., First Baptist Church) and bioscience/tech commercialization focus.
• 1871 (Chicago): Chicago's flagship nonprofit tech hub and business incubator housed in the Merchandise Mart, founded through a public-private partnership with the City of Chicago, universities, and major corporate sponsors. Directly comparable to InnovateABQ as a multi-tenant innovation campus offering incubator space, events, mentorship, and corporate-engagement programming for early-stage startups.
• Research Triangle Park (RTP): North Carolina's 7,000-acre research and innovation district anchored by Duke University, UNC, NC State, and major corporate and federal tenants. Comparable in mission to InnovateABQ as a large-scale, university-and-government-supported innovation district designed to commercialize regional research talent and IP.
• BioGenerator (St. Louis): St. Louis-based nonprofit bioscience startup creator and investor affiliated with BioSTL, providing lab space, equipment, and seed funding to early-stage life-science companies spun out of regional research institutions. Directly comparable to InnovateABQ's planned First Baptist Church BioScience Center and NSF I-Corps commercialization mission.
• Cummings Research Park: Huntsville, Alabama's 4,000-acre research park — one of the largest in the U.S. — anchored by defense/aerospace contractors and proximity to Redstone Arsenal. Comparable to InnovateABQ in leveraging national-security tenant presence and university/industry partnerships to drive a regional innovation cluster.
• Innovation Quarter (Winston-Salem): Wake Forest Innovation Quarter in Winston-Salem is a mixed-use innovation district redeveloped from a former R.J. Reynolds tobacco campus, anchored by Wake Forest School of Medicine and tech/life-science tenants. Highly comparable to InnovateABQ in its historic adaptive-reuse, university-anchored, walkable, lab-and-office district model.
• Station Houston: Houston-based innovation hub that supports tech startups, corporate innovation teams, and community programming in a dedicated campus environment. Comparable to InnovateABQ in its mission to anchor a regional innovation district with on-site events, mentorship, and partnerships between startups, corporates, and academia.

Broad incumbents

• JLABS (Johnson & Johnson Innovation): Johnson & Johnson's global network of life-science incubators providing lab/office space, equipment, and mentorship to biotech startups. Comparable to InnovateABQ's planned BioScience Center as a life-science-focused, multi-tenant lab incubator, though JLABS is a corporate-backed global network rather than a public-private nonprofit district.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/InnovateABQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/innovateabq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Innovate ABQ