How Mexico is Creating the Next Generation of Tech Entrepreneurs

The last couple of decades have been a game-changer for the technology industry, with an increase of available jobs and vast improvements in industry conditions. Most of these advancements stem from simple ideas that attempt to solve complex problems, through the use of technology and in order to bridge the gap between what was previously thought impossible.

In the last few years, several programs and methodologies aimed at small and large audiences have been tailored, tweaked and implemented in order to make innovation strategies easier to grasp by young technologists. Aspiring designers, developers and entrepreneurs are increasingly finding innovative ways to solve real-world problems, often, through only empathy with the end-user and several thousands lines of code.

54 Hours to Change the World

Enter Startup Weekend, a non-for-profit program now owned by the startup accelerator Techstars, which has grown to become a global phenomenon and takes place in more than 150 countries around the world. Startup Weekend World is a forum where people from technical, creative and business backgrounds come together in a weekend-long event in order to work on solving problems through technology and create market innovations.

There are also mentors and judges who give their time and talent to help these young entrepreneurs find the right business model and come up with the best value add for their product, as they find their way to building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which is presented on the last day of the event as a working prototype, along with their lessons learned throughout the validation process.

The event is organized by a group of volunteers who are focused on helping the tech ecosystem in creating the next rounds of companies that are ready to face the global market with scalable, world-class solutions.

Startup Weekend World Guadalajara

In 2014, the largest instance of Startup Weekend took place in Guadalajara, Mexico, and brought together more than 400 developers, designers and business experts to live the experience of building a startup in a mere 54 hours.

In 2015, the bar was raised with Startup Weekend World, the biggest Startup Weekend to date, with more than 700 participants registered across 8 different verticals or themes. These verticals are closely related with business sectors in Guadalajara that are seeing an increase in growth or represent a market opportunity.

Startup Weekend World’s verticals include: Internet of Things, fashion tech (wearables and e-commerce), drones, social innovation, health and gaming. The event also brings together expert developers as well as winners and finalists of previous events.

Creating and Supporting Innovation

The main challenge for most entrepreneurs, as well as corporation that are looking to create innovation from within, is to find the right combination of features that will solve a real problem, and therefore, provide real value to users and consumers.

iTexico’s product design services exist in order to assist our clients find the right way to fulfill a market or internal need through technology; this is accomplished by meeting the user’s needs, fulfilling the company’s business objectives and creating something that delights and empowers both the users and organizations alike.

iTexico recognizes the importance of nurturing local talent in order to help them to be more successful on the global stage. Hence, we are proud to have been a sponsor of Startup Weekend World Guadalajara (2015) as well as smaller Startup Weeekend events taking place throughout the year and across the region of Jalisco. We are looking forward to helping the next generation of Mexican innovators; whether they be designers, developers or entrepreneurs.

For more information about Startup Weekend, please visit:
startupweekend.org

For more information about Startup Weekend World, please visit:
swworld.co

About The Author

David Sandoval is the Creative Delivery Manager at iTexico, entrepreneur, and UX/UI designer with more than 7 years of experience in web application and mobile app design. He holds a Bachelor in Information Systems and an MBA in Marketing by La Trobe University in Melbourne Australia.