TCI Network conference in Mexico aims to jointly solve global challenges

Mexico City, Sep 25 (EFE).- Solving together the major global and regional challenges, such as the use of water, new technologies, artificial intelligence, and even the relocation of manufacturing, are part of the mission of the next global cluster conference, TCI Network President Merete Daniel Nielsen said Wednesday.

In an interview with EFE, the co-founder and CEO of Cluster Excellence Denmark said collaboration is the only way to face the current challenges in the world.

She said that, for this reason, the 2024 TCI Network Global Conference, to be held from October 8 to 10 in Chihuahua, Mexico, has as its central themes collaboration and artificial intelligence, one of the technologies permeating transversely through all industries.

“The theme of collaboration is very important and spreading in many societies. This concept forms the basic idea behind (the global conference), the focus on driving the mission that we need to collaborate to solve bigger challenges,” she said.

Nielsen considered that clusters also open opportunities to promote the relocation of companies in a region, as has happened in North America and Latin America, due to the 'nearshoring' phenomenon and the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement.

She also explained that clusters enable the development of various specific sectors, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that struggle for exposure and are considered for value chains.

This, she said, benefits the private sector with new market opportunities, while producing new products and services that benefit people, as well as local and regional economies.

Latin America, a region with cluster experience

The TCI Network president pointed out that, although the global cluster network conference travels to a different country each year, Mexico was chosen for 2024 because of its extensive experience in this type of initiative.

“Latin America and, in particular, Mexico has a very strong tradition of cluster work at a very high professional level,” she stressed.

Nielsen considered that it is difficult to define which country in the region leads in these matters, but admitted that there are good practices in Mexico, Colombia, and Costa Rica, among other members of the cluster network.

Between the different sectors, she pointed out the opportunity for semiconductors and recognized the value for the organization of agricultural and food clusters, as well as some traditional ones such as aerospace, finance, and information technologies, including artificial intelligence.

For this reason, she emphasized the importance of the annual meeting in Mexico, with more than 30 guest speakers, 20 registered countries, and almost 300 participants from clusters around the world, where they will also have the opportunity to network and learn best practices.

“We will receive guests from America and many countries from Europe, Taiwan, Australia, I hope Africa will arrive (...) so it is a truly global conference,” she said.

Finally, Nielsen mentioned that the next host country for the next global conference will be announced as a surprise during the Chihuahua meeting. EFE

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Desarrollo Económico del Estado de Chihuahua (DESEC) supported EFE for the preparation of this article.