Community, Diversity and the Growth of New Mexico as a Tech Hub

Hi. This is Paul Zalazar, and welcome to the Awarepreneurs podcast. On this show, we dive deep into wisdom from some of the world's leading social entrepreneurs. Our goal is to help you increase your positive impact, your profitability, and your quality of life. Before we get into today's topic, I have one request. Please hit that subscribe button on whatever platform you're listening on. It helps more people learn how to have positive impact through a values based business. Thank you so much.

Today, I'm thrilled to introduce you to my friend and colleague, Vicky Apodaca, and our title is community, diversity, and the growth of New Mexico as a tech hub. Vicky Apodaca is a seasoned entrepreneur and a start up strategist with a track record of success in the tech world. She was a founding member of several start ups, including StellarFi, Joust, and Softly, and has been through two successful exits. Joust was acquired by ZenBusiness and Starship HSA by Optum. Vicky specializes in go to market strategy and data driven marketing, helping precede and seed stage companies scale and amplify their products. She's also a passionate advocate for mental health and underserved communities As a chapter director and cofounder of Techarilla New Mexico, she's dedicated to empowering Latinx professionals in tech. And side note, the New Mexico Techarilla chapter is the largest one in the country because Vicky is a rock star. When she's not advising startups, Vicky is working on her own projects or spending time with her puppy Gizmo.

Welcome to Awarepreneurs, Vicky.

Thank you. When you when you say it like that, it sounds like I actually know something about something.

Yeah. I know. Right? I thought you we just hang out and, like, eat pizza sometimes, but, actually, you get some stuff done. Right?

Yeah. I mean, I do. I manage it, at least. And the bio actually is missing one key thing. I have another puppy now named Mooney.

Oh, you I okay. Two puppies. I'm sorry.

I need to update my bio.

You totally need to go to LinkedIn. I I stole this off of LinkedIn. So yeah. See, I'm

gonna start Mooney.

My deepest apologies to Mooney. Yes.

Mooney didn't make it. But, yeah, I mean, I you know, try to manage my time in the day. You also I need to update my bio to mention New Mexico climate. We're gonna

get to that too. And I'm planning with Vicky and I are cofounders of that together. We got a bunch of things that, you know, where the buyer just to give them an idea, Vicky. We have an hour to give them try to fill in some of the things that won't fit in your bio.

Yeah. Sounds great.

So to start with Vicky, a question for you. There's a a term here in New Mexico called the boomerang story. Right? So you grew up in New Mexico. You headed off to Austin and then went to Scandinavia, did cool start up stuff there, and you came back to New Mexico. It's known as a boomerang story. Why did you come back and why did you leave?

Yeah. I mean, I I got my bachelor's degree at UNM Albuquerque, born and raised UNM. I went to Anderson School of Management, great management school, honestly. And I was on the lottery program, which a lot of us at the you know, even today can take advantage of it. At the time, it was a % tuition. We had the bridge, which is a little scholarship your first semester, but then after that, it was free, and it's like I went to my parents actually sent me to private school for for high school because in New Mexico, they were like, that's the only way you're gonna get into college is if if you, you know so they actually spent my college fund for my high school, and it really did prepare me, but it was really hard to to not take advantage of that lottery system. So I think New Mexico, we're just such a special place where there is access to education. I I talk to people in other states, and they just don't have that.

So I stayed here for college, got my business degree, cons did a did a concentration in marketing management. But then when I graduated, although the UNM system had this great opportunity for the lottery program, when I graduated, I was like, okay. Now what? Or I should say before I graduated, I started looking into it. And, you know, I had a vision, as a lot of young people do, that I wanted something corporate. I wanted to be big business. You know? I, I watched Gossip Girl and I was like, let's go to New York and let's do all these things, you know? And, that was kind of the vision I had for several years while in college. However, my second to last semester, I studied abroad in Australia. And I was like, this place is amazing.

So when I graduated, I went back to Australia. And I did some work out there, worked, for a marketing agency for a little bit for some really British guys. People ask, what does that mean, really British guy? I mean, they drink their tea, tea, their afternoon tea, and their crumpets. So, you know, worked in that environment. Ended up coming back home for a little bit, but I had the bug. I had the travel bug. And so ended up traveling and working overseas again in Warsaw, Poland, and I actually taught English to business people for a little bit. Just just six months.

It was my way to get into Europe. I wanted to live in Europe for a bit, and that was really cool. It was interesting teaching these old guys English and these terms in the business language and the business world, and they wanted to improve. But what really was instrumental for me is when I moved to Copenhagen, and I kind of fell into startups. I didn't necessarily I really admire these people today that I meet, you know, like, at this EID program, this entrepreneurs and development program we saw last week, presentations. I'm like, wow. They're in college, and they know they wanna be entrepreneurs. I wasn't like that.

