After six years of service and 64 businesses through our program, we’re just getting started!

For Immediate Release–Santa Fe, NM–bizMIX, Santa Fe’s one and only startup business accelerator where you can compete for cash and prizes, is seeking applicants for its 2018 entrepreneurial class! Have some amazing business dreams you’d like to pursue? Startup and stay up with bizMIX.

Since 2011, bizMIX has been vital to local entrepreneurs by providing mentorship, tools and resources to get your business started, infusions of cash,  and formative prizes, such as legal, marketing and accounting support. Many former bizMIX participants continue to thrive with their businesses — some champions include:  NM Hard Cider, Paper Dosa, Barrio Brinery, Shihan Fine Knives, PERK, Paleteria Oasis, Squash Blossom Local Food, and many, many more.

In 2017, bizMIX reached new heights, providing over $55,000 in cash and prizes to our bizMIX winners, with eight winners taking home between $1,000-7,000.  With plans in the works, the quality of programming and prizes are expected to get even better. bizMIX Applications launched March 15, 2018 at 5:00p, and will close on April 25 at 11:59p. bizMIX is on-call to answer questions entrepreneurs have about the bizMIX program, the application, and will cheerlead all new business ideas and encourage you to apply to bizMIX!

The bizMIX accelerator runs from May through September 2018, giving participants the chance to create opportunities, develop valuable relationships and a network of support. MIX doesn’t want a stake in anyone’s company, it wants entrepreneurs to have a stake in the Santa Fe community.

For example, in 2012 we met relentless entrepreneur, Haj Khalsa, when he joined bizMIX. Khalsa was a bizMIX participant and winner in 2012 for a digital  ‘adventure mapping’ company called Betamapper.  Though his company ultimately failed, he’s continued to pursue new and innovative ideas, leading him to most recent endeavor:  HANGTIME. His new company has mastered and is now investing in a tech-lover’s tether that ensures you never drop your phone while amidst an extreme activity (e.g. if you’re on a ski lift, take that selfie because your phone is strapped to you).

An avid adventurer, Haj created the product ‘KOALA’ to tether our precious cell phones to us while shredding it up on the mountains, biking, or simply multitasking in a tree.  Seeing all sides of the entrepreneurial process, Haj notes, “inherently, in business there are ups-and-downs [and] It’s okay for businesses to fail. What’s important for organizations like bizMIX is that they support businesses through the process.”

bizMIX firmly believes in ‘failing fast’ so as to ensure if the business you’re pursuing isn’t quite the right market fit, pivot to the next big dream. The program was created to support tireless ideators, and bizMIX is here to support local entrepreneurs and aid them in pursuing start up businesses. You can apply at mixsantafe.com/bizmix, or directly at: https://mixsantafe.com/bizmix/bizmix-application/

Once more we gotta give it up for the 2017 winners and our sponsors:

  • Paleteria OASIS (Erika Castaneda & Omar Reyes)
  • Length Width Height (Robert Nachman)
  • Mud Hub (Rod Gesten)
  • Santa Fe Lobo Cheer (Cynthia Hale)
  • OneForNeptune (Nick Mendoza)
  • Madre Foods (Katelyn Hilburn)
  • Laser Loot (Randy Castillo)
  • Click Clogs (Lily Love)
  • Root 66 (Jackie Shane, JC Corcoran, Dave Holland)
  • 1905 Magazine (Mariah Thomas & Darnell Romero)
  • Santa Fe Pub Crawls (Julia Abbiss, Elizabeth Seratt, Melyssa Holik)
  • Vintage Airstream Renovations (Patrick Collingwood)
  • Fun Times in the Chickenhouse (Andy Primm & Karina Wilson)
  • The Guerrilla Filmmakers Guild (Bevin Carnes)
  • THE truck (Victoria Bruneni)
  • EyeAm (Aaron Johnston)
  • Dandelion Guild (Calixte Raifsnider)

2017 Fiscal Sponsors: LANL Feynman Center for Innovation – Venture Acceleration Fund, Five & Dime General Store, Thornburg Investment Management, Los Alamos National Bank, Gemini Rosemont Realty (Garfield Street Foundation), Santa Fe County, Santa Fe Community Foundation, Meow Wolf, Positive Energy Solar, Century Bank, Christus St. Vincent, New Mexico Bank and Trust, Nusenda, and the PNM – Century of Service grant.

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For media inquiries, please contact:  Andrea Romero, mix@mixsantafe.com, (505) 490-6155

About MIX Santa Fe: MIX is an economic and community development initiative, which provides entrepreneurial development, networking, talent exhibition, and other professional development opportunities, including relationship marketing, communications, product testing, and other business development services. MIX Santa Fe began in late 2009 and produces five networking events a year, (on the third Thursday of every other month from March through November), and bizMIX, the an annual start-up business plan competition and a special project each year.  More information: mixsantafe.com

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