Start a New Business in New Mexico
small business resources for women entrepreneurs
Being a business owner can be daunting, but you don't have to face it by yourself. I’m committed to helping you along the way - whether you’re just starting out or taking your business to the next level. That's why I’m sharing New Mexico business development resources to support women like you on your entrepreneurial journey.
This is by no means a complete list. It’s a helping hand and a place for you to start researching the best resources for your needs. I believe we all do better when we share information with each other. If you know of a resource that would help our community and you’d like me to add it to this list, please contact me. I’d love to hear from you!
New Mexico State Government Agencies
New Mexico Secretary of State - Business Services Division
The Secretary of State’s office processes filings, maintains records and provides information to the public relating to business entities that include corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, general partnerships, limited liability partnerships and other business filings.
New Mexico Capitol Annex North
325 Don Gaspar
Suite 300
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
Phone: 505-827-3600
New Mexico Secretary of State Business Services Division website
State of New Mexico - Economic Development Department
The mission of the New Mexico Economic Development Department is to Improve the lives of New Mexico families by increasing economic opportunities and providing a place for businesses to thrive.
If you’re interested in starting or expanding a business in New Mexico, the Department of Economic Development has some programs to help you succeed..
Job training incentive program
International trade
ISO 9001 training and preparation
Office of science and technology
Finance department
Office of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
Business finance finder
Joseph M. Montoya Building
1100 S. St. Francis Drive
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
Phone: 505-827-0300
State of New Mexico Economic Development Department website
New Mexico Small Business Administration - SBA
The New Mexico SBA is supported by a district office in Albuquerque. They provide services including funding programs, counseling, federal contracting, certifications, and disaster recovery. They can also connect you to partner organizations, lenders, and other community groups that help small businesses succeed.
The district office in Albuquerque serves all 33 counties in New Mexico.
Examples of educational activities and events include their popular Cyber Summit.
Main office:
500 Gold Avenue South West
Suite 11301
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
Phone: 505-248-8225
New Mexico Small Business Administration website
New Mexico Agencies and Nonprofit Organizations with Mentors, Consultants, Networking, and More
New Mexico Small Business Development Center - NMSBDC
The New Mexico Small Business Development Center helps New Mexico small businesses start, grow, and succeed. For example:
Their International Business Accelerator is a one-stop shop of resources for New Mexico businesses and individuals wishing to introduce their product or service into the global market.
They provide assistance to small businesses who want to sell their goods or services to the government, educational institutions, or tribal entities.
They provide no-cost, confidential counseling regarding intellectual property.
6401 Richards Avenue
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508
Phone: 800.281.7232 or 505.428.1362
New Mexico Small Business Development Center NMSBDC website
Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team - WESST
WESST understands the unique challenges and needs of female entrepreneurs. They offer a variety of workshops designed to help aspiring and established women business owners succeed — many of which are scheduled during evening hours to accommodate busy daytime schedules. WESST’s popular Brown Bag Lunch workshops, held conveniently during lunch time, are free. Topics can range from money management and Quickbooks training, to leveraging Facebook and writing an effective Business Plan.
Individual consulting appointments can be arranged to discuss a specific topic in depth, at a time that’s convenient to the client. While its Women’s Business Center Programs are geared to women they are open to anyone, at any stage of their business development.
WESST Enterprise Center Headquarters
609 Broadway Boulevard NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
Phone: 1-800-GO-WESST
Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team WESST website
Additional WESST offices are located in Farmington, Hobbs, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Roswell, and Santa Fe.
SCORE New Mexico
Whether you need help evaluating a new business idea or plan, stimulating business growth, or developing long-term stability, SCORE can help at little to no cost.
The organization’s volunteers are successful real-world business professionals who volunteer thousands of hours to help existing and startup businesses succeed. They are experts with experience in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, consulting, import/export, law, operations, production, retail, wholesale, manufacturing, sales, marketing, management, business plan preparation, strategic planning, and many other business disciplines.
SCORE provides:
Volunteer mentors who share their expertise across many industries
Free, confidential business mentoring in person, via email, or by video
Free business tools, templates, and tips
Inexpensive or free business workshops (locally) and webinars (online 24/7)
SCORE Albuquerque
4801 Lang Avenue
Suite 110
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109
Phone: 505-717-4058
SCORE Albuquerque website
SCORE Santa Fe
3900 Paseo del Sol
Suite A320
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
Phone: 1-800-634-0245
SCORE Santa Fe website
SCORE Las Cruces
Loretto Towne Centre
505 S Main Street
Suite 125
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001
Phone: 575-259-0635
SCORE Las Cruces website
Arrowhead Center
Arrowhead Center provides resources to entrepreneurs and small businesses across New Mexico, helping ventures to launch and grow. Arrowhead Accelerators (Sprints) include four accelerators that support technology-based and export-base companies through education, mentorship, and financing in a virtual, cohort-based setting.
