UNM Innovation Academy celebrates 10 years of creativity and entrepreneurship

Ten years ago, Robert DelCampo introduced an entrepreneurship program to The University of New Mexico with a bold idea: what if students in any major could turn creativity into their most valuable skill? That vision became the Innovation Academy(iA), a one-of-a-kind program where "creativity is the only curriculum requirement" and students learn to think like entrepreneurs, solve problems, and turn big ideas into reality.

At first, students didn't always see themselves as entrepreneurs. "I would walk into a class and ask, 'Who wants to be an entrepreneur?' and maybe one person would raise their hand," said DelCampo, a professor at UNM's Anderson School of Management. "But if I asked, 'Who wants to be on Shark Tank?' three-quarters of the class would shoot their hands up."

The Innovation Academy helps students understand that entrepreneurship is not a solo endeavor. "For us, it's really a team sport," DelCampo said. "You're going to have to bring in people to make this happen. Working with us and with a team is the first step in understanding how to move an idea forward."

In the past decade, more than 21,000 students representing over 90 majors have participated in the Innovation Academy. More than 500 students have earned academic credit for developing their business ideas, with $772,000 awarded directly by iA and an additional $25 million invested in student ventures by outside funders.

iA offers a variety of programs and courses, including the UNM educator partnership for the Disney College Program, UNM Entrepreneurship Workshop, Innovation Scholars, Pitch Deck Competition, Tech Navigator Challenge, e-commerce courses, and most notably, the Rainforest Pitch Competition.

"A lot of students may have some interest in entrepreneurship but don't really have a space to fit it into their curriculum," DelCampo explained. "So, we wanted to create opportunities for students to explore starting a business or really testing ideas that could make people's lives better."

For the past decade, the Rainforest Pitch Competition has been the academy's flagship event, a launchpad for student ideas and a cornerstone of UNM's entrepreneurial community. Offered every semester in partnership with UNM Rainforest Innovations, the competition invites students from all majors to pitch their business or product ideas in just 90 seconds. Whether they're stepping up for the first time or refining a seasoned concept, students gain valuable experience presenting to a live audience of judges, peers, and potential investors.

"One of the biggest hooks for students is the Rainforest Pitch Competition because it has such a low barrier to entry," DelCampo said. "They think, 'This could be fun. I have an idea, maybe I'll even win a little money.'"

Many students have never pitched to an audience outside their class. Through the competition, they conquer fears of public speaking, develop soft skills employers value, and gain hands-on experience in problem-solving and self-reliance. "They walk away with lessons in how to sell an idea they've never shared before," DelCampo said.

The e-commerce coursesprovide another hands-on path for students. Assignments are real-world applications such as building Shopify sites, launching products, and navigating the logistics of running a business. The courses are currently being updated as the e-commerce world continues to change and evolve. "You really start a business: you get a tax ID number, you have a product, and you're out there doing it,"DelCampo said. The courses teach students what works, what doesn't, and the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship.

"The goal is that a student might lose $100 now rather than $100,000 a few years down the road,"DelCampo said. "Even something as simple as setting up an Amazon affiliate account and selling picture frames helps them understand how business really works."

Even business students benefit from the hands-on approach. "Having a product teaches them how to engage customers, set pricing, and handle service,"DelCampo said. "It gets them thinking about the essentials-because without a customer, you don't have a product."The e-commerce courses are offered asynchronously to all students, and can be completed within eight weeks.

The Tech Navigator Challengegives students the opportunity to take invention to action by challenging them to an emerge ring technology from one of iA's partner organizations and develop a novel product or service concept around it. Teams get to collaborate with mentors and technology partners to craft a ten-minute pitch deck, which they present to a panel of expert judges on competition day.

Likewise, iA continues to expand its global reach through partnerships with Yamanashi Gakuin and Osaka Metropolitan Universities in Japan, offering students international entrepreneurial experiences. In its first four years, iA awarded $263,000 to student ventures, helping launch a growing number of student-run businesses.

The academy's mission has always been to provide experiential, nontraditional learning opportunities that encourage students to think like entrepreneurs, tackle problems creatively, and act boldly.

Many iA success stories start with practical, personal ideas rather than the "big idea" students eventually pursue. Ideas often address problems students face themselves or products they would want to buy as young adults. "They really start to get savvy about business,"DelCampo said. "They learn what a market looks like, how to penetrate it, and what customers need. It starts with understanding themselves as one customer and expands to thinking about what a thousand customers might want."

Munji Kahalah is one example. With a computer engineering degree, he started Monaco Market, a local hub known for international treats and anime-inspired essentials located on Wyoming and Montgomery. A member of the winning team of the 2018 Tech Navigator Challenge, Kahalah combines sharp design skills with entrepreneurial drive to shape the store's vibrant brand and visual identity. "He basically saw an opportunity and thought, 'Software engineering isn't it for me; this is what I want to do,'"DelCampo said. "It wasn't anything like the ideas he had pitched before, but he had a sense of how to make it happen."

"We've learned how to make things happen more smoothly, and the quality of student ideas has improved dramatically,"DelCampo said. "Entrepreneurship is hard, and it takes a lot of thought. We started at the right time, and in New Mexico, people really value small businesses and diverse entrepreneurial efforts."

UNM students often had entrepreneurial potential but lacked an organized path. "UNM has a ton of students who are incredibly entrepreneurial, but they don't really realize it,"DelCampo said. The Innovation Academy provides recognition, guidance, and opportunities to transform small ventures-like summer jobs-into market-ready ideas.

Students also apply their academic expertise creatively. Psychology majors, for instance, have developed apps for people with gambling addictions. "Now, more students see that they can do something entrepreneurial in the area they're passionate about,"DelCampo said.

"But then knowing where to get the support-it's just been really a great opportunity to get people to think more creatively," he added. "We've tried to do things over the years where it's not just about sales or making money. It's about how do I make the university better, or how do I make this program better? Creative problem solving-that's really what it's all about."

The Innovation Academy isn't just helping students launch businesses; it's keeping talent in New Mexico and fueling the state's economic growth. Students create their own paths, from Korean foodand imported snacks to cutting-edge asset tracking technology. "These students have just created their own paths,"DelCampo said. "At the core, they're driving economic impact while doing what they love, and that's exactly how we move our state forward."

Looking ahead, iA plans to expand course offerings, strengthen core programs, and create new ways for students to engage with entrepreneurial thinking. One exciting initiative is establishing a dedicated student organization for those passionate about entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation.

Currently the iA is staffed by Director Robert DelCampo, Program Manager Rebecca Rodriguez, and Education & Outreach Manager Tiffini Porter.

"The next decade will be defined by collaboration, creativity, and continued impact,"DelCampo said. "With the support of our students, faculty, partners, and alumni, Innovation Academy will remain a hub where bold ideas take root, and the future is built."

Want to get involved or learn more? Sign up for the Innovation Academy's monthly newsletter here. No spam, just updates on courses, competitions, and opportunities.