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Graphic that reads "Ski Lift Pitch" with person skiing to the left

CNM Ingenuity Hosting 11th Annual Ski Lift Pitch Feb. 2-3; Two Winners to Receive $10,000 Cash Prize

This year’s event is shaking things up, with businesses from New Mexico and out-of-state participating in the unique pitch event
January 29, 2026

CNM Ingenuity is excited to host the 11th annual Ski Lift Pitch event in the Taos Ski Valley from Feb. 2-3. This event is already one-of-a-kind, with companies pitching to investors while making their way up the slopes. This year, CNM Ingenuity is taking the event to the next level by having five out-of-state companies compete alongside five New Mexico-based companies, with the end goal of taking home a $10,000 cash prize for both the in-state competitors and out-of-state competitors.

“For a decade now, Ski Lift Pitch has been the crown jewel of venture capital events in New Mexico, and this year we were ready to elevate it once again,” says Xavier Lemon, Director of Entrepreneurship for CNM Ingenuity. “By inviting out-of-state companies to compete, we can showcase everything New Mexico has to offer, from business opportunities to workforce development and everything in between.”

“By the end of the event, we want folks to go back home and talk about what a great place New Mexico is to live, work, and invest in,” says Devin Bader, Event Manager for CNM Ingenuity’s Activate NM program.

During the two-day event, the competitors will have the opportunity to pitch their company three times to three different investors while riding the ski lift. The top two competitors from each category will then have the chance to present a final five-minute pitch to investors, economic developers, and industry leaders from across the country in the ski lodge. The winner from each category will take home a $10,000 cash prize to help their company continue to grow and develop.

This year’s Ski Lift Pitch will also bring together the most investors and venture capitalists in the event’s history, creating more investment opportunities on and off the ski lift, which can be the most valuable part of the event.

“If there was ever a situation where folks are winning just by being in the room, it’s going to be this year’s Ski Lift Pitch,” Devin says. “The competitors will have networking opportunities with investors not just from New Mexico, but from across the country. Each of those conversations could have just as much of an impact on their company as winning the cash prize, and watching those connections be made is what t I’m truly looking forward to.”

This year’s start-ups include:

In-State Competitors

  • ChainWeave: Synapse Thermal uses deep reinforcement learning to cut data center cooling costs by 40%. Our hardware-agnostic AI predicts thermal loads to optimize efficiency.
  • EnviTrace: Develops transformative cloud-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) software for earth science problems that can handle massive datasets, uncertainties, and complex models.
  • Guide Theory: Builds workforce infrastructure for the seasonal economy. We help seasonal workers gain financial stability, clarity, and career momentum—while giving employers tools to improve retention, readiness, and workforce sustainability.
  • Hu-GPT: the world’s first Human Authentication Infrastructure that uses 2,300+ behavioral biometrics to verify real humans with 99.99999999% accuracy.
  • Noesis Dynamics: Creates high-fidelity AI patients for clinical training. This technology bridges the gap between theory and practice with a proprietary emotional engine that mimics real human behavior, ensuring therapists are field-ready before their first appointment.

Out-of-State Competitors

  • Botco.ai: An agentic AI platform that streamlines clinical trial matching, enrollment, and participation through AI-assisted engagement.
  • Limpiar: The world’s first automated maintenance system. Limpiar unifies scheduling, compliance, vendor scoring, and multi-site workforce management into one intelligent platform.
  • Nara Therapy: Offers 24/7 mental health support by combining human and Al-assisted therapy.
  • ProKribs: A private relocation and housing marketplace for pro athletes, offering verified athlete-to-athlete home rentals and trusted local services to solve the privacy, mobility, and trust challenges athletes face when relocating.
  • SouthLight Services: Digitally replaces outdated POTS telephone lines that support fire panels, elevators, security networks, emergency response systems, and other critical infrastructure—without the need for rewiring or risking compliance issues.