INNOVATION DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT 4: DistritoTec, Monterrey – Mexico’s pioneer in neighbourhood- led innovation governance and placemaking (continued) Community impact Beyond infrastructure, DistritoTec has transformed social cohesion through cultural programming, cinema nights, concerts, local markets and art shows organized by neighbourhood committees. The area’s population has increased by 56%, reducing empty dwellings by 69% between 2010 and 2020, according to official census data. The district has become a regional hub for thriving communities and urban innovation. The model now influences national complete streets guidelines and has inspired similar initiatives at other Tec campuses.26 Distrito de Innovación Monterrey Building on this decade of positive progress, Tec de Monterrey initiated the Distrito de Innovación Monterrey, a dedicated innovation district within DistritoTec. At its core are two anchor buildings, designed specifically to concentrate R&D capabilities and generate innovative solutions that transform the realities of communities in Mexico and around the world: –Expedition FEMSA: a dedicated building to catalyse innovation from applied research, aligning academic initiatives with industry needs. It hosts 32 programmes across disciplines, with 70% of operations funded by external partnerships. It features specialized labs, co-working spaces and three event spaces to support financial sustainability.27 –Eduardo Garza T. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub: this centre – due to launch in 2026 – aims to foster creativity, collaboration and entrepreneurship by connecting academia and business to accelerate prototypes and start- ups. It will feature bio-workshop labs, co-working spaces, 18 start-up garages, two hangars for tech development and three event venues across 8,300 m².28 International recognition DistritoTec was named as a finalist for the 2020-2021 WRI Ross Prize for Cities (out of 262 global proposals), recognizing its demonstration of how universities can catalyse urban transformation through participatory governance. In 2024, it received the World Economic Forum-UN Habitat Award for Public-Private Collaboration.29 Source: WRI Ross Center, World Economic Forum. Image credit: Expedition FEMSA, Distrito de Innovación Monterrey. Innovation Ecosystems: A Toolkit of Principles and Best Practice 20

Innovation Ecosystems 2025