AIT Mexico – Startup & Research Exchange

Example Principle 6: Build long-term partnerships

What was the project about?

The AIT Mexico is an innovation and startup exchange program designed to support researchers from Switzerland and Mexico to become entrepreneurs. Developed under the umbrella of the AIT Startups framework, it promotes the translation of scientific research into practical, market-ready solutions while fostering equitable, long-term networks across academia and industry. Its overarching objectives are to cultivate sustainable partnerships, support the commercialization of research outcomes, and enhance long-term collaboration between Switzerland and emerging innovation ecosystems. The program aligns with Switzerland’s broader science diplomacy and international innovation policy, reinforcing the role of research and entrepreneurship as vehicles for global engagement.

Are there any concrete examples of projects within the programme?

Dr. Erick Garcia Cordero, for example, is a Postdoc at the EPFL and CHUV, where he focuses on diagnostics for preterm birth. Through his startup Rea Diagnostics, he developed the first non-invasive test to monitor the risk of a preterm birth from home. They offer a “smart sanitary pad” that can identify biomarkers that can tell doctors if a pregnant woman is at risk of delivering too soon. In Mexico, he was able to have bilateral meetings with COFEPRIS (the equivalent of the American FDA / Swissmedic) to find out the regulatory requirements and exact process that he has to go through to bring his product to market. This would have been nearly impossible on his own. Additionally, Erick was able to connect with local researchers who are experts on women’s health as well as Hospital Angeles—where he might be able to conduct a clinical trial.

How was the partnership structured?

The AIT Mexico is part of a broader Academia-Industry Training (AIT) Startups initiative, funded by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) through the Swiss Leading Houses.

The AIT Mexico’s governance reflects a deliberately balanced collaboration between Swiss and Mexican institutions. The Swiss Leading House for the Latin American Region at the University of St. Gallen and Mexico’s Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation (SECIHTI)— formerly known as the National Council of Science, Humanities, and Technology (CONAHCYT)— provide the funding, strategic leadership, and content of the program. The joint effort is supported by “Team Switzerland”, which consists of the Embassy of Switzerland in Mexico, the Swiss Business Hub Mexico, and the Swiss-Mexican Chamber of Commerce. Local partners, including the Mexican Secretariat of the Economy, the Tecnológico de Monterrey, the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), assist with implementation through workshops, event hosting, mentoring, and ecosystem engagement. This multilayered partnership model embodies mutual trust and shared ownership, key enablers of sustained bilateral cooperation.

Since when did the partnership exist?

Launched in 2021 by the Swiss Leading House for the Latin American Region, the AIT Mexico has successfully completed three editions, notably in 2021, 2023, and 2024, each deepening bilateral engagement and consolidating the program’s reputation as a replicable model of cross-border innovation collaboration. A smaller Startup & Innovation Exchange was delivered in 2025, and a 4th edition of the AIT Mexico is scheduled for 2026. These iterations demonstrate the feasibility and continuity of lasting bilateral, trust-based partnerships within international science and innovation initiatives.

What concrete steps did you take to build long-term partnerships?

Institutional trust is cultivated by embedding the initiative within formal bilateral frameworks and governmental institutions, ensuring transparency, accountability, and shared ownership between Switzerland and Mexico. Personal trust develops through reciprocal immersion, as organizers and participants experience both ecosystems, co-create projects, and establish peer-to-peer relationships grounded in mutual respect and understanding. COncrete: At the beginning of each cycle, we meet with SECIHTI to identify the project’s goals, challenges, and new direction. This is an important conversation where everything is taken into consideration (what has worked, what has failed, what are our dreams and fears). The key is to be completely transparent and open to new input, and to listen, listen, listen!

In each edition, we start from zero and reassess the program’s focus and aims anew. This is because the teams or Heads of departments sometimes change, or the local government has identified new objectives. Hence, it is important to see the program with a fresh approach and to be ready to pivot in the right direction. Here, the key is to listen and to sincerely respect the other side’s needs. Only then can we adapt and put into practice what is good for both Mexico and Switzerland. We have been able to adapt the program to survive institutional changes as well as new presidential cabinets only because we can always assure our Mexican counterparts that we will listen and be open to new inputs.

Continuity is ensured through the AIT Startups Alumni Network, which connects past participants as mentors, jury members, and collaborators, facilitating ongoing exchanges and follow-up projects. Joint governance mechanisms reinforce equity and reciprocity, with both sides contributing to funding, decision-making, and program design. The result is an enduring ecosystem of trust and collaboration that extends across institutions, sectors, and program cycles.

