Click on Apply below to start your application.

The New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program (NM LEEP) is a unique program tailored to help passionate entrepreneurs bridge the gap between groundbreaking innovation and commercialization through expert mentorship, business support, and the talent and resources of Los Alamos National Laboratory. You will leverage our vast network of investors, government agencies, and world-class subject matter experts to advance your technology and find product-market fit rapidly.

Sponsored by the National Nuclear Security Administration, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and in partnership with Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation, Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, National Institute of Standards and Technology – Manufacturing Extension Partnership and U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, New Mexico LEEP provides a tailored business curriculum, technical support, and unique national lab expertise and facilities with the goal of commercializing critical deep tech innovations that impact our national security in the clean energy, biotech, advanced materials, Al and advanced computing, and space sectors.

Entrepreneurs from across the country are selected to join a two-year immersive experience within the Los Alamos National Laboratory research ecosystem. Through DOE/NNSA support, participants receive funding, access to cutting-edge knowledge, state-of-the-art facilities, and specialized equipment, along with a comprehensive program featuring intensive mentorship, customized business development, and strategic networking opportunities.

We are seeking deep tech innovators with breakthrough solutions to help strengthen our nation's security and economy. New or experienced entrepreneurs will benefit from the strategic and technical resources of our national laboratory while ensconced in a rich lineage of innovation, discovery and science in New Mexico. If you’re ready to scale, secure funding, and make a lasting impact, this is the opportunity to fast-track your success.

Our goal is simple: Make your start-up investable by empowering participants to mature their ideas from concept to prototype to first commercial product, identifying the most suitable commercial path to launch their technology into the commercial market.

This opportunity will be offered as long as Los Alamos National Laboratory is able to complete the onboarding process and ensure a meaningful experience to participants. We encourage you to apply and submit your application as soon as possible. Updates to this opportunity will be provided on this page as needed.

Description

The New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program (NM LEEP) supports innovators addressing national security challenges. We match visionary technology innovators with seed capital, customers, investors, individualized training, and the unique and world-class expertise and resources of New Mexico’s national laboratories. With up to two years of non-dilutive funding, NM LEEP innovators have the opportunity to advance, test, and validate their technologies necessary to transition them into scalable products. NM LEEP offers fellows:

1. A two-year collaboration to advance their technology with DOE National Laboratory researchers;
2. Customized entrepreneurial training and,
3. Connections to networks and business resources with potential strategic partners, investors, and customers.

Program Provisions:

STIPEND

Annual stipends range from $54,000 to $120,000, plus health insurance allowance, travel reimbursement, and relocation allowance for eligible candidates. Stipend rates are determined by NM LEEP officials, and are based on the candidate's academic and professional background.

MENTORSHIP

Engage with experts and mentors to learn the optimal strategies for product development, choosing the right business model, implementing effective corporate governance, and refining your pitch. This interaction will enhance your chances of securing funding and achieving success more rapidly.

EXPERTISE

Testing, validation, and early product development through a two-year technical collaboration with a New Mexico national laboratory researcher(s) through a funded Cooperative Research and Development agreement (CRADA).

COMMERCIALIZATION

Business model development with an experienced network of business resources that offer expertise in market sectors specific to your technology and market opportunity.

CURRICULUM 

Tailored training and curriculum covering product design & development, investor strategies, financial projections, pricing strategy, pitch development, and more.

For more information about NM LEEP Program, please visit https://nmleep.com/ or email us at nmleep@lanl.gov.

Qualifications

Qualifications for acceptance into the program:

• Candidate must be a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) at the time of application and through the duration of the program.
• Candidate must have completed requirements for a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree by the anticipated start date of the appointment.
• Candidate must relocate to New Mexico for at least the duration of the 2-year program.
• Candidate must declare affiliations with:
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory, or Triad, LLC’s partner institutions: Battelle Memorial Institute, University of California, and Texas A&M University system; and
  • Sandia National Laboratories, or National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC (NTESS) partners institution: Federal Manufacturing and Technologies (FM&T), Northrop Grumman Corporation and its affiliates, Universities Research Association (URA) and its member institutions, Longenecker and Associates and Sandia Technical Partners (STP) and its member companies.

• Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
• Degree: Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, or Doctoral Degree.
• Discipline(s):
  • Business (11 )
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Communications and Graphics Design (6 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (17 )
  • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
  • Engineering (27 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (48 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (11 )
  • Other Non-Science & Engineering (13 )
  • Physics (16 )
  • Science & Engineering-related (2 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (29 )
• Age: Must be 18 years of age

New Mexico LEEP Fellows must relocate to New Mexico for at least the duration of the 2-year program.