Tech City, an opportunity for Mexican entrepreneurs

Guest blog by Matthew Whiteley*

‘Innovation’ is the buzz word that rattling around business receptions, articles and blogs throughout the UK and the US, as it is innovation – ideas that are turned into goods or services for which people are willing to pay – that will keep the UK and the US economically competitive. But let us look at ’open innovation’, where ideas are shared, and collaboration of ideas is the secret behind successful innovation. Innovation becomes about community and interaction. Tech City and Silicon Valley have only been successful because of these elements of innovation. They are ‘idea’ and ‘technology’ clusters, successful because they are known by the world, connected to the world.

We’ve been making further connections with Tech City in Tijuana and Guadalajara, Mexico, themselves growing technology clusters, were successful businesses and start-ups are nurturing talent and ideas. Needless to say, when talking about Tech City growth, or the thirst for talent and investment in Tech City, the entrepreneurs of Tijuana and Guadalajara get it. They too are thirsty to be connected to talent and those willing to invest, and to themselves invest. In fact, they are very interested to be more deeply connected with the UK.

So now, next stages are to work with the technology clusters in Tijuana and Guadalajara to manage a web of relationship building between the idea people in Tech City and their respective cities. With these relationships we will see trade and inward investment, but perhaps more importantly, we will see exciting innovation.

* Vice Consul and Trade & Investment Officer: Tech City and ICT