By Hannah Grover
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a new global business accelerator and commercialization center based in Albuquerque on Tuesday while at an investment summit in Maryland.
The new facility, known as The NMexus Center, will help companies from foreign countries, including India and Oman, by providing them with tools and networks to help expand or bring operations to New Mexico.
“Don’t think of it as a soft landing. Think of it as more of a launch pad for investing and expanding businesses,” Lujan Grisham said during a press conference.
The businesses that will initially be utilizing the center include Zonap Engineering India, Alligator Automations, DCirrus, Inc., Supreme Technology, American Grain Corporation, Oliver Merino LLC and Ardic, according to the governor’s office.
NMexus Center will be in the Mesa del Sol area of Albuquerque, which has been a hot spot for economic development in recent years. It will be able to serve up to 40 businesses a year.
“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 longstanding reputation as a leader in innovation,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “The NMexus Center sends an unmistakable message to the rest of the world: New Mexico is open for business.”
Officials plan to host a ribbon-cutting for The NMexus Center in late June.
According to the governor’s office, the new facility will create nearly 100 jobs in its first year and up to 1,500 jobs within five years. It is also expected to contribute more than $400 million to the economy over five years.
She said the announcement is only possible because of New Mexico’s strong economy.
“We are growing in every single sector,” the governor said.
She highlighted areas such as aerospace technology, agriculture, hospitality and cinema. Then Lujan Grisham said New Mexico is an energy state, thanks to the productive Permian Basin as well as opportunities for liquified natural gas, geothermal, wind, solar and small-scale nuclear.
“New Mexico has the opportunity to expand it, build it, deliver it right now, and we deliver the greenest molecules, and thanks to the federal government, we are moving at a rapid pace in bringing real transmission so that we can move our energy all across the United States and beyond,” she said.
“This project is a launchpad for international companies ready to scale in North America,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement. “The NMexus Center reflects our commitment to helping companies transition from entry to expansion, right here in Albuquerque. We’re not waiting for opportunity—we’re creating it.”
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-New Mexico, joined Lujan Grisham at the summit for the announcement on Tuesday. Stansbury represents the Albuquerque area.
She said the state is ready to bring international partners to “employ our people and bring good-paying jobs back to the United States and back to my home state that I grew up and was born and raised in and to my district.”
“This is going to be an exciting center and nexus to bring international investment into Albuquerque,” she said. “And not only is this going to be a great place for international businesses to land, you’re about to experience the warmest people, the best chile and the best hiking you’ve ever had. So welcome to New Mexico. We’re excited about this opportunity to invest.”