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Rising Leaders of Mexico Fellowship

Equipping next-generation Mexican entrepreneurs to scale impactful ventures.

Applications for the next cohort of this program will launch in Summer 2024

Meet the 2024 Rising Leaders of Mexico Fellows
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The ‘Rising Leaders of Mexico’ Fellowship is a program designed to equip next-gen entrepreneurs from Mexico with the skills, resources, and experience to scale the impactful ventures they are building. Fellows will join the Western Union Foundation Fellowship program alongside 45 other entrepreneurs to learn advanced skills in entrepreneurship and leadership, have the opportunity to earn a venture development stipend, gain experience, and build a global network, as they lay the foundation to empower many more individuals and transform their communities.

This is a fully-funded fellowship thanks to the generous support of Watson Institute partners Robin Luff and Jane McConnell. 

Dates & Details

  • Dates: 16-week program with weekly programming.
  • Format: This program is offered with virtual and in-person components that allows fellows to take advantage of the global cohort while also focusing on creating local impact within their communities
  • Workshops & Training: Modules include Foundations, Data & Metrics, Go-To-Market, Funding, Team Management, and Pitch
  • Basecamp: 1 to 3-day impact workshops, called Basecamps, led by Fellows to increase access and opportunities in their communities
  • Summit: Culminating event where Fellows pitch to local leaders, funders, and entrepreneurs.
  • Venture Development Stipend: $10,000 in venture development stipend will be distributed among the Fellows based on progress and impact throughout the program.

Who You Are & What You Do:

  • You are an entrepreneur or community leader deeply committed to creating sustainable, scalable impact in your community.
  • You are located in Mexico, with ventures in the Problem-Solution Fit or Product-Market Fit phases, with engaged customers or beneficiaries, and demonstrated outcomes in both impact and revenue.
  • You have an entrepreneurial spirit, a growth mindset, and are driven to grow as an effective leader within your community.

Sign Up for Updates Here

 

Program Elements

The Rising Leaders of Mexico Fellowship provides award-winning training, committed mentorship, and a powerful community of peers to equip Fellows with the tools and knowledge they need to support their venture’s continued development and impact.

Venture Acceleration & Leadership Training

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Some of the practical entrepreneurial & leadership centric modules include:

  • Team Management for Impactful Organizations
  • Data & Metrics
  • Marketing & Personal Branding
  • Impact Focused Sale

Community & Network Building

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A diverse cohort of entrepreneurs, small business owners, and nonprofit founders will form partnerships, collaborations, and further their growth and impact during and after the program. Community building activities include:

  • Engagement with Watson Institute alumni
  • Self-organized Fellow meet-ups
  • Basecamp training and events

 

Mentorship & Collaboration

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Fellows are provided with multiple mentorship opportunities from business leaders, venture capitalists, and enterprise executives. Mentorship engagements include:

  • Preceptor Advisory Board
  • Impact Speaker Series
  • Mentor Bonanza

Basecamps

Grow your leadership skills, build local partnerships, and expand your impact by facilitating a Watson Institute Basecamp in your community.

Basecamps are 12 + hours of intensive workshops designed to help rising entrepreneurs from each of the Rising Leaders of Mexico Fellows’ communities to ideate solutions, design business models, and compellingly communicate their businesses and organizations to an external audience. As a key deliverable of the Rising Leaders of Mexico Fellowship, all Fellows will facilitate a Basecamp event during their time in the program.

The Watson Institute team will facilitate training workshops, share the Watson Institute Basecamp curriculum and planning materials, and provide a stipend to help organize and facilitate this event. Fellows are empowered through their training to tailor the Basecamp structure and outcomes to their desired participant community.

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On average each Fellow leading a venture impacts 32,130 individuals in their communities.

Rising Leaders of Mexico Fellows are Making an Impact

10 Fellows from Mexico created impact for over 200 entrepreneurs through the Basecamps they run around the world and initiatives they help lead.

 

STEM Education

Martin Morales Trejo ’23, Querétaro, Mexico

Martín Morales is the Founder of a non-profit civil association that provides STEM educational activities and programs. Through workshops and conferences, students are trained to identify and develop solutions to problems within their communities using knowledge of STEM to create sustainable impact. To date, the association has served over 2000 students across middle school, high school, and university levels.

Ethical Fashion

Laura Melendrez ’23, Mexico City

Laura Melendez is the Founder of Amor & Rosas, an ethical fashion brand that bridges modern designs with hand embroidery and eco-friendly materials. The brand provides well-paid employment opportunities for women who come from underprivileged backgrounds. They currently partner with 55 indigenous artisans across Mexico who supply hand embroidery, and they employ 40 women in Mexico City to design and manufacture their products.

Plastic Waste

Walter Mata ’23, Monterrey, Mexico

Walter Mata is the Founder of WAS Company. WAS Company transforms plastic waste to create new polymer composites with high adaptability properties and characteristics to fulfill structural and non-structural building materials. The materials are used to build social housing, schools, medical clinics, and soccer stadiums. The technology has been tested and approved in both laboratories and the field and sales are currently growing at 200%.