Mexico and Spain Smart Cities - Canadian Technology Accelerator

¡Hola tech entrepreneurs! Are you ready to grow your Smart Cities and Smart Tourism company? Cities in Mexico and Spain are huge buyers of smart technologies and are strategic entry points to Latin America and the European Union. These two markets will need to adapt to the new realities and integrate technologies aimed at helping cities and the tourism sector emerge from the pandemic. This provides opportunities for Canadian companies. The Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) business development program can give you the knowledge and connections you need to enter and succeed in these markets.

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, we are currently offering our CTA programs virtually. In-market program will resume based on advice from public health agencies once travel restrictions are lifted.

Important dates

Who should apply

We are looking for leading-edge Canadian Smart Cities companies active in various sub sectors including:

• mobility
• street lighting and other urban equipment
• advanced and sustainable building, and infrastructure
• crowd monitoring and prevention
• air pollution monitoring
• security and emergency management
• citizen engagement
• tourism

Which have:

• a differentiated and validated technology, product or service
• proven product market fit with a defined target audience and potential for high growth
• the ability to articulate a problem your company is solving
• existing market traction with at least one minimum viable product and evidence of maturity, including revenue, investment or proven track record
• a passionate, strong and committed management team with at least one senior manager who can commit to participating in the entire program
• sufficient resources to target and achieve growth in the Mexican and Spanish markets

The Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) supports equality and diversity in trade. We strongly encourage companies led by Canadians of all backgrounds, identities, and orientations to apply.

What we offer

You will have access to:

• in-depth briefings on doing business in Mexico and Spain to understand the local markets as well as regulatory and import considerations
• targeted business-to-business (B2B) meetings with experts in municipal and regional governments and with private sector players, business chambers and associations
• mentorship and tailored advice on engaging with and pitching to key contacts
• workshop events with like-minded entrepreneurial organizations
• introductions to potential buyers, investors and strategic partners

Program

This 15-week program will offer a hybrid of virtual and in-person support starting September 2021. It is split into four phases beginning with:

• individual introductory meetings with mentors
• preparation for business matchmaking sessions and pitches to Mexican and Spanish contacts
• presentations and briefings including live webinars on:
  • how to do business in Mexico and Spain
  • general opportunities in the smart cities and smart tourism sectors in both markets
  • local partners, distributors and technology integrators in Mexico and Spain

The second phase will see participants refine their market strategy, and virtual sessions organized to assist Canadian firms in orienting their selling pitch.

In the third phase, participants will join in B2B meetings in each market with carefully selected contacts, including potential partners, clients and distributors. During this phase, participants will be showcased at the Smart City Expo Latam Congress (Mexico, October 2021) and the Smart City Expo World Congress (Spain, November 2021). Following the guidelines for COVID-19, we will assess if any in-person attendance is possible.

In the final phase, participants will participate in several sessions in which they will receive information and warm introductions to local organizations and services to enhance the companies' strategy, including:

What you will gain

You will gain:

• a deeper understanding of the commercial opportunities for your technology in the markets
• guidance on entering and navigating both markets
• the opportunity to present to and get noticed by potential buyers, strategic partners, and investors

Contact us

Learn more about the CTA in Mexico and Spain by contacting:

Luis Ernesto Gonzalez
Trade Commissioner, Canadian Technology Accelerator
Trade Commissioner Service
(LuisErnesto.Gonzalez@international.gc.ca)

Yves Belliveau
Trade Commissioner, Transportation
Trade Commissioner Service
(Yves.Belliveau@international.gc.ca)

Nadia Rego
Trade Commissioner, Clean Technologies and Infrastructure
Trade Commissioner Service
(Nadia.Rego@international.gc.ca)

For general inquiries on the CTA program, please contact the CTA Coordination Team.