A Taos-based startup focused on workforce support in outdoor recreation and a Denver telecommunications company modernizing legacy phone infrastructure each won $10,000 at CNM Ingenuity’s annual Ski Lift Pitch, an investor-facing competition staged at Taos Ski Valley.

The event, held on Tuesday and now in its 12th year, brought together 10 startups split across two categories—New Mexico-based and out-of-state firms. Organizers added, for the first time, a second $10,000 award for non-New Mexico companies, widening the contest beyond its in-state roots.

What the companies do, and what the money supports

Guide Theory, founded by Sasha Clonts, is working to improve how the outdoor recreation industry supports its workers. Clonts said the prize money will help pay for a rebranding effort. She also said the event’s unique setting made it easier to share her story than a typical stage presentation. “Honestly, I felt more comfortable pitching on the ski lift than on the stage,” she said.

Clonts also said the event’s format, in which founders spend time with investors and guests before pitching, helped her test ideas and refine her message.

SouthLight Services, started by Tina Telson, wants to replace old copper phone lines with new cellular-powered systems. Telson, who previously worked in communications and sales at Lumen Technologies, launched SouthLight in June 2024 after seeing an opportunity to modernize older telecom systems.

Telson said that while the $10,000 prize is helpful, the real value comes from meeting new people and finding business opportunities. “The prize money is gravy for us,” she said. She added that the money will help the company go to an upcoming trade show.

A pitch competition designed around relationship-building

Ski Lift Pitch is designed so founders spend time with investors and industry guests on the chairlift and slopes before giving their formal presentations. Organizers say this setup leads to more open conversations than a typical conference room and helps founders fit in and explain their ideas early on.

This year’s final round included two New Mexico companies, Guide Theory and ChainWeave, and two out-of-state companies, SouthLight Services and Botco.ai. The pitches took place inside the Martini Tree Bar at the resort base. Guide Theory won the in-state award, and SouthLight won the new out-of-state prize.

Signals for New Mexico’s startup pipeline

State officials and sponsors positioned the event as a sign of growth for early-stage companies in both technology and the outdoor economy. Karina Armijo, director of the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division and a judge, said the competition shows “the powerful intersection of innovation and the outdoors.” She also said the group of startups is proof of a growing business community in the state.

For founders, the competition offers a mix of small, non-dilutive funding and focused time with investors, which is especially valuable as fundraising stays competitive for many new startups. The new out-of-state prize also shows the event is trying to attract more investors and raise its profile, while still keeping New Mexico companies as the main focus.