Effective implementation depends on broad, coordinated stakeholder engagement. Strategic leadership is shared by the Swiss Leading House for the Latin American Region and SECIHTI, who are responsible for the co-creation of the concept and content of the programs as well as the shared logistical coordination and follow-up activities. Local stakeholders such as embassies, government agencies, universities, and industry experts provide methodological support, mentorship, and access to local talent. This inclusive approach strengthens credibility, promotes ownership, and ensures that results are practical, context-responsive, and sustainable.

What specific methods, tools, or processes were employed?

The dual-camp model provides reciprocal immersion and exposure to both innovation systems, enhancing cultural understanding and entrepreneurial adaptability. Expert mentorship offers individualized support during and after the program, ensuring continuity of learning and engagement. For instance, the Mexican participants arrive in Switzerland, and already that same evening, we have an informal dinner with the Swiss participants so that the cohort can meet in person. For that whole week, Swiss and Mexican participants will stay in the same hotels in shared accommodation (two participants per room). The group is together the entire week. For the Swiss camp, we normally visit two cities and two universities. For example, we can begin at the University of St.Gallen and then go to the University of Bern. Or, begin in Lausanne at the EPFL and then finish at the ETH in Zürich. It is different each time because we take the participants’ needs into consideration. If we have a lot of MedTech and BioTech, then we take them to Basel. During the training, we include workshops such as “How to do Business in Switzerland” and “Switzerland’s Innovation Ecosystem”. In addition to visiting universities, we normally also go to the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property and visit other accelerators bigger than us (MassChallenge, ETH Pioneer Fellows, BlueLion, etc.). Culturally, we include a Fondue Night in winter and guided visits to the Old Towns. In other words, we try to give as much of a Swiss experience to our Mexican participants as possible. When we are in Mexico, we try to visit as many universities as possible, incorporate local cuisine, and try to give as much of a Mexican experience to our Swiss participants as possible both in the content of the program and in the extra-curricular activities.

Concerning the mentorships, we do online training before and after the physical camps so that they are better prepared to travel to Switzerland and Mexico in both a practical sense and a business aspect for their startup.

What factors help to establish long-term partnerships?

The sustained success of the AIT Mexico results from the interaction of several key factors. One important factor is our post-program support mechanisms, including access to follow-up activities and coaching, help participants continue developing their innovations, embedding sustainability into the program’s lifecycle. Once the official program is over, participants become part of the AIT Alumni Network. We continue to invite them to events in Switzerland and Mexico and include them in future editions as Jury Members, mentors, and speakers. They attend many of our events and stay connected with us and each other. Importantly, many of our Swiss participants create partnerships with their Mexican counterparts that are long-lasting. On several occasions, our AIT Mexico alumni have designed academic projects and applied to our Leading House’s Research Partnership Grants. We always try to give our participants further opportunities by connecting them to bigger accelerators and funding mechanisms.

Did you encounter any challenges regarding strengthening long-term partnerships? How were they resolved?

While the initiative has achieved significant impact, it has also navigated challenges that have strengthened its design and governance. Intercultural differences and communication barriers were identified early on and addressed through dedicated intercultural training modules and facilitation workshops such as “How to do Business in Mexico” and a mapping of the Swiss innovation ecosystem, which improved mutual understanding and collaboration. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the in-person activities of the first edition and required the development of a hybrid model combining online mentoring with limited on-site engagement. Differences in market maturity between Switzerland and Mexico were addressed through curriculum adaptation and mixed Swiss–Mexican working groups, ensuring balanced learning and relevance. Administrative complexity, inherent in managing multi-institutional partnerships, was streamlined through knowledge management and clearly defined governance procedures between the Swiss Leading House for the Latin American Region and SECIHTI.

On a meta level, the lessons learned highlight the importance of adaptive management, continuous dialogue, and consistent monitoring, particularly during the change of government or the election of a new President in Mexico. On a micro level, the implementation of structured post-program follow-up phases has proven valuable in maintaining engagement through mentoring and access to local opportunities. Linking alumni to venture capital networks and coaching programs further enhances scaling potential. Expanding sectoral and regional participation, alongside the adoption of standardized impact indicators—such as startup acceleration, patents, and scalability success—will continue to strengthen the program’s evaluation and sustainability.