MIT REAP LAUNCHES CUSTOM PROGRAM FOR COHORT OF MEXICAN LEADERS

In third cohort of prestigious global initiative's Focus Program, group of teams representing one country will learn MIT models for accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship in their regions.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (MIT REAP) announced the launch of Focus: Mexico, a custom 18-month program which includes teams of participants from the following regions:

• Chihuahua
• Guadalajara
• Guanajuato
• Mexico City
• Queretaro

MIT REAP Focus: Mexico teams will participate in an enhanced program tailored to accelerate innovation-driven entrepreneurship (IDE) in their  innovation ecosystems by providing opportunities to collaborate within their cohort and with MIT faculty and global alumni. . The formation of the Mexico cohort was led by MIT REAP Global program alumni Team Monterrey (Cohort 6), whose leading university stakeholder, Tecnológico de Monterrey, mobilized the five teams from across the country to participate in the Focus program and bring MIT's targeted IDE ecosystem acceleration model and frameworks to their regions. "We're thrilled to work with these leaders from across the country, and look forward to watching them implement MIT's proven frameworks and tools to strengthen their entrepreneurial communities," said Travis Hunter, Director of MIT REAP.

MIT REAP engages with communities around the world to supercharge IDE ecosystems and transform economies via its groundbreaking flagship program, MIT REAP Global, and now through its Focus program. The programs employ an evidence-based "team" approach, translating MIT research and insights into practical action. The strategic frameworks that underpin the program require the key stakeholders of a region to come together and drive meaningful, long-term economic and social change. MIT REAP rests on a multistakeholder model??participating teams include leaders from five key groups of actors in innovation ecosystems: government, university, corporate, risk capital, and entrepreneurs.

"As the faculty director of this MIT REAP Focus Program, I look forward to working with these regions of Mexico to help create a vision for the future and actionable strategies that will create impact both within their cities and across the country," said Michael Cusumano, Deputy Dean, SMR Distinguished Professor of Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management and Engineering Systems, MIT Sloan School of Management. "Throughout their MIT REAP experience, the teams will be gathering data which is critical for the creation of their strategic goals and informing actions they take within their regions. The program will equip them with powerful frameworks and tools to result in accelerating the region's innovation-driven entrepreneurship."

"Certainly the value provided by MIT REAP to Monterrey's ecosystem is fruitful and outstanding. Trust the process, engage, and commit. This will be of great value to each one of the participating cities," Hugo Garza, Vice President for Strategic Projects at Tecnologico de Monterrey.

Get Involved

MIT REAP, an initiative of MIT Sloan Global Programs, engages with communities around the world to strengthen innovation-driven entrepreneurial (IDE) ecosystems and transform economies. Regions from across the globe are carefully vetted for acceptance to MIT REAP's Global and Focus programs, and must pose a particular "urgency for change" or problem area in their region's overall system that they want to address. The MIT REAP faculty then work with teams to overcome regional challenges that are hindering the growth of their IDE ecosystems by identifying their comparative advantages and the acceleration mechanisms required to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.

For more information on MIT REAP Focus, contact [email protected].

Applications for MIT REAP Global Cohort 10 are now open. Learn more and apply here.

SOURCE MIT Sloan Global Programs