UNAM and Tec de MTY bolster scientific capability in Tlalpan District

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has joined the Tlalpan Innovation District, a Tec de Monterrey initiative that brings together universities, companies, government, and entrepreneurs to develop research and innovation projects.

This partnership was signed by both institutions on Friday, June 26, 2026. 

The collaboration will enable the creation of Cross-Institutional Collaboration Units in areas such as biotechnology and pharmaceutical development, as well as the execution of joint projects in applied research, innovation, and technology transfer. 

During the event, Tlalpan Center (a space located in the south of Mexico City) was also inaugurated; it will serve as a meeting place for researchers, companies, entrepreneurs, and authorities who collaborate in the District. 

Over the last four years, Tecnológico de Monterrey and UNAM have carried out more than 160 joint projects, with about 1,000 researchers, professors, and students participating. 

David Garza Salazar, Executive President of the Tecnológico de Monterrey Education Group, noted that the partnership addresses a critical need: pooling cross-sector skills to solve today’s major challenges. 

“We live in a time of great challenges: artificial intelligence, climate change, genomics, and other phenomena require complex, multidisciplinary responses in which multiple stakeholders participate”, Garza said.  

“The development of these solutions depends largely on our skill in collaborating and bringing talented people together”. 

He also said that the inclusion of UNAM and the opening of Tlalpan Center strengthen a shared agenda in the areas of research, innovation, and technological development, while also establishing a platform for promoting joint projects. 

“The opening of this Tlalpan Center represents the fulfillment of a vision which recognizes that knowledge, when combined with collaboration and a shared purpose, has the power to transform societies”. 

According to Jorge Manuel Vázquez, Coordinator of Outreach and Technology Transfer at UNAM, joining the Innovation District represents the consolidation of a partnership that already existed between the two institutions. 

“We’ve been working on this partnership for four years. The District serves as a unifying force because it’s not just about establishing contact with companies but about having a forum where we can come together to work in harmony and collaboration to solve industrial problems”. 

The agreement calls for Tec de Monterrey and UNAM to establish Cross-Institutional Collaboration Units, in which researchers from both institutions will work with companies on projects related to applied research, innovation, and technological development. 

The first two units will focus on pharmaceutical innovation and development, and biotechnology. In addition:  

• It will promote researcher and student training. 

• Offer specialized technology services. 

• Promote projects to address scientific, technological, and industrial challenges. 

Vázquez described how the partnership between the two universities and the companies works. 

“The challenges are the problems that companies face in their day-to-day operations, production, and organization.  

“People ask us if we, as UNAM-Tec, can solve them. Then we ask our communities to work together to propose solutions to these challenges”. 

According to Jorge, the goal is for more and more companies to join the Tlalpan Innovation District to develop projects in collaboration with universities. 

“If we innovate, the result will be a tangible benefit for Mexican society. That’s what I hope for in the future: that we’ll serve as a model for how universities can work with businesses to solve society’s problems”. 

The Tlalpan Innovation District brings together universities, research centers, companies, organizations, and authorities to develop projects collaboratively. 

Tlalpan Center was inaugurated in this initiative as a space that will be used for meetings, training activities, and collaborative projects among members of the Tlalpan Innovation District. 

“Tlalpan Center is a hub where you can find support, training, professional development, knowledge, and skills that come together through a collaborative network”, said Benito Sotelo, Director of the Tlalpan Innovation District. 

What’s more, according to Sotelo, UNAM’s membership represents “a historic moment,” as the university formally joins a platform that brings together skills, talent, and scientific and technological development to tackle common challenges. 

The Tlalpan Innovation District is an initiative launched by Tecnológico de Monterrey that brings together universities, companies, government, entrepreneurs, and organizations to develop joint research and innovation projects. 

This project was launched in 2020 to promote urban and social transformation in the south of Mexico City.  

Since then, it has brought in new partners and currently focuses part of its efforts on areas such as health, biotechnology, scientific entrepreneurship, and technology transfer.

During this new phase, the Tec inaugurated Tlalpan Center, a space designed to enable researchers, companies, entrepreneurs, and government officials to develop projects, share knowledge, and forge new partnerships.