The reason why I became an entrepreneur, at least in the startup world, is kind of I've like I said, I fell into it. I needed a visa. And how was I gonna get a visa? I was applying for companies. Admittedly, the reason why I was going to Copenhagen is my boyfriend lives there, my ex boyfriend, at the time, and I was like, I need to get to Copenhagen. And so I was applying for jobs. I just couldn't get anything. The startup reached out to me. It was two founders and one person who was in a leadership marketing role, and I was more junior, and I was only, like, twenty twenty three or something at the time and 24.

And they said we need a we want an American. We want someone to write our English copywriting. We want someone who knows the American culture. We wanna sell in America. And I was like, this is interesting. So I was sponsored me as an entry level employee, and I was that was my first founding member. It's actually pronounced soap Soply. But, again, it's a European company, so, you know, whatever.

It's looks like Soply. We got that all the time. And it was a marketplace platform for creatives, sorta like a fiber, but, like, very portfolio advanced. And, we were actually in a 50 plus countries at some point. I was doing SEO strategy and copywriting and just the grunt of the grunt. And it's just this weird like, I had the travel bug. I ended up getting this entrepreneur bug where I was like, I guess I am a masochist because I love just overworking myself. So, yeah, so I was

That doesn't seem to change. No. No. No. Theme through your life, Vicky.

Yeah. I know. And, you know, as a woman led startup, woman of color, I really admire that. She was Danish, but she had a British accent, which was hilarious. But just a great person. To this day, I admire her. If I ever go back to Copenhagen, I try to see her and everything. And that company then I also saw the trials and tribulations of being a founding member.

You know? We grew to, like, I think, seven people, and we were raising our series a, and we just could not close. And so we died. And I remember a very dramatic, sad phone call of saying, we can't keep you as a sponsor. We can't pay for you and everything. So I moved back to America and ended up being like, hey. I love entrepreneurship. Let me keep doing it. So then I just went role after role.

Some of it was consulting. Most of it was founding, but now I'm on my fourth founding thing and thanks. My fourth founding position at a company. I don't know. I just love it. I love wearing many hats. I like to say I'm a CMO, COO, whatever the hell sorry. Words.

Whatever you wanna call me.

You can you can swear here. We're not gonna

have any of you guys.

We we have grown up listeners. Yes.

Great. My dad was a Navy sailor, so I sorry.

No. Apology not accepted. So so you did all that, and eventually you wound up now you're in Albuquerque. We're gonna talk about all this stuff. You have a house and a boyfriend and two dogs. Like, why'd you come back here?

Sorry. I never answered your question. Hopefully, it fits the narrative. Yes. So I when I came back to America, I did my MBA. I did my MBA during COVID and I moved to Austin, Texas. That was like my tech hub exposure in America. Copenhagen actually is a tech hub in Europe.

They have a lot of tech startups and and a lot, so it was a really thriving community out there too. Anyways, I lived in Austin about three and a half years, experienced COVID in Austin. And I I I'm a person I I work in fintech primarily. I have a lot of financial goals personally, and one of my financial goals was buy a house before I turned 30, and that was still a goal of mine. And, dang, Austin's expensive. And I realized I love Austin, but I don't love it enough to be to be house poor, So I didn't wanna do that, and so I started I a lot of Birkenos would tell you this. I never thought I'd move back. And I started looking.

And Turns out housing in Albuquerque is a little cheaper than housing in Austin, would you say?

I would say, like, half. And, you know I

might even say a third. I think it's a third.

It might even be a third today. And, really, I came again, just stumbled into coming back here. I sound like I don't plan things in life. I really do, but it just kinda ended up that way. And I came back, and Albuquerque's home. My my family's all here. I'm the weird sheep in the family that left for so long and came back. There's a lot of people.

My family's Hispanic heritage, Mexican American heritage. They're very family oriented. Keep it close. Keep it tight. Your grandparents are someone you're with all the time kind of thing, and I I was just kind of a weird one that I went away, but I appreciate I think I learned so much, and I came back and and I love it. But I also felt I I guess, like, when I'm when I'm bored, I have an uncomfortability, and I was like, I need to do something else. And so I had asked Taqueria in Austin if they had a chapter in New Mexico. They said no.

And if somebody didn't know what Techqueria is

Techqueria is a Latinos and Tech nonprofit, and it's nationwide in New Mexico. We didn't have a chapter. There's 22 chapters nationwide. So when I asked them if we have Techqueria as a chapter in New Mexico, they said no. And I said, okay. Well, I can start it because I can start things. And so I did. And I had met virtually David Tenorio, who is the one of the other chapter directors on Slack, on the TechEdia National Slack, we met up for a coffee, and then that was our only time really meeting.

And then I said, hey. I'm gonna start a chapter. Do you wanna start it with me? And he said, sure. So that's where that came from.

And, again, now if I understand correctly, 1,500 members, one of the most successful or the most the largest chapter in The US. Is that what I'm understanding?

Yeah. Our list serves about 1,500. When we measure success, I would say, for us, we've raised the most money of any chapter. I've I've personally fundraised a lot. Josh, who we Joshua Rivera, who we brought on midyear last year, he helped me raise a little bit through his contacts as well. He's He's very well connected in the tech scene out here. He's been a software developer for for over a decade and everything. So in that measure, we're successful.

