Tijuana Innovadora has worked for over two years to promote the strengths and dynamism of the now called Smart Border

"The reality is far from the perception people have of Tijuana"... Thats why the second edition of Tijuana Innovadora 2012 (EnTi) seeks to strength binational ties with the neighboring state of California, to take advantage of the efforts leading to improve the regional economic development.

The event will count with the active participation of the Secretary of Economy, Bruno Ferrari, Secretary of Tourism of Baja California, Juan Tintos Funcke and the representative of the mayor of Tijuana, Carlos Bustamante Anchondo, Antonio Cano Jiménez, José Galicot Behