Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) has disclosed that CNM Ingenuity, in partnership with Platinum Sponsor New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Department, is preparing for the ninth-annual Ski Lift Pitch. This event offers a distinctive platform where startups and investors can connect.

As participants ascend on the main chairlift, founders present their business ideas to investors who assess these pitches. The group then skis down the slopes together, repeating this process three more times. According to a press release by CNM, the top three startups from the skiing round subsequently present their pitches to a wider panel of judges and investors. The first-place winner is awarded a $10,000 cash prize.

"This year's Ski Lift Pitch is set to be our biggest one yet," says T.J. Cook, a member of the event’s organizing committee and Fund Manager for the Ingenuity Venture Fund, according to a press release by CNM. "We have more judges and six new venture funds participating, in addition to the venture capital firms that have come every year. We’re thrilled that Ski Lift Pitch has become an annual event for the startup ecosystem in New Mexico, and we’re excited to host the event for the ninth year."

Cook also adds that "all of the components of Ski Lift Pitch really come together to create something great," according to another press release by CNM. "The investors love to ski, and founders are always working on improving and expanding their businesses. At this event, both groups get a chance to spend the day in the beautiful scenery of the Taos Ski Valley but still be working towards the common goal of investing in New Mexico."

The New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Department aims at making significant contributions towards economic development, conservation, equity, education, and public health. According to its About webpage, it collaborates with businesses, nonprofits as well as state and federal partners in New Mexico.