We have a big lift serve. We also hosted a large event last year. So, yeah, we we're we're doing well.

And this is on top of you have another startup right now that you're deeply embedded in, and that's not all. We're gonna talk about another new thing you're doing in just a second, but tell us about your startup that you're doing simultaneously or being one of the leaders at TechEdia.

Yeah. So my last startup still in Austin, it's called StellarFi. They went to an a plus round, sort of like a series b almost round, and they were having a shift in business strategy. So I stepped back into an advisory capacity midyear last year, and I was doing full time advising and consulting. I actually I also work under a venture capital firm called Fiat Ventures. They're in the Bay Area. They have a division of advisers called Fiat Growth, and so I was in that. And, they would place me with companies.

They're really great. I love them. The founders of that VC firm are awesome. And they so I caught I I was doing full time advising. And so I I met Ian and Austin Garrett who are brothers, West Point grads, and cofounders of a company called Phalanx. And when they started Phalanx, they were both cybersecurity CISO types of guys. And when they started Phalanx, they they thought it was just gonna be like this enterprise SaaS tool that basically CISO's chief security officers would use. They built that product, and the they realized a big disparity in the target market and what they actually built.

And so they basically had to rebuild what Phalanx was doing. And so they I was matched up with them as an adviser, and I was advising them jeez. I think it was only a couple

of guys'

sessions. And then they're like, we really like you. Can we bring you on fractionally? And I was like, okay. Because I also in my consulting, I was doing fractional CMO work, and so they brought me on fractionally for literally a month. And then they're like, no. We need you. Can you be a founder? Like and I said, I'm in a position now. Yes.

And being in a founding role for many times, I missed it, and I kind of I I personally didn't love just being full time consulting because I kinda like to be in the weeds every day and kinda hustle and just be, you know, part of the squad. And so I I needed that, so it just kind of it was a great match, right time, right place kinda thing. And so when we're rebuilding the product, we're making a direct to consumer product, but really for start up founders. So we are all people who would use our own product. We get it. We're all multi time founders as well as small businesses and sole proprietors. So it is data security. Data security is super hot.

Everyone needs it. Super prominent. And I was in fintech for so long. I also was looking for something different a little bit, so that's also was a great fit in that realm. But ironically or not ironically, I guess you could say our customers are fintechs and health tech and all this stuff. So I've also been in health tech, so I just knew the customer so well, I am am the customer that it was great for me to be CMO and a and a founding role in this company that was building for myself really after, you know, years of doing this.

Awesome. So we'll put links listeners in the show notes. So far, we've got New Mexico lottery program, super cool program in terms of affording education in New Mexico, Via Ventures, and Phalanx. So we'll put all those here and, Tecoria as well. And so as if that's not enough, Vicky, you got bored or just had the idea that New Mexico needed a gathering of a particular flavor, and that gathering is called atomic sixty six. Tell us about that.

Yeah. And, I mean, I I wouldn't take credit that it's all me. Last year, Techadia said Techadia National Organization, and I'm the liaison here in New Mexico from our team. And they said, we need something in Hispanic Heritage Month. And I said, okay. So we were gonna do a happy hour, and then the community needed something bigger, so we made TechFest. And so TechFest was a half day conference last year here in Albuquerque. It was in Nob Hill at Q Station, which is a great coworking space that a lot of us are familiar with locally.

And it was about 02/1950 to 300 people attended. It was a free event. Techity is all about tech accessibility. Me and my position, being a woman of color, a person of color, as well as someone who's worked in mission oriented businesses and start ups, I just believe that everyone needs access to tech. It's just a great industry that any of us could really touch, you know, and the the lift to get into it is not that hard because boot camps, you don't need a college degree. So I wanted that, and the feedback was great. A lot of peep you know, I would say a third to half the people were below the age of 25. And in New Mexico, historically, at events, you don't see that.

And so the response was amazing. People were like, you're you're telling these students and these younger people that this is something they can break into. Like, we need people in the industry to tell them this, not just school, but, like, industry folks to be like, come. Like, we need you. And so I was like, wow. This is great. So then the end of last year, Bryce Kennedy, who's the executive director of Space Valley Foundation, as well as Lindsey Humphreys at the time, was with CNM, CNM Ingenuity, which is, like, their entrepreneur and founder and program, had approached me and were basically like, hey. We wanna do a big event.

We want Tech Fest to be like a two point o and evolve into this bigger event. And this bigger event will be a convergence of many organizations. Because one thing, as you know, Paul, in New Mexico that happens is people work in silos. And it's just why? You know, you you you live in tech hubs, and it doesn't work that way.

And, you know And, listeners, you have to understand, there's only 2,500,000 of us in the entire state. So working in silos, the the silos turn out to be very small and often under resourced. Is that fair to say, Vicky?

