Participants introducing themselves during a roundtable session at the recent ‘Reverse Demo Days’ event at Los Alamos Makers. Courtesy photo
Dr. Prisca Tiasse, second from right, speaks with County officials during the recent visit by Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City to Los Alamos Makers. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos Makers News:
Los Alamos Makers has announced the successful completion of its recent “Reverse Demo Days”, a hands-on, exploratory event designed to introduce creative entrepreneurs to the tools, workflows, and opportunities shaping the future of small-batch manufacturing in Northern New Mexico. The program is supported by the New Mexico Economic Development Creative Industries Division.
In contrast to traditional demo days, this “reverse” format invited participants to first experience the possibilities, engaging directly with digital fabrication technologies, design workflows, and production methods, before refining or even forming their business ideas.
The event welcomed 15 participants from across the region, including Dixon, Española, Cerro, Jemez Pueblo and San Ildefonso Pueblo. Attendees ranged from individuals already operating creative businesses to those exploring entrepreneurship for the first time. Throughout the sessions, participants were inspired by the accessibility and potential of tools such as laser cutting, 3D printing, and digital design to enable locally rooted, scalable production.
Importantly, the sessions did not just spark interest; they generated action. Participants began articulating innovative product ideas and business concepts on the spot, with some expressing interest in pitching their ideas for early-stage or seed funding opportunities. These prospective ventures aim to experiment with new products and move quickly toward producing tangible prototypes, highlighting the program’s role as a catalyst for real economic activity.
“These demo days flipped the script,” Los Alamos Makers Founder Prisca Tiasse explained. “Instead of asking people to come in with a fully formed idea, we showed them what’s possible first. The result was immediate; participants not only connected their creativity to production pathways, but also began envisioning real products and funding pathways to bring them to life.”
The initiative has also attracted attention from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, whose representatives recently visited Los Alamos Makers to gain firsthand insight into emerging models of workforce development and entrepreneurship in smaller communities. Their visit reflects a broader interest in how community-based innovation infrastructure can unlock new economic opportunities and strengthen regional resilience.
Los Alamos Makers’ Creative Workforce Development program continues to demonstrate how integrating design, technology, and entrepreneurship can empower individuals to transition from creative exploration to viable business formation, particularly in regions rich in talent but historically underserved by traditional manufacturing ecosystems.
Call to Action:
Aspiring and established creative entrepreneurs are encouraged to build on this momentum by attending NMED’s CreativeCon, taking place at Buffalo Thunder in Pojoaque, on Saturday, May 30. The event provides valuable opportunities for networking, exposure to creative business resources, and deeper engagement with New Mexico’s growing creative economy. Los Alamos Makers will be represented on one of the panels. More information for this event is available on the following link: NM CreativeCon 2026 – NM Economic Development Department
Local businesses and organizations are also invited to support those regional entrepreneurs through sponsorship opportunities with Los Alamos Makers. Sponsorship enables expanded access to training, prototyping resources, and early-stage support that includes cost of materials, helping turn promising ideas into real products and businesses across Northern New Mexico.
For more information about programs and sponsorship opportunities, visit LosAlamosMakers.org.
Drs Nicholas Sly and Prisca Tiasse during a recent Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City visit to Los Alamos Makers. Courtesy photo
Dr. Prisca Tiasse, second from left, speaks with County officials and members of Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City during a visit to Los Alamos Makers. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Participants engaging with a range of locally fabricated products during the recent ‘Reverse Demo Days’ event at Los Alamos Makers. Courtesy photo