Knowledge-based Start-ups in Mexico
Over the last decade Mexico has implemented a variety of policies to support business innovation. Support instruments have included direct subsidies to firms in the framework of competitive calls and R&D tax credit schemes. Specific policies have aimed at supporting public-private partnerships and technological collaboration between public research institutes and higher education institutions and enterprises. In many instances support focused on priority sectors or technology areas, but in recent years more emphasis has been placed on support to small and medium-sized enterprises and the build-up of technology transfer capacities. This report evaluates the performance of the knowledge-based sector in Mexico and provides policy recommendations for improving the financing, creation and expansion of innovative knowledge-based start-ups.
Critical overview of support programmes
This chapter reviews the main policies and instruments that support the development of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises and can be used to encourage the creation and expansion of knowledge-based start-ups. It analyses the role and performance of public and private financial institutions as well as that of other intermediary institutions in the development of new technology-based firms. On the basis of interviews conducted with a number of knowledge-based start-ups created in the last five years and with selected higher education institutions the chapter provides some insight into factors that impinge upon the performance of the private and the academic sectors in terms of the creation of knowledgebased start-ups.