Extremely. Yeah. And it's weird to work in silos because, like you said, under resourced, we're all trying to get a piece of the pie of these sponsors and everything. It just doesn't make sense. And I back when I lived in Austin, I did organize a few events that were within South by Southwest, and I've also been to a lot of conferences worldwide and tech conferences worldwide. So I've had a lot of exposure. And so I'm like, well, this could this could work, and we need organizations. So Space Valley Foundation, CNN Imagination, Techeria.

Last year for TechFest, we also had the local Google developer group that's under Google, and it's software people. We co organized last year, so I brought them into the fold. New Mexico Climate brought us, you all. I almost said you all, but us into the fold and New Mexico Startup Factory. Wow. I made a post today, actually. I think there's something like 10 plus organizations at

this point. It's so great. Yeah. And they just keep having more and more folks join us. Yeah. So so what is Atomic sixty six?

So the tagline is it is driving innovation and opportunity in New Mexico, and it is really a convergence of tech, arts, and culture. So my side of the house, also your side of the house is mostly on the tech side. Right? But tech and innovation. Right? So there is four tracks. There's software and AI. There is tech accessibility, which is basically the track saying anybody and everyone should have access to tech. There's climate and advanced energy, which is the New Mexico Climate leading that one, and then there's entrepreneurship. And then woven into all of these tracks, we obviously are getting diverse founders.

We are getting people who are local to New Mexico. But one thing that's interesting about Atomic sixty six that Tech Fest didn't do is we are also getting people from out of state looking in. And I truly believe in my heart of hearts that New Mexico cannot excel as a state without having people looking at us. And I hate that New Mexico sometimes has this little brother syndrome with Texas and Arizona and Colorado, and we're not gonna be prevalent. We're not gonna stand out. Why? Everybody else is doing it. You know? Like, why not? So we need outsiders looking in. We need people to see New Mexico as a state of opportunity.

We need investors looking in. As an entrepreneur, I know that if you don't have the money, you don't have entrepreneurs. It's a it's a chicken and egg. So we need investors looking in as a state to invest in New Mexico. There's just so much that could benefit through collaboration and having organizations involved and having outsiders involved as well that we normally haven't had involved historically. And I'm not just saying, like, huge corporations involved. I'm saying VC firms. I'm saying startups that are looking to move their company here.

Like because just getting huge corporations also isn't always the best thing because it's not necessarily showing opportunity. Right? Opportunity is Main Street, and opportunity is, you know, converging the two. So that's what we're doing.

Cool. So in a minute, I wanna come back and hear about when it is, why listeners might wanna think about being there. I also wanna hear a little bit more about the tracks and a few other things you're working on that we haven't even gotten to yet. But before we do that, I just wanna take a quick break and hear a word from our sponsor. Are you passionate about making a difference but feeling stuck on how to take your mission driven business to the next level? You don't need a lengthy coaching program. You need targeted advice from someone who understands the unique challenges that social entrepreneurs face. With my strategy session package, we'll focus on your most pressing decisions, whether it's clarifying your value proposition, optimizing your marketing strategy, launching a new product or service, or adjusting your pricing to align with your mission. These sessions are perfect when you know the direction you wanna go, but you need someone with the experience to help you get there.

If you're ready to unlock your potential and amplify your impact, book your strategy session now. The link is in the show notes. So welcome back, everybody. I'm here with my friend, Vicky Apodaca, and we are talking about community diversity and the growth of New Mexico as a tech hub. And right before the break, Vicky, we were talking about Atomic sixty six, this I think, it's cooler, but sort of south by southwest type event here in New Mexico. And my understanding is it's gonna be in June. Is that the right timing? Do we have that correct?

Yes. It is June. As I mentioned, Tech Fest was, like, a half day thing last year. I think it was, like, one to 7PM on a day in October, October.

So so why not five x it in a year. Right?

Yeah. Well, CNM Ingenuity last year held Space Fiesta, and I think that was in June, and it was, like, four to 8PM or something. Yeah. So now that CNM Ingenuity was in the fold, they're essentially making they're essentially bringing Space Fiesta under the Atomic sixty six fold. TechFest is essentially part of Atomic sixty six. Hey. If there's any other organizations or people out there that have their event, I do think it'd be in our best interest as a state that we have things folded in. Why is that? You know? It's because if you are gonna get regional interest, you do want people who have an excuse to travel here.

You know? People aren't gonna travel for a half day thing. They're gonna travel for a multi day thing that they can kinda get a hotel and stay. So it's June. June eleventh is a kickoff party, and then the, twelfth and thirteenth are the tech talks and really the more conference style stuff. As well as I did say there's arts and culture There will be cultural elements. Asano Chamber, we're talking to them. So there's gonna be more. And the reason why is what is New Mexico? New Mexico is tech, arts, culture.

You know? I mean, our state, we just like, I it's back to the thing of, like, why don't we brag about ourselves? You know? We have amazing artists. Like, Santa Fe was once upon a time just a artist, you know, hub where they all travel to Georgia O'Keeffe and, like, these great people. We have film. Like, you know, next Netflix is building studios here, and we have

This is the world headquarters in New Mexico, is Netflix. Yes.