The New Mexico Federal and State Technology (NM FAST) partnership program provides SBIR and STTR proposal development assistance to small businesses throughout New Mexico.
Arrowhead Center, as a contractor for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), brings the unique resources of New Mexico State University through faculty and staff to assist in a variety of technical and/or business challenges.
The hub of innovation and entrepreneurship for southern New Mexico and our Borderlands region. Opportunities abound to partner in research, technology commercialization, and growing regional clusters in Life Sciences, Aerospace, Agri-Biz, Digital Media, and more.
Arrowhead Ventures is a post-accelerator program that provides follow-on support for businesses who have participated in one of Arrowhead’s Accelerator programs.
3655 Research Drive
Genesis Center-C
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003
Phone: 575-646-7415
Arrowhead Center website
National Association of Women Business Owners - NAWBO New Mexico
NAWBO propels women entrepreneurs-one of the fastest growing and most dynamic sectors in U.S. business-into economic, social and political spheres of power by:
strengthening the wealth-creating capacity of our members and promoting economic development
creating innovative and effective changes in the business culture
building strategic alliances, coalitions, and affiliations
transforming public policy and influencing opinion
Small Business Funding - State and Federal
U.S. Small Business Administration - Funding Resources
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps small businesses get the funding they need. Funding resources include:
Loans: Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the SBA.
Investment capital: Find an investor for your business. Investors make both debt and equity investments.
Disaster assistance: Get help after a disaster with low-interest disaster loans.
Surety bonds: Protect your work and your client with an SBA-guaranteed surety bond.
Grants: Look for government grants that help businesses do scientific research and development.
Finance New Mexico
From special grants to government-backed loans, tax incentives and venture capital, find the funding source that’s right for your business.
The Loan Fund
The Loan Fund helps financially underserved small businesses and nonprofits across New Mexico to start, grow, and thrive.
Services include:
Loans and lines of credit at affordable rates to new and existing small businesses, as well as nonprofit organizations. Loans range from $5,000 to $1,000,000.
Pre-loan consulting services to help clients become credit-ready
Active-loan consulting and training services to help clients’ businesses succeed.
Types of loans available include:
Microloans (under $50,000)
Small business loans up to $500,000
Loans to nonprofits
SBA 504 Loans (Equipment & Buildings)
Business Lines of Credit
423 Iron Avenue SW
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
Phone: 505-243-3196
The Loan Fund website
New Mexico Colleges and Universities
New Mexico State University - Arrowhead Center
Arrowhead Center is the technology transfer and commercialization arm of NMSU, working with campus inventors and innovators to protect their work and ensure it reaches the broadest possible markets. While they are based at NMSU in Las Cruces, New Mexico, they work with people across the state, providing advice, mentorship, education, and hands-on experiences to pioneer new technologies, businesses, and partnerships.
In Arrowhead Center’s K-12 entrepreneurship education program, Innoventure, participants learn problem-solving, goal-setting, communication, public speaking, teamwork, decision-making, ethics, and financial literacy.
3655 Research Drive
Genesis Center-C
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003
Phone: 575-646-7415
New Mexico State University Arrowhead Center website
University of New Mexico - Anderson School of Management - Entrepreneurial Studies Concentration
The Anderson School of Management at The University of New Mexico offers business management studies at all skill and experience levels, including undergraduate business degrees, graduate business degrees, certificates, skills development courses and executive leadership programs.
The Entrepreneurial Studies Track offers students hands-on experience and theoretical grounding in new venture creation, entrepreneurial finance, business planning, professional selling, and managing small businesses. These studies build upon and lead students beyond the core management competencies.
The Entrepreneurial Studies Concentration enables students to work directly with community partners on real-life projects. Through activities of the Small Business Institute (SBI), Entrepreneurial Studies students apply research and classroom-based learning to critical challenges facing small businesses in our community, creating an atmosphere of success through a combination of excellent academics and community engagement.
Anderson School of Management
1922 Las Lomas NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106
Phone: 505-277-6471
University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management Entrepreneurial Studies website
New Mexico Business Newspapers and Magazines
Albuquerque Business First
Albuquerque Business First is the leading source for business news, data, and networking for the central New Mexico region.
Features include Latest News, Lists and Leads, Commercial Real Estate, Banking, Technology, Residential Real Estate, Food and Lifestyle, New Mexico Innovation, Events, and Best Places to Work.
6565 Americas Parkway NE
Suite 770
Two Park Square
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
Phone: 505-768-7008