Cleantech Challenge Mexico (CTCM) is the most important competition of green enterprises in Mexico, which on its seventh annual edition continues promoting economic development by means of sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship in matters of clean technology.

CTCM counts on an acceleration open process focused on promoting the commercial scaling and  the development of technical, commercial and business abilities of young and new entrepreneurs; besides, via the linkage with different national and international actors, CTCM functions as a platform for the strengthening of enterprises that generate clean technology.

Among its objectives stand out creating, strengthening and financing technological innovation enterprises, as well as protecting, licensing and commercialising Mexican clean technology, with the purpose of offering a productive alternative to reach the country’s sustainable prosperity.

The 2016 edition of CTCM includes two categories:

• Cleantech Innovation Challenge: intended for projects in early stages, generating prototypes and still without commercializing their technologies.
• Cleantech Startups Challenge: may participate startups that have being invoicing for at least a year; the best projects of the abovementioned category will incorporate to this one.

Additionally and for the first time, within the framework of a last phase which will be international, entrepreneurs and former participants from all over the world will be received in order to create networking, so markets can be opened in other parts of the globe, through the Cleantech Global Challenge.

CTCM is distinguished by working in the strengthening of all the selected projects, through multiple benefits, such as networking events and continuous training during five months; meanwhile, semi-finalists receive specialized consultancy and follow-up.

The finalists have the opportunity of winning several prizes, among which are an amount of $250,000 Mexican pesos, postgraduate scholarships, consultancy hours, international stays, and also the opportunity of receiving an inversion by private funds with a co-investment capacity of up to $30 million dollars.

The impact generated by CTCM in the past six years —thanks to which it has been consolidated as a motor of economic development— are:

• 3633 received proposals from all the country.
• 847 projects have gone through our process.
• We have attended 3902 entrepreneurs.
• We helped for the creation of 381 enterprises.
• Approximately five thousand and three hundred jobs have been generated.
• 316 industrial property applications have been supported.

Source: Cleantech Challenge, translated by Belem Ruiz (Edition and Communication, PIT-UAS).