The United States-Mexico Foundation

for Science (FUMEC) 

The United States-Mexico Foundation for Science (FUMEC) is a non governmental organization created in 1992 with the purpose of promoting and supporting bi-national collaboration in science and technology. FUMEC is focused on creating synergies in innovative and important areas of bi-national collaboration in science and technology, including educational, enviromental, social, and entrepreneurial issues. Mission and Objectives The Foundation’s mission is to promote cooperation in science and technology in order to contribute to solving problems of interest to both countries. To fulfill this mission, the Foundation has established the following objectives: Identify and establish bi-national cooperation opportunities in science and technology. Promote the creation of stakeholder and information networks. Seek bi-national financial resources that can fund the development of medium and long term solutions. Promote development of science and technology policies in order to expand and strengthen binational cooperation between the United States and Mexico. Base its programs and actions in communities and on the institutional fiber so that results will have permanence. Endowment The Foundation has an endowment fund created through contributions from both federal governments. The interest generated by this fund is applied to the development of new projects and to cover operational costs. Programs attract their own resources and the endowment ensures the Foundation financial stability. Programs Foundation programs seek to strengthen bi-national cooperation in such areas as: economic development, border affairs, health, education, environment, and security. Key factors for the success of these efforts are science, technology, and development of specialized human resources. The Foundation is operating three programs: Health and Environment Technology Based Economic Opportunities Development of Human Resources in Science and Technology.

The Mexico - Austin Technology Business Accelerator (TechBA Austin) is part of the TechBA Program, designed to support top-tier Mexican companies in bringing their innovative technology, products and services to the U.S. and global markets.

The TechBA Program, created by the Ministry of the Economy of Mexico and operated by the United States-Mexico Foundation for Science (FUMEC), partners with U.S. organizations in order to ensure best practices and access to the entrepreneurial and financial ecosystems of key technological regions, such as Austin and Silicon Valley. TechBA – Austin has established a partnership with IC² Institute Global Commerciailization Group at the University of Texas at Austin, a worldwide recognized organization, that has helped not only entrepreneurs from Austin but from other countries, to conquer global technology based markets. TechBA is hosted at the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), which is part of IC² Institute, and presently occupies 5000sqf under a budget of around $2 Million until July 2007.

TechBA started in 2005 working with 16 companies followed by 19 companies more in 2006 for a total portfolio of 35 technology companies. Of these companies, 19 specialize in IT, 7 in hardware systems, 4 in food technology, 2 in biotech, 2 in agroequipment and 1 in education.

Of the early 16 companies, 10 graduated from TechBA in December 2006, meaning that they already have customers in the US and are growing their markets. At the end of 2006 TechBA companies have generated contracts in the US for more than $12 Million and have generated about 345 jobs in Mexico.

www.techbasv.com/

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