Key Takeaways
- • New Mexico State University's Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship is accepting applications for the 2026 cohort of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRE) Venture Fellows program, a competitive fellowship designed to train university students in venture capital and early-stage investing.
- • The FIRE Venture Fellows program runs February 24 through May 19, 2026, with weekly Tuesday sessions, targeting undergraduate and graduate students from the Borderplex region to gain hands-on experience in startup evaluation and investment decision-making.
- • The fellowship explicitly prioritizes expanding access to venture capital education for students from underrepresented backgrounds, addressing persistent gaps in representation across gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status in the investment landscape.
- • Daniel Jones, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at NMSU's Arrowhead Center and a 20+ year veteran of early- and growth-stage software entrepreneurship, will host and lead the 2026 cohort.
- • The program strengthens the regional startup ecosystem by preparing the next generation of venture investors, analysts, and innovation leaders through applied learning, mentorship, and real-world exposure to early-stage investment mechanics.
Summary
New Mexico State University's Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship, operating under the university's Arrowhead Center, has opened applications for its 2026 cohort of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Economy Venture Fellows program. This competitive fellowship targets undergraduate and graduate students across the Borderplex region and provides structured training in venture capital, early-stage startup evaluation, and investment decision-making processes.
The program will operate over a 12-week period running from February 24 through May 19, 2026, with instruction delivered in weekly Tuesday sessions. Participants gain hands-on experience in how early-stage investment decisions are made, how startups are evaluated, and the mechanics of venture capital allocation—practical knowledge essential for aspiring investors, analysts, and innovation leaders.
A central strategic objective of the FIRE Venture Fellows program is addressing systemic underrepresentation in venture capital and the broader investment ecosystem. The Hunt Center recognizes persistent gaps in participation and opportunity across gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status lines, and the fellowship is explicitly designed to broaden access to venture capital education for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Through applied learning and experiential exposure, the program aims to foster a more inclusive and equitable regional innovation economy.
Daniel Jones, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at NMSU's Arrowhead Center, will host and lead the 2026 cohort. Jones brings substantial practitioner credentials—an NMSU graduate with over 20 years of experience as an early- and growth-stage software entrepreneur and operator, positioning him to deliver credible, actionable instruction on startup dynamics and investment evaluation.
Interested applicants can contact Carlos Murguia at [email protected] for additional information or to express interest in the fellowship.
The program will operate over a 12-week period running from February 24 through May 19, 2026, with instruction delivered in weekly Tuesday sessions. Participants gain hands-on experience in how early-stage investment decisions are made, how startups are evaluated, and the mechanics of venture capital allocation—practical knowledge essential for aspiring investors, analysts, and innovation leaders.
A central strategic objective of the FIRE Venture Fellows program is addressing systemic underrepresentation in venture capital and the broader investment ecosystem. The Hunt Center recognizes persistent gaps in participation and opportunity across gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status lines, and the fellowship is explicitly designed to broaden access to venture capital education for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Through applied learning and experiential exposure, the program aims to foster a more inclusive and equitable regional innovation economy.
Daniel Jones, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at NMSU's Arrowhead Center, will host and lead the 2026 cohort. Jones brings substantial practitioner credentials—an NMSU graduate with over 20 years of experience as an early- and growth-stage software entrepreneur and operator, positioning him to deliver credible, actionable instruction on startup dynamics and investment evaluation.
Interested applicants can contact Carlos Murguia at [email protected] for additional information or to express interest in the fellowship.
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