Yeah. I mean, the so we we we want to represent New Mexico best. We want New Mexico to have this brand of we are converging all these things, and this is the place to be. And I did talk to one of the partners who's in the film industry. And one of the companies that I was consultants at at one time was a tech startup, but it was for filmmakers. It was special effects weapons, but it was in in essence a hardware company because they were basically having to simulate things using gases and different things. And so I said, there can be convergence in tech and arts and film and all these things, and that's really what we wanna do best here in New Mexico.

That's so cool. So I was thinking as you were talking, and one of my questions and I wanna hear your take on this, Vicky. But where do you think the Albuquerque tech ecosystem is right now? But I wanna tell a personal story. So one of the ways that you and I know each other is after a little bit of getting going with NM Climb, and I'm like, Vicky, come be a co founder. And you said, yes. Thank you. And you said, hey, Paul. Let's get involved in Atomic sixty six because that's the way you do and your friends and your entrepreneurs.

You you bring all your friends into all your ventures. Right? But we were getting a request to do a day long event through NM Climate. And, you know, some people actually even pointed you mentioned Space Fiesta. People that we need a Climate Fiesta. And and all, like, great. Let's do a Climate Fiesta. And we started talking. And one of the things was this conversation that I think if you went back five years ago, it'd be less likely to bring these things together.

And and as we started talking about a climate fiesta, I was very quickly on board with, hey. We need to do a climate track at atomic sixty six for the exact reason you're talking about. And I think that thinking in Albuquerque is more robust than it used to be. We need to collaborate. We are such a small ecosystem, and we are getting traction and attention in the way you're talking about. But, historically, the idea that Space Fiesta and Climate Fiesta type events would be, you know, also with Google developers and diversity and tech type of event, all with the artists and cool food and, you know, socialization, all that in one event. I'm not sure New Mexico would have known how to hold that five years ago. And and this is exactly what's happening with Atomic sixty six.

So when I thought of that question, where do you think the Albuquerque tech ecosystem is right here, right now? I think Atomic sixty six is sort of modeling like, hey. We're maturing as a startup space, and people see that a rising tide lifts all boats. And really significant players and leadership in a wide variety of sectors are seeing how when we come together and bring our resources and collaborate, there's some very exciting possibilities in a way that we wouldn't have done before. But I also think a lot of other tech hubs, other entrepreneurial hubs, they don't know how to do that collaborate. People talk about it, but I'm not sure I've seen so many sectors come together in this event, Atomic sixty six, even in larger ecosystems. Is that your experience?

Yeah. I mean, I was talking to Bryce today, and we were kinda just you know, we're we're both this is our baby at, you know, at this point. Bryce is

We won't I won't even know how many hours you're into this with you. I I won't embarrass you like that. Yeah. But,

the reason why I bring it up is because as a matter of fact, just today, him and I were talking about talking you know, there's a little bit of old school thinking, new school thinking, and people talk about this, you know, and it's not just New Mexico. I mean, other states, other places have this. People think, oh, New Mexico uniquely is like this. I'm like, honestly, Austin had it. You know? A lot of places have it.

When you say it, you mean that siloing thinking?

The silo thinking, but also, like, the old school thinking of, you know, conferences need to be this way, you know, and new school. You know? And I'm saying there's other places that have it. It's not just us, but, you know, we we get our we'll get ourselves stuck if we think, oh, this is a unique New Mexican thing and blah blah blah. But I was talking to Bryce today, and we're saying that there's some people, some organizations we've talked to you know, we've talked to a lot, and some people have told us, I don't get it. Some individuals, I had someone tell me last night, I don't get it. And I guess a part of me with my mission for over a decade now that I am gonna make you get it. You're gonna get it. Okay?

Is that the question of are you gonna be an early adapter or wish you believed it five years ago? Right?

Exactly. And and sometimes it takes you time. And a lot of people, unfortunately, don't quote, unquote get it until they see it. And so for the people that are like, I don't get it, my response is, okay. Well, if you're not into it now or you're not gonna be bought into it now, that's fine. Like, I respect that. I respect you have your process. You have your journey.

But, also, you're gonna get it. Yeah. And wait until June 11 through thirteenth twenty twenty five in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You're gonna see it.

Come check it out. Yeah.

Come check it out. So, unfortunately, that thinking does exist, but I'm not scared of it. I'm not scared of much, honestly. So people who know me know I'm kind of a I can be tough, but, you know, it's you get a bit hardened after being in a founding role, and you've had things die in front of you and teams yet to fire and, you know, and and eventually, you know, it it is what it is. But I'm still you know, I still have empathy and everything like that, but I do think community is the way to build it. So if you don't get it and you don't wanna be involved, you know, unfortunately, you're just not a part of something amazing, and that's just the fact of the matter today.

That's the way it is. So let's talk a little bit about the tracks. You mentioned there's at least four that I'm counting. What are the tracks again? And give us, like, a sample of some of the programming happening in the tracks.

