The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship, housed at New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center, is now accepting applications for the 2026 cohort of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Economy Venture Fellows program, a competitive fellowship designed to train university students in venture capital and early-stage investing.
The FIRE Venture Fellows program offers undergraduate and graduate students from across the Borderplex region the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in venture capital, startup evaluation, and investment decision-making. The 2026 fellowship will run from February 24 through May 19, 2026, with weekly sessions held on Tuesdays.
The fellowship is designed to strengthen the regional startup ecosystem by preparing the next generation of investors, analysts, and innovation leaders. Through applied learning, mentorship, and real-world exposure, FIRE Venture Fellows gain insight into how early-stage investment decisions are made and how startups are evaluated.
A core focus of the FIRE Venture Fellows program is expanding access to venture capital education for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Persistent gaps in representation across gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status continue to shape participation in the investment landscape. By providing structured training and experiential learning opportunities, the program seeks to foster a more inclusive and equitable innovation economy in the Borderplex region.
The 2026 FIRE Venture Fellows program will be hosted by Daniel Jones, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Arrowhead Center. Jones is an NMSU graduate with more than 20 years of experience as an early- and growth-stage software entrepreneur and operator. He has built and scaled multiple venture capital–backed technology companies, leading to several successful exits. His experience spans healthcare technology, cybersecurity, and data platforms, and includes leadership roles as a founder and CEO, venture advisor, and consultant to innovation and venture initiatives.
FIRE Venture Fellows participate in a one-semester training and apprenticeship experience covering topics such as entrepreneurial ecosystems, startup idea generation, angel investing, venture capital fund structures, due diligence, investment memos, term sheets, capitalization tables, and investment committee simulations. The program culminates with advanced investment committee simulations and career-focused sessions highlighting venture capital career paths and internship opportunities.
Participants who successfully complete the fellowship will be eligible for paid internship opportunities with venture capital funds, startups, and innovation-focused organizations, subject to availability and performance. In addition, fellows will receive a stipend to support their participation in the program.
The FIRE Venture Fellows program is open to undergraduate and graduate students from New Mexico State University, The University of Texas at El Paso, and other institutions across the Borderplex region. Students from a wide range of academic disciplines are encouraged to apply.
"FIRE Venture Fellows is designed to connect students directly to the realities of venture capital and startup investing," said Carlos Murguia, director of the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship. "By combining structured training, applied investment work, and access to internship opportunities, the program equips students with practical skills and professional exposure that can accelerate their careers in innovation, finance, and entrepreneurship."
The application deadline for the 2026 FIRE Venture Fellows cohort is February 20, 2026. Students can apply online at https://tinyurl.com/FIREFellows.
For more information about the FIRE Venture Fellows program, contact Murguia at
The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/hunt-center-at-nmsu-opens-applications-for-2026-fire-venture-fellows-program/s/43ce1785-e70e-41f1-bdff-0ddada8e2b0a
