Inaugural Lobo Venture Capital Cup showcases student innovation and investment skills

The first-ever Lobo Venture Capital Cup concluded with a ceremony awarding up to $36,000 in total to top-performing student teams. The recent six-week competition provided students with the opportunity to experience both sides of the startup funding ecosystem: building companies and investing in them.

The competition kicked off with registration in late February. Students formed teams based on their decision to participate as startup founders or venture capitalists (VC). Throughout the program, students worked closely with mentors - community leaders and industry professionals - who guided them in developing investment approaches and startup strategies. The mentors also acted as limited partners (LP) in the process. From there, teams on both sides prepared for pitch day by refining ideas and building plans.

On pitch day, startup founders presented their ideas to the VC teams, showcasing polished business models and pitch decks. The funding they secured from student investors ultimately determined their prize money.

On the investment side, VC teams pitched to the mentors to secure fund allocations, evaluated startup presentations, and made strategic investment decisions. The top three VC teams were awarded cash prizes based on the strength of their investment strategies and execution.

The competition was created and organized by Anderson undergraduate student Andoni Gajjo.

"I loved seeing students from different majors coming together and building an idea with each person providing their own perspective. We ended up with so many different ideas that it was really astonishing to see," said Andoni.

Andoni approached Rob DelCampo, senior executive director of Corporate and Community Engagement (CCE), about the competition, and he fully supported the idea.

"This competition empowers students to move beyond theory, develop critical skills like problem-solving and teamwork, and see themselves as capable contributors to real change," said Rob DelCampo.

Six teams were recognized at the award ceremony for their startup pitches and investment strategies. Funding for the competition was made possible through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The startup, Queue Skin, created by Rick Garcia and Loryn Montoya, received the most funding with $4,700 for its innovative concept and strong pitch performance.

"I chose to participate as a startup team because I had an idea for a company and also wanted to try something completely out of my comfort zone," said Loryn, a third-year biology major. Loryn heard about the competition through Rick, and they decided to participate as a team.

"I have been wanting to do a pitch competition since fall 2025; however, up until now, I found the barrier to entry quite intimidating. The Lobo VC Cup showed me that the UNM and Albuquerque entrepreneurship community is very inviting, supportive, and motivating," said Rick, a third-year computer engineering major.

G Ventures - Rocky Guerrero and Breanna Gutierrez - earned first place in the venture capital track, winning $10,000. Their team stood out for its investment analysis, market insight, and strategic vision.

"My biggest takeaway from this competition was to put myself out there more. I competed with no prior knowledge about the VC world, but after the tournament, I walked away with an extensive amount of knowledge," said Breanna, who is pursuing a dual degree in statistics and economics, with minors in computer science and management.

Rocky, an Anderson student pursuing a dual concentration in marketing and finance, initially signed up for the startup track but later transitioned to the venture capital side after learning more about the competition.

"The most rewarding aspect of the competition was the networking. I got to meet a lot of people through the event including some of the mentors on the VC side," said Rocky.

Looking ahead, Andoni hopes to see the competition grow and evolve in the coming years. As he prepares to graduate, he plans to remain involved in a new capacity and continue supporting future participants. Organizers are also exploring ways to integrate the competition into a course structure, giving students dedicated time to develop their ideas. The course would be optional, ensuring that students not enrolled can still participate in the competition.