How organizations are coming together to build a small business ecosystem to support entrepreneurs in Northern New Mexico was a key theme at a recent economic development event hosted by the Regional Development Corporation in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Part of the RDC’s Regional Business Opportunities Summit, held Sept. 15 at Northern New Mexico College, explored the story of regional small business Wolf and Mermaid as a timely example of the power of that ecosystem.
With support from Los Alamos MainStreet and the RDC (both recipients of grants from Laboratory operator Triad National Security LLC), Wolf and Mermaid has grown from participating in a new business accelerator program in 2022 to becoming the Laboratory’s new food and beverage contractor.
For companies looking to follow Wolf and Mermaid’s example, more information came from a panel discussion from resource providers and the Laboratory’s Small Business Office, and booths from organizations offering support for small businesses. Breakout sessions included deeper dives for suppliers on how to do business with the Laboratory, and separate workshops on opportunities in the building trades.
“The summit showed there is a strong network of support for small businesses in the region, and that companies are able to take advantage of that support to grow and thrive,” said Patrick Duran, economic development outreach specialist at the Laboratory. “LANL is committed to being an active part of that ecosystem, and through Triad’s investments, we are focused on fostering economic diversity and creating opportunities for businesses across Northern New Mexico. Wolf and Mermaid’s success is an example of what’s possible for other Northern New Mexico businesses.”
Triad National Security’s Community Commitment Plan invests $3.1 million annually in Northern New Mexico, including funding to the RDC to support economic diversification. The Triad plan also includes a small grant program that provides direct funding to other nonprofits to address needs in education, economic development, and community well-being.
Keynote and Laboratory update
After a virtual welcome from NNMC President Hector Balderas, the event kicked off with keynote speaker Mark Perna outlining how Gen Z people (aged under 30) see the world of work, what motivates them, and the tools and skills they need to thrive.
Then Deputy Laboratory Director for Operations Mark Davis gave a brief Laboratory update and stressed how LANL’s important work for the nation depends on the support of Northern New Mexico businesses and community members.
Davis likened the Laboratory (with 18,000 employees and an annual budget of over $5 billion) to a small town and stressed that all the jobs and services that make a town function are also needed at the Laboratory, either through direct employment or through subcontracting with external companies, many of them from the region. In 2025, the Laboratory spent $752.5 million on procurement in New Mexico, more than $381 million of that with small businesses.
Exploring the resources available to small businesses
This was followed by a ‘fireside chat’ featuring Wolf and Mermaid co-owner Scott Baird, Pat Vanderpool from the RDC, Jacquelyn Connolly from Los Alamos MainStreet and Creative District, and the Laboratory’s Patrick Duran.
The discussion explored how Baird’s business received assistance from the RDC and Los Alamos MainStreet’s programs (both funded in part by Laboratory operator Triad), supporting their growth from a small coffee roaster at farmers’ markets through to running three brick and mortar cafes.
Baird also discussed the help he received from the Laboratory’s Acquisition Services Management and Workplace Experience divisions while applying for the Laboratory’s food and beverage contract. “Earlier in my career, I had some experience of applying for government contracts,” he said. “But I’d never dealt with this easy or smooth of a process.”
Connolly finished the discussion by underlining how regional chambers of commerce, the Laboratory, and economic development agencies all collaborate to offer regional small businesses the kind of support that helped Wolf and Mermaid grow to be ready to successfully bid for larger contracts.
This ecosystem of resources was explored further with the subsequent panel that explored the range of support available to regional small businesses, with representatives from RDC, New Mexico APEX Accelerator, New Mexico Home Builders Association, and the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Job Training Incentive Program. Three small businesses — JREV Enterprises, Bandelier Technologies and Avanyu LLC — shared their experience of accessing financial and technical assistance from these agencies and organizations, and offered tips for other entrepreneurs.
“It was inspiring to be able to gather such a strong group of small and larger businesses, and the agencies and organizations that are working to support their growth,” said RDC Executive Director Pat Vanderpool. “The combination of talent and opportunities in the region is exciting.”
The event was sponsored by New Mexico APEX Accelerator, New Mexico Small Business Development Center, and the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, and the Northern New Mexico Workforce Integration Network as part of the EDA’s Good Jobs Challenge. Resource partners taking part were New Mexico APEX Accelerator, New Mexico Small Business Development Center, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, WESST, Economic Development New Mexico, SCORE, Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corporation, LANL Small Business Office, NMSBA, The Food Depot, and the City of Santa Fe.