Yeah. So they're software and AI. That one has been put together by the Google developer group Albuquerque. They also have another group called Software Social Club Albuquerque, and they have biweekly meetups. And one thing that that group does really well is they actually monthly host tech talks. So they bring an expert in every month, and they give a talk. And so they're just great at this. And so they're put together putting that together.

On that track, one of the individuals we've been talking with is Bernina Gray, who has Indigitize, and she's supporting the tribal indigenous people here in New Mexico through software and innovation. And so that's something that we wanted to highlight as well as many other things. Another thing another track is the tech accessibility track. And we have an interesting panel on there of it's called breaking the mold, career shifts into tech. And that's people who didn't work in tech and now work in tech. And one of the individuals, on that panel, he used to work in McDonald's. And he went to boot camp, and now he's a senior software engineer. Like, he was trying to, you know, level up in his career and his income and everything, and he went to boot camp.

And there's several people people I've spoken to personally who never went to college, and they're making 6 figure salaries because they went to boot camp or they did something where now they're in tech. And you just gotta love what you do. And there's also one thing that was successful at Tech Fest last year was a resume speed mentorship. So there's a couple hour block there where people can come, bring their physical or, you know, if they wanna bring their laptop or phone with their resume, and they're gonna get expert advice from recruiters, senior hiring managers, and the tech industry and all that. And it was the lines last year were crazy. This year, I think I'm gonna need more people than last year because this event's supposed to be, like, three x the size of last year's. So but that was amazing. The there's another track that's entrepreneurship.

And, Paul, I know you have some involvement into that

as well. Literally just drafted the agenda today. Yes. Yeah.

And as well as the climate and advanced energy track, which I know you're coleading that with David Perez. So maybe you can take the floor a little bit, and I'll, I'll interview you for a second.

No

worries. But, yes, if you wanna talk through those because I know you've been heavily involved.

Yeah. So, like, for instance, excited. We we haven't confirmed yet, but fingers crossed. A keynote by Meredith Dixon who is working on advanced energies. There's a conference here around advanced energy. Just a huge advocate for New Mexico as an advanced energy hub. So we're hoping she'll say yes to being our keynote, have some great panels for VCs who are investing in the climate space like Ward Hendon, who's from Dangerous Ventures, who's been on this podcast, and Maya Trujillo from Vamos Ventures, who's also been on this podcast. So impact focus, climate focus, VCs, and what's the status of raising funds in 2025? It's not the easiest environment to raise fund.

As a climater, advanced energies founder, funding is down quite a bit in 2020, late '20 '20 '3. We started seeing that trend in 2024 is over a third down compared to 2022 and 2023. So how do you raise money as a climate or clean tech founder? We're gonna have a fun event where there's a reverse pitch. So normally, in entrepreneurs, you know, pitch to raise funding. This is gonna be a talent pitch. So talent you know, once you get some funding, one of the biggest challenges that start up space is getting great talent because how do you create innovation if you don't have really smart engaged people. Right? So that's gonna be super fun as to do put the companies, put the startups at the front of the room and say, here's why you should come work with us because we're doing awesome stuff. So a talent pitch, showcase of clean tech and climate tech companies in New Mexico.

So that's that's some of the that's a coming attraction of our climate track and entrepreneur track. Kind of a wider angle view on what's going on in the New Mexico startup community, similar kind of VC pitch where VCs are talking about the funding that they have. Some of you who are listeners long term know that New Mexico has historic pools of capital because of our permanent fund, and we're gonna be talking about where that capital has, you know, which VCs have been getting allocated that capital to get in the hands of New Mexico entrepreneurs. We wanna do some education about that. What else are we working on? Oh, gosh. Gosh. My brain's tired, but that's a that's a few ideas of what's coming.

It's gonna be amazing, and I'm really happy that we have the means and resources to spotlight on the climate and advanced energy as well as the tech accessibility. You know, a lot of people have been losing their jobs lately or having especially in New Mexico, we are a very government forward state. We have a lot of federal employees here, a lot of state employees.

Oil and gas and federal fund. We are so such a massive part historically of our economy, and we're working to change that and diversify it. That's actually why we have ninety seven years ago. Our leadership was like, hey. We're way too dependent on oil and gas. We need to diversify. Let's start a permanent fund. Ninety seven years to get to the point where we can now have some money to really do some exciting things and diversify our economy.

But that just started in 2024 getting dispersed. So historically, we have a lot of our economy that's federally and, oil and gas. Those two segments are incredibly disproportionate, so we're here to change that.

Yeah. And I think that talent tracks are gonna be instrumental for that as well because people are gonna get exposure to the diversity of of companies and types of products that they can work on and everything. So I'm very happy about that. And and one thing I didn't mention early about Atomic sixty six is it's gonna be hosted across a district in Albuquerque called Knop Hill. And the feedback from the district, which is these are, you know, small business owned restaurants and bars and venues has been amazing. I mean, we've had in kind donation of venue space because people seven venues already. Right? It is. It is.

