“Sponsor an SME” project boosts business in Nuevo Leon

With the rise of nearshoring, one of the industry’s biggest challenges in Mexico lies in the ability to integrate new investments into local supply chains: initiatives such as “Sponsor an SME,” led by the Nuevo Leon Chamber of the Transformation Industry (CAINTRA) in collaboration with EGADE Business School, are driving this integration.

The program—which recently concluded its third cohort—has benefited 140 small and medium-sized enterprises since 2023; in this cohort alone, 46 SMEs participated in a training process supported by 24 large companies, which served as mentors and strategic partners.

Beyond training, the model seeks to bridge a structural gap: the lack of local suppliers with the necessary capabilities to integrate into the value chains of large corporations; companies such as Arca Continental, Cemex, FEMSA, Ternium, Vitro, and Whirlpool participate not only as sponsors but as key players in the transfer of operational knowledge, standards, and best practices.

These types of initiatives are part of efforts to strengthen the industrial ecosystem, particularly in states like Nuevo Leon, where the link between large companies and SMEs is key to responding to new investment dynamics.