October’s shaping up to be a busy month for New Mexico’s startup scene. We’ve got everything from weekend hackathons to fancy galas, so there’s definitely something here that’ll fit your vibe. Here’s what’s on the calendar:
Staying Engaged in a Divided World Conference
If you’re into the bigger picture stuff, like how businesses operate in an increasingly complicated world, this one’s worth checking out. They’ve got Dr. Trita Parsi from the Quincy Institute and Jody Olsen, who ran the Peace Corps, as keynote speakers. There’s also panel discussions with different generations talking about cross-cultural exchange, plus breakout sessions on nonviolent communication and finding common ground. Good for anyone thinking beyond just local markets. Lunch is included.
October 3, 8:45 AM - 2:00 PM (doors at 8 AM) | UNM SUB Ballroom C
NASA International Space Apps Challenge
NASA’s bringing their global hackathon to Albuquerque, and it’s actually pretty cool. You’ve got 48 hours to work on real problems using NASA’s data, no, seriously, actual NASA data. Teams can be anyone: developers, designers, students, random people who just think space is neat. There are 19 different challenges to pick from, ranging from beginner to advanced, so you don’t need to be a rocket scientist. Prize money comes from local sponsors, City of ABQ is putting up first place, EzeeFiber’s got second, and Sommers Realty is covering third. You’ll pitch your solution on Sunday (doesn’t have to be finished), then have until 11:59 PM to submit. Awards ceremony is the following Friday if you want to see who wins.
October 4-5, 10 AM - 3 PM | Q Station, 3225 Central Ave NE | Awards: October 10 at 6 PM
Roadrunner Tech Forum
The annual tech forum is back at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Last year they had 400+ attendees and speakers from Founders Fund, the U.S. Navy CTO, and the Department of Energy, plus investors from major firms. This year looks equally stacked, expect conversations about venture capital, deep tech, and frontier science. It’s presented by Morrison Foerster, Rho, and Google, so they’re not messing around.
October 15, 2025 | National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque
Elevate NM: Power Lunch for Entrepreneurs
Meg Whitman’s coming to town, which is kind of a big deal. This is one of those events where you actually might meet your next investor, partner, or at least someone who knows someone. It’s put together by a coalition including the Hispano Chamber, UNM Health Sciences, Anderson School of Management, and the NM Bioscience Authority. Lunch is provided, and the whole point is to bring together business leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs to actually connect, not just collect business cards. Fair warning though, spots fill up fast.
October 15, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM | Lobo Rainforest Building, 101 Broadway Blvd NE
Register
Black Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico 2025 Gala
Time to dust off something nice and head to the Sheraton. This gala celebrates Black business owners and entrepreneurs across the state, and it’s always a good mix of networking and community. The Black Chamber’s been crushing their events lately, their Juneteenth celebrations have grown from 4,000 to aiming for 10,000 attendees. Plus, who doesn’t like a good reason to dress up occasionally?
October 24, 6-11 PM | Sheraton Airport Hotel, 2910 Yale Blvd SE
2025 Health AI Summit
HealthInno’s putting on their flagship summit at Sandia Golf Club, and the speaker list is stacked with founders, CEOs, and healthcare leaders working in AI. They’re covering everything from AI readiness and ethics to real-world use cases across care delivery and health equity. Topics include “AI Myth Busting,” responsible AI, and tech access beyond metro areas. There’s programming all day, then a reception from 5-7 PM if you want to keep the conversations going. They’ve even got a hotel block at Sandia Resort if you’re coming from out of town.
October 28, 9:30 AM - 5 PM (reception 5-7 PM) | The Event Center at Sandia Golf Club
So yeah, that’s October. A pretty solid mix of events depending on what you’re into. Pick a couple, show up, and actually talk to people, you never know what’ll come from it.
Best of luck with the events,
Andoni & Solomon