(WASHINGTON, DC – April 11, 2022) The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) has entered into a strategic partnership with UNM Rainforest Innovations, based in Albuquerque, NM, as part of an ongoing campaign to help small to large businesses with innovative technologies succeed through collaborations with federal laboratories.
UNM Rainforest Innovations supports technology transfer and coordinates economic development activities for the University of New Mexico (UNM)—efforts that include facilitating connections between technology-focused businesses and multiple federal laboratories that have a presence in New Mexico. The Memorandum of Understanding with the FLC was signed on April 7, 2022.
Under the agreement, the FLC and UNM Rainforest Innovations will jointly encourage partnerships between federal laboratories and industry, especially small businesses, to help move technologies out of the lab and into the marketplace – a vital process known as technology transfer. These public-private partnerships will support new innovations, leading to job creation and economic benefits.
The FLC and UNM Rainforest Innovations will work together to promote and participate in mutually beneficial activities such as joint meetings, sponsorships, and special events to connect federal labs with entrepreneurs and small businesses and spur economic development in Albuquerque, NM.
“An important component of supporting technology transfer involves supporting relationships and partnerships between different people and entities,” said Lisa Kuuttila, CEO and Chief Economic Development Officer of UNM Rainforest Innovations. “We are pleased to be partnering with the Federal Laboratory Consortium and to join their network of research centers, agencies, and federal laboratories. We believe this will further diversify our local innovation ecosystem and create new opportunities for collaborating with the federal laboratories in the state.”
“This partnership will help foster stronger relationships between the innovation start-up activities at UNM and federal labs located in the area. We look forward to growing the opportunities for startups and small businesses in Albuquerque to connect with federal labs and achieve their goals of bringing their innovations to the marketplace,” says Paul Zielinski, Executive Director, FLC.
Learn more about the FLC’s organizational partners here. Groups interested in working with federal laboratories should contact the FLC to learn more at info@federallabs.org.
About the FLC
The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) is a formally chartered, nationwide network of more than 300 federal laboratories, agencies, and research centers that foster commercialization best practice strategies and opportunities for accelerating federal technologies from out of the labs and into the marketplace. To learn more, visit www.federallabs.org.
About UNM Rainforest Innovations
UNM Rainforest Innovations (formerly known as STC.UNM) is the technology transfer and economic development organization for the University of New Mexico (UNM). We protect and commercialize 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. To learn more, visit our website at https://innovations.unm.edu/.
Media contact: Carolina Olivieri, FLC Marketing Director colivieri@federallabs.org