SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) — Two New Mexico projects were named among 29 semifinalists in the U.S. National Science Foundation’s $160 million Regional Innovation Engines competition. If selected, these initiatives could receive up to $15 million over two years and up to $160 million over a decade for tackling regional challenges. Quantum Moonshot and Energized Watershed are the homegrown initiatives that were selected from nearly 300 nationwide proposals.
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The Quantum Moonshot is led by Elevate Quantum alongside the New Mexico Economic Development Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the University of New Mexico. The goal is to “establish the state as a national leader in quantum research, commercialization, and workforce development,” according to the NM Economic Development Department.
“This effort and our advancement to the semifinals drives home that New Mexico, Colorado, and the Mountain West is a global destination for research, commercialization, and impact for quantum,” said Zachary Yerushalmi, CEO for Elevate Quantum. “This advancement builds on decades of work of New Mexicans, Coloradans and citizens across the region to build a safe and thriving American economy.”
Energized Watershed is a coalition of over 50 organizations across New Mexico, the Navajo Nation, and far-west Texas. The project is led by The University of New Mexico, and according to the NM Economic Development Department, they aim to solve “critical water shortage challenges by innovating new technologies to efficiently capture, recycle, treat and reuse water; produce and distribute energy security; and generate predictive hydrological process models to increase U.S. economic and national security and advance America’s energy dominance.”
“Reliable water resources underpin our region’s ability to attract and grow manufacturing and AI-based industries while improving community health,” said Ellen Fisher, UNM’s vice president for research. “Pulling together global talent at New Mexico’s universities, national labs, communities, and private sector will rapidly innovate, advance, and deploy solutions starting on day one.”
Semifinalists are advancing to a live virtual review. Final selections are expected in early 2026.
