15-05-2025
Lujan Grisham announces foreign business accelerator in Albuquerque
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday announced a new initiative she described as a 'launch pad' for businesses worldwide to establish a presence in New Mexico.
She and other officials billed the upcoming NMexus Center, planned for a site in the Mesa del Sol innovation district in Albuquerque, as a first-of-its-kind enterprise, designed to boost foreign direct investment in the state.
The global business accelerator and commercialization center — which will provide companies with tools to expand their operations into New Mexico — will start with about seven companies from around the world but could grow to host up to 40, according to the Governor's Office.
'Today's exciting announcement is the result of my administration's strategic efforts to recruit and retain new businesses in New Mexico, which has a long-standing reputation as a leader in innovation,' Lujan Grisham said during a news conference Tuesday from the state's booth at the SelectUSA Investment Summit in National Harbor, Md. 'The NMexus Center sends an unmistakable message to the rest of the world: New Mexico is open for business.'
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected in June for the project, which the Governor's Office estimated will generate nearly 100 jobs in its first year, with up to 1,500 jobs created in five years. The center is expected to have an economic impact of more than $400 million in its first five years.
The center's first companies include Zonap Engineering India, Alligator Automations, DCirrus Inc., Supreme Technology, the American Grain Corp., Oliver Merino LLC and Ardic. The first two companies are based in India, while Ardic is based in Oman. The companies will focus on areas ranging from tech and water to energy and agriculture, Lujan Grisham said.
The state's role in assisting the companies will involve taking care of their relocation, job training and legal and human relations needs, she added.
'Don't think of it as a soft landing,' the governor said. 'Think of it as more as a launch pad for investing and expanding businesses.'
Lujan Grisham touted the state's status as an energy powerhouse during her remarks, noting it ranks as the national leader in energy production when all fields are taken into account, including oil, liquefied natural gas, geothermal, wind, solar and small-scale nuclear production.
'New Mexico has the opportunity to expand it, build it, deliver it right now,' she said.
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., spoke after the governor, describing the center as a great place for international businesses to land.
'This is all about bringing and repatriating jobs back to our community,' she said.
Amar Vakil, who will serve as executive director of the center, said the Mesa del Sol district in Albuquerque was chosen because of the resources it offers for the business incubator.
'We chose to invest in New Mexico, specifically in the Mesa del Sol innovation district of Albuquerque, because of its unmatched combination of affordability, connectivity and access to a thriving ecosystem of research institutions, national laboratories and a highly skilled workforce,' he said.
Vakil said New Mexico believes in taking risks and investing in global partnerships.
'This is a state of firsts,' he said.
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Rob Black
Rob Black, the state's Cabinet secretary for economic development, said a delegation of foreign officials would be visiting New Mexico soon to celebrate the creation of the center.
He said the state has established partnerships with other international organizations — including ITT Kanpur, the Telangana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Oman Business Network and the Traders Advocacy Group of Ghana — to help funnel more companies to New Mexico.
'It's these partners we'll be working with on the ground to help bring entrepreneurs to New Mexico,' he said.
Black described Tuesday's announcement as a new chapter for the state.
'Through NMexus and our international partner organizations, we have created an economic super-highway for companies to start and grow their presence in the U.S. — creating jobs and manufacturing opportunities,' Black said.
According to a news release from the Governor's Office, India has become the 15th foreign country to invest in New Mexico. The state has attracted $2.57 billion in foreign investment during Lujan Grisham's tenure, the release states.
