LANL NM LEEP selects fifth cohort of three AI and quantum-focused startups

Los Alamos National Laboratory’s New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program has awarded three two-year fellowships in its fifth cohort, placing Bandelier Technologies, Atolla Tech and Firescape Inc. into close collaboration with LANL researchers beginning in January 2026. The cohort focuses on quantum radar and sensing, drone-based crop insect detection, and AI-driven wildfire risk and mitigation.

Stephen Buchanan of Bandelier Technologies joins NM LEEP with a project described as “Quantum Radar and Sensing with No Quantum Memory Required,” mapped by LANL staff to quantum radar antennae and advanced quantum detection capabilities. Sonia Dagan, PhD of Atolla Tech brings “Smart sensing for the next generation of drone defense,” a drone sensing application LANL frames as detecting helpful and harmful insects in crops to bolster food security. Holly Eagleston of Firescape Inc. will work on an “AI-Driven Wildfire Risk & Mitigation Platform” aimed at protecting critical infrastructure from wildfire, another priority identified by the laboratory.

“From protecting critical infrastructure from wildfire to advancing quantum detection capabilities, Cohort 5’s technologies directly support our national security mission,” said Molly Cernicek, program manager for NM LEEP. “We look forward to helping them advance these technologies where they are needed most.” LANL announced the selections in a lab news release dated January 21, 2026 and the program’s LinkedIn post by Molly Cernicek listed the three fellows and their short descriptors while noting founders will work alongside national lab researchers and receive tailored business training and mentorship.

NM LEEP described this application cycle as “one of the most competitive yet,” with proposals submitted from across New Mexico and beyond on topics including national security, artificial intelligence, energy resilience, space systems and advanced biotech. Fellows in the program are matched with seed capital, a network of mentors, customers and investors, and in-lab technical collaboration designed to refine prototypes, validate technologies and build market-entry strategies over the fellowship’s two-year term.

A local profile of the cohort appeared in the Albuquerque Journal on February 23, 2026 and highlighted the three entrepreneurs; LANL and the NM LEEP LinkedIn page, which displayed 980 followers at the time of the announcement, carry the program’s detailed descriptions. One republication of the LANL release contained a typographical error listing a January 2025 start; LANL’s January 2026 timing is reflected in the lab’s official announcement and is the authoritative timeline unless the laboratory provides an update.

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