The EU–LAC Innovation Cooperation initiative brought together incubators, accelerators, policymakers, and ecosystem builders in Mexico City on 20–21 November 2025 for its third networking meeting, reinforcing a growing bridge between Europe and Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC)
The two-day event focused on deepening collaboration, showcasing concrete cross-regional initiatives, and outlining the next steps for scaling innovation across continents.
Senior representatives from the European Commission, the EU Delegation to Mexico, and Mexican national institutions opened the programme, underscoring their shared ambition to foster inclusive, sustainable innovation. With stakeholders spanning the public and private sectors, the gathering highlighted the growing momentum of EU–LAC cooperation in research, entrepreneurship, and technological development.
Collaboration across regions
Through the EU–LAC Innovation Cooperation, participants presented active partnerships and emerging initiatives that demonstrate the practical impact of cross-regional teamwork. Many of these collaborations address global challenges that require coordinated action, including green transition, digitalisation, and capacity building.
A variety of incubators and accelerators illustrated how structured cooperation can accelerate innovation. Incubateur Descartes from France and IMPAQTO from Ecuador highlighted their joint transcontinental Climathon, which connected students and entrepreneurs around climate solutions. InnovX from Romania shared its cybersecurity cooperation with the Centro de Innovación UC in Chile, showing how local hubs can scale their expertise by working together.
SCALE Incubator from Denmark and the Caribbean Centre for Sustainable Livelihoods (COESL) from Barbados presented their shared efforts to help Caribbean SMEs better understand and access EU markets through a dedicated webinar series.
These examples are part of a broader landscape of 46 bilateral partnerships, some active and others in development. Activities range from joint mentoring and investment-readiness training to coordinated press publications, co-hosted events, startup exchanges, and collaborative work on funding opportunities. Many partnerships have already been formalised through Memorandums of Understanding, demonstrating the commitment of organisations on both sides of the Atlantic.
Connecting startups through thematic matches
A prominent feature of the EU–LAC Innovation Cooperation was the Startup Thematic Matches, an activity designed to link startups supported by participating incubators and accelerators with peers and potential partners across the other region. More than 100 startups from 20 organisations are currently involved, collaborating within four key thematic areas: green transition, digital transformation, agriculture and food, and healthcare.
This mechanism is becoming an essential tool for strengthening international networks, enabling founders to explore opportunities such as soft-landing in new markets, participating in pilot projects, or sharing expertise with counterparts facing similar challenges.
Spotlight on Mexico innovation
The event also featured a Meet & Greet session with local Mexican startups, allowing delegates to engage directly with emerging innovators. The showcased companies reflected the diversity and dynamism of Mexico’s startup ecosystem. Natoure presented its sustainable tourism platform connecting travellers with indigenous communities.
Ecobiosis demonstrated its approach to converting hazardous waste into valuable construction materials, while AgriBest shared its biotech-driven solutions tailored to improve crop performance.
These interactions highlighted the strong potential for collaboration with Mexican innovators, whose work closely aligns with shared EU–LAC priorities in sustainability and technological advancement.
Next steps
Participants concluded the meeting with a clear commitment to transforming discussions into concrete results.
Planned next steps include continued matchmaking, new incubation initiatives, pilot collaborations, and ongoing knowledge-sharing activities. By scaling successful approaches and deepening ties between Europe and the LAC region, the EU–LAC Innovation Cooperation initiative aims to build a stronger, more connected innovation ecosystem capable of addressing global challenges together.
