Tag: querétaro

Technological innovation is a way to promote local climate action and determined processes of green economic reactivation. Since 2019, the Secretariat for Sustainable Development of the state of Querétaro (SEDESU) in coordination with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through the project Enhancing the Coherence of Climate and Energy Policies in Mexico (CONECC) have worked on the creation of an innovation Hub, now named HUBIQ, in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency. HUBIQ seeks to develop competencies and capacities in startups, ventures, and other actors that seek to promote technological innovations for the deployment of sustainable energy in the state, through the strengthening of business models that incorporate the social, economic and environmental effects of these technologies. To achieve this, the aim is to promote a linkage platform based on the triple helix cooperation model —made up of government, companies and academia— constituting the core of the Hub’s value proposition.

 

Technological Innovation Hub in the field of sustainable energy for climate action in the state of Querétaro. UB IQ. GIZ / CONECC / Elaboración Laguna Centro.

The event featured messages from the State Secretary for Sustainable Development, Marco A. del Prete Tecero; the President of the Energy Cluster, Patrice Rimond; the Director of the CONECC project, Jonas Russbild and Natalia Nila Olmedo, Director of the Reconfigurable Control Research Laboratory (LiCore). It was stated that HUBIQ would promote technological innovation and synergies with various actors to seek innovative solutions to climate change and strengthen the local energy ecosystem.

The study “Towards an Optimal Concept for the Implementation of a Technological Innovation Hub in Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency for Climate Action in Querétaro” was also presented, in which the analysis of alternatives and viability was carried out, which led to the implementation of the Hub in the state of Querétaro. The study includes a documentary analysis and diagnosis of the local electricity market and the local innovation ecosystem, and a set of alternatives that led to an action plan for the creation of the platform. Furthermore, the process adopted a multi-stakeholder and highly participatory approach, including more than 90 local stakeholders from the innovation sector.

Dersu Figueroa Zaráte, HUBIQ coordinator, presented the activities and objectives of the project, along with the areas of specialization and its offer of services, which includes: strengthening human capital capacities through training and technical training; business relations, and services for the maturation and commercialization of technologies. Natalia Nila, Director of LiCore, presented the Technological Innovation Project Acceleration Program, which is financed by the Support for the Implementation of the Energy Transition in Mexico (TrEM) program. Through this program, the first generation of HUBIQ projects and other invited MSMEs from the state energy sector have strengthened their technological innovation capabilities and promoted a green economic reactivation in the face of the crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Kick off of HUBIQ activities by Dersu Figueroa Zaráte, HUBIQ Coordinator, Marco A. del Prete Tercero, Secretary of SEDESU and Jonas Russbild, Director of the CONECC project. CONECC / GIZ

HUBIQ’s next milestone will be its formation as a Civil Association (A.C.). In addition, it is expected that the official start of HUBIQ will help inspire other states in the Mexican Republic to promote the energy transition and local climate action through Innovation Hubs.

The Hub’s experience allows us to identify the potential of technological innovation to achieve Mexico’s climate goals, with an emphasis on disruptive approaches applied to energy transition processes and recognizing the contribution of the sub-national level; this translates into the strengthening of ecosystems of innovation and strengthening of the links that allow the sustainability and impact of innovation in favor of sustainable development.

To see the live recording of the official start, click here (in Spanish).

Official launch of the Technological Innovation Hub in terms of sustainable energy for climate action in the State of Querétaro. GIZ / CONECC / Elaboración Laguna Centro

For more information, you can consult and download the study in PDF as well as the presentations of the event speakers.

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The project “Convergence of Energy and Climate Change Policy in Mexico” (CONECC) seeks to build bridges between the energy and climate sectors in order to facilitate the achievement of global and national climate goals. The scope of these commitments requires a strong impetus to technological change, which is why CONECC, in coordination with the Querétaro Sustainable Development Secretariat (SEDESU) and the company LiCore, began the process of forming the Querétaro Hub of Technological Innovation in February 2020.

The Hub is a linking platform that seeks to promote the development and implementation of innovations that can accelerate the energy transition and green competitiveness of Querétaro’s productive sector. Given its pioneering characteristic in the region, the experience is expected to serve as a model for various public-private collaboration efforts for climate technology development in other states.

Likewise, the Hub seeks to strengthen collaboration in the area of innovation and entrepreneurship in Querétaro, which includes start-ups, SMEs, large and corporate companies, public institutions, and academia. In March 2020, a Working Group was set up to form the Hub, made up of representatives from the state’s innovation and entrepreneurship sectors. The Working Group will discuss governance and financial sustainability mechanisms, as well as identify projects to start the Hub’s operations.

 

Credits: CONECC / GIZ. Technology Innovation Hub Working Group Meeting

 

During the Working Group’s first meeting at the facilities of the “Nuqleo” entrepreneurship area in Querétaro, the process of legal incorporation of the Hub and the prioritization of strategic services and lines of action were analyzed; some of them include:

  1. Acceleration and promotion of disruptive technologies and business models.
  2. Advice, training, and certification for startups and SMEs.
  3. Access to innovation laboratories (sandbox formats) or similar. A sandbox guides the development of new technologies or business models in a testing environment that takes into account the regulation and/or applicable legislation, mainly promoting innovation in the field of digitalization of the electricity sector.

 

Credits: CONECC / GIZ. Actors in the innovation ecosystem discuss priority lines of action for the Hub

 

The CONECC project will provide technical support in the process of forming the Hub. The aim is to have the technical opinion of an expert team to create linkage platforms and technological innovation and establish a coordination office for the Hub based in Querétaro. A communication strategy will also be elaborated for the socialization and dissemination of the Hub on local and national levels.

The Working Group plans to work on the selection of specific projects that, through a strategic action plan, allow successful integration of start-ups and SMEs in the innovation environment. The selected projects are expected to receive (1) consultancies to align their proposals to the main issues facing the state energy sector and, (2) support in development and implementation processes, through methodologies such as design thinking or sandboxes. Mentoring, access to specialized testing laboratories, commercial feasibility analysis, links to financing, and interrelation with national and international companies and experiences are included, among others.

 

Credits: CONECC / GIZ. 1st Session of the Working Group

 

The creation of a technological innovation hub in Querétaro is essential for sustainable economic recovery. This collaboration model fosters innovative technologies and business models in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Coordinated action between the state innovation area and entrepreneurship is strengthening economic competitiveness and accelerating the implementation of low-carbon technologies. More information coming soon.

All images are from workshops carried out prior to the COVID-19 health emergency. Currently, meetings and work sessions are held in virtual format.