As the technology-transfer and economic-development organization for the University of New Mexico (UNM), UNM Rainforest Innovations (UNMRI) protects and commercializes technologies developed at UNM by filing patents and copyrights and transferring them to the marketplace. We connect the business community (companies, entrepreneurs and investors) to these UNM technologies for licensing opportunities and the creation of start-up companies.

UNM Rainforest Innovations (UNMRI) is a nonprofit corporation formed and owned entirely by the University of New Mexico Board of Regents. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation with an independent board of directors.

Located at the Lobo Rainforest Building in the heart of the Innovation District in Albuquerque, New Mexico, UNM Rainforest Innovations has proximity to research and development and laboratory facilities and other technology based companies, many of which are the creation of UNM Rainforest Innovations.

Our Mission

To foster a Rainforest in the Desert, UNM Rainforest Innovations nurtures innovation and catalyzes economic development. 

Our Vision

To play a vital role in New Mexico economic development and to be an innovator in technology commercialization worldwide.

As a New Mexico University Research Park and Economic Development Act organization, UNM Rainforest Innovations does this by

• protecting technologies developed at UNM and transferring these technologies to the marketplace, via starting new companies and transferring technologies to established companies;
• connecting the business community to UNM for access to expertise, facilities, and research activities; and
• facilitating UNM’s role as a contributor to New Mexico’s economic development.

UNM Rainforest Innovations’ dedicated staff is business oriented. Our full-time job is to understand the potential market applications of the wide range of technologies developed at UNM and to efficiently get them to companies that can commercialize them. UNM Rainforest Innovations is committed to securing the best match between a technology and the market.

When and How to Disclose

UNM faculty, staff, and students should disclose an invention before the details of the invention are made public (publicly disclosed); even if it only contains part of the whole invention.

• Inventors should consider the possibility of protecting an idea when they are ready to make public presentations or publish an idea in order to retain the best intellectual property rights possible. Common public disclosures include published abstracts, published manuscripts and other publications, poster presentation or displays, seminar and conference presentations and discussions, internet publications of funded grants, articles in local or national press, etc.
• Note that information about an invention included in research proposals should be labeled, “Proprietary Information of UNM.”
• If there is no pending public disclosure, an invention may be disclosed to UNM Rainforest Innovations as soon as the invention is clearly conceptualized

Conception of the invention does not need to include completed experiments and data supporting it, but it should include your best effort at explaining the experiments that would be done to show it works.

The best course of action is to talk with UNM Rainforest Innovations as soon as possible to discuss what options are available to protect the idea prior to public disclosure. Details and instructions for disclosing an invention are described in the Commercialization Process section. UNM Rainforest Innovations staff are glad to help and to discuss the disclosure process; it is never too early to call the appropriate party at UNM Rainforest Innovations to discuss if it is the right time to disclose.