And, you know, the the donation and the people that are willing to work with us and support us and everything, it's just been amazing. And it's just a testament to the feedback that people are like, this is amazing because it's not only just a tech and arts and culture event. The way I'm seeing it, and maybe this is super visionary, but it's it's supporting economic development. I mean, people are gonna get exposed to this district. People are gonna get exposed to jobs that are available. Students are gonna have access to a local tech conference that they don't need to pay for travel for. You know, people who are low income who wanna break into tech are getting access to something. So it is it is such a mission oriented thing that we are giving people this thing, this event for free, and they're getting access and touch points with experts and people that have been in industry and all.

So I I truly believe in it. I mean, I'm the first woman in my family to go to college, much less one of the only people in my family to have a master's degree. And, you know, a part of that is because New Mexico has a lottery program and because, you know, I also have great parents, but, you know, it's just it's it's not something that I I'm just my dad's a veteran as well, and I know how that culture and that those people think when it comes to having access and some people use the military as a way to access education and, you know, leveling up in their career as well as financial situation. So I'm just I've been in it. I've been in it. So I know that what people need who wanna, you know, climb the ladder of a social economic the social economic ladder, let's call it.

Yeah. So not just Atomic sixty six, but the larger Albuquerque and New Mexico as a Hoviki. Where do you think we are in five years? Due to the hard work of people like yourself and some of the awesome folks we've mentioned on this interview and this kinda historic moment of capital and talent and vision and events like Atomic sixty six and startups getting traction here. Like, you've got a front row seat. Where do you think we are in five years?

I think we're at a point now, especially with the the climate fund, the sovereign wealth fund, and VCs are actively looking at us.

I I'm getting inbound from VCs. Like, who we wanna get money to New Mexico startups. Who should we talk to? Right?

It's amazing. Yeah. And I'm not sure why. I think New Mexico True has been instrumental in getting us some marketing out of state. I mean, when I lived in Austin, I would crack up because I'd see the poster for New Mexico True in the airport all over the place, you know, the digital billboards. And I'm like, oh, New Mexicans advertising. That's great. So So I think it's been it's been an effort across many industries and sectors, but I think as a tech hub and and maybe they know what they're doing because Austin is a tech hub.

You know? Maybe they know. But I think as a tech hub, we are at a pivotable point right now. I think there's a lot of investors and people looking at us finally. I think I think we need to ride that train. I think the train is running and it's our stop, and we needed to hop on and give it a go. And if we don't, you know, what are we doing? But I wouldn't say we're not. I think we are. So in five years, you know, hopefully, Atomic sixty six gives exposure to these communities and organizations.

And maybe some of the older school thinking or people who aren't really sure what is this. I don't get it. I know those people again. But they're like, oh, this is a thing. We're converging communities and organizations and people of all walks of life and people from different steps in that social economic ladder that I was addressing. And I think that's one way to do it. Techeria is Latinos in tech. I'm trying to get people of color, not even just Latino, but Latino allies or people of color allies who are one of

the best blacks in tech yet.

Yeah. Yeah. Too many things.

Way too many things.

Oh, how did we get so involved in things?

I don't know, Vicky.

I don't know. You you were like, this girl this girl can get stuff. But, yeah, I mean, Blacks in Tech, you know, the Black Chamber of Commerce is actually, like, funding this initiative because they believe in it. So Latinos in tech. We have Blacks in Tech. That's our counterpart in that in that sector. And so, you know, we have all these things happening, and there's a lot of movement. And I think I'm a bit of a wrecking ball, but that's okay because sometimes you need a wrecking ball so that you can demo and then renovate.

And I think that's if people hopefully see it as a positive thing, and and I do get a lot of positive response, then that's great. But there's there's gotta be more of me's. I can't do it all. I'm sorry, folks. Like, I'm getting tired. You know? So I I guess my ask from the podcast and anyone listening is if you are in New Mexico or you're looking at New Mexico, like, be a part of it. Be a part of the movement. Bring diversity here.

Bring funding here. Bring your start up here. We have opportunity. There's a low cost of living. I noticed, Paul, you post on LinkedIn sometimes, this apartment in Nob Hill is

I'm doing everything I could think of. Right?

Hundred thousand dollars. Like, all the

I posted a two bedroom condo for a hundred and 30 a hundred and $39.09, right, that you could buy in a in a safe, recently remodeled kitchen. Right? Like, you know, a very livable 900 square foot condo that you could buy for a hundred and $40,000 in Albuquerque. Right?

I will tell you, I looked at almost that identical, you know, floor plan, rent newly renovated in Austin, it was $550,000.

Yeah. Exactly.

So the fact that it's a hundred and $39.99 is insane. So, I mean, I I don't I know some people are like, oh, don't come to New Mexico and blah blah blah. But I there's so much physical area in the state of New Mexico that, you know, it when I lived in Australia, I used to give that metaphor with people. I'm like, Australia is, like, I think only, like, 20% or 30% of the country is actually inhabited. I think that's kinda how New Mexico is.

Yeah. Yeah. It is. Yeah.

And I think there's just so much room to play. The Las Cruces borderplex region is looking for people. Santa Fe, you know, they're not gonna like this that I say it, but, you know, Santa Fe is a great place to live. Okay. You know, Taos in Northern New Mexico, Albuquerque, you know, we we have Albuquerque. We have Los Lunas, Belen, Rio Rancho, and we are just becoming this huge metropolis because those suburbs are now basically connected to Albuquerque. And people are shocked when I'm like, yeah. Like, in Albuquerque surrounding areas, it's over a mill 1,000,000 people.

And they're like, what? I thought no one lived in New Mexico. I thought it was just, you know, coyotes and rabbits. I don't know. There's there's it's

a Roadrunners. They got Roadrunners. Come on.

It's a hub. It's and it's becoming a hub. So yeah. I mean, we we are getting there, and I'm proud of what I can do. I'm happy that I can make a contribution. You know, I got the same Myers Briggs as, Oprah Winfrey. So, you know, maybe I just have that spirit where I'm like, I'm gonna change things. But, I don't wanna go into politics, but maybe I have that, you know, demeanor.

But, you know, what what what little impact I can have, I wanna have, and I'm the community has been positively responding to it. So that tells me that if there's more of me's or more of you's, Paul, the community will be receptive. We just gotta get more people in the movement and into it.

And we're finding each other. Like, I introduced you to somebody this morning, and I don't have her permission to, you know, name her by name, but she reminds me a lot of you. Another get shit done Latina woman who had some big experience in sustainability before she came back to New Mexico. So we're finding each other and doing some amazing things. So, Vicky, we'll put links to everything, especially Atomic sixty six listeners. Go check it out. If you have questions, you wanna be a sponsor, you wanna be a speaker, let us know. There'll be links in the show notes.

Anything, Vicky, as we start to wind down, anything you were hoping we were gonna cover that we haven't touched on yet on all the various things you're doing. I don't even know how you do it all. Or is there something you wanna leave our listeners with about what's happening in New Mexico and where we're going as a tech hub as we start to say goodbye?

Yeah. I mean, Techqueria is my passion project. I love it. I am unpaid. I am a volunteer. It's just how much I love and believe in the mission all of us are that work with Techqueria. We're unpaid. I am unpaid for organizing Atomic sixty six.

Again, we are a volunteer run conference and community, and it's just because we all believe. But I do get payment from my startup. So, I have to plug in my startup. Phalanx is a data security and secure file sending tool. We are building a platform for founders and small business owners, sole proprietors. We are a mission oriented. If you go to phalanx.io/about, you can learn about our mission. Our mission is all about economic development and equity and trying to give everyone access to cybersecurity and data security because it could kill your business if you aren't a secure business and you aren't running things securely.

Especially if you're a lawyer or an accountant or something, you could lose your reputation by having data leaks in your account, your client information. So, please learn about that. All my companies have been mission oriented companies. Several have been public benefit corporations. So it is just my mission to support everybody and support entrepreneurs, really. And that's what I'm very excited about with Phalanx is that we are supporting entrepreneurs to with a free product, really. There is a paid plan for $15 a month, still super affordable if you're an entrepreneur. So I have to give a shameless plug.

I have to Totally have to. We we wanna get you paid, Vicky. You don't have to apologize about that. We're on security. Yeah. Vicky, thank you so much for all you do for New Mexico. It's New Mexico is a better place, and I'm a better person for knowing you. So thanks for all you do.

Thank you. Wow. Tear jerker at the end.

Aw. If somebody wants to get a hold of you, what's the best way to do it?

Find me on LinkedIn, Vikki Apidaka, v I c k I. My real name is Victoria, but I've been Vikki for since I was in third grade. So don't look up Victoria. But all the there might be some things around the web where it's that full name. But, yes, it's Vicky Apodoc on LinkedIn. Feel free to connect with me. I do some startup advising. So if you're looking to start up your business, I do some of the the local stuff like the mentorship.

I also just do advisory nationally internationally, really. I've done some international clients as well. So, I'm happy to support entrepreneurs. It's my mission and and really my personal endeavor to to help everybody. But as well as the failing stuff, you'll see the link

link to our LinkedIn page on my on my page as well as newest climate

and tech. And look at my jobs. They're listed there. But, yeah, LinkedIn's the best place. I'm very prominent on LinkedIn, as are you, Paul.

Vicky, thanks for your time today. I appreciate it so much.

Thank you.

Cool. So listeners, you know what to do. Go check out the links in the show notes. There's a lot of them today, and particularly check out Atomic sixty six. Come play with us. Check out Phalanx, and make sure you're taking care of your data security needs. Like Vicky said, it can be a real problem and really, really harm your brand. We don't wanna do that.

So all that will be in the show notes. As always, we love listeners suggested topics and guests. So if you have an idea, go to the AwarePrender's website. And on our contact page, we have three simple guidelines. Let me hear who you want to be interviewed on the show. This is our show, all of us together. So who should be on the show? Love to hear your thoughts. Lastly, I just wanna say thank you so much for listening.

Please take really good care in these intense times that we're living in, and thank you for all the positive impact that you're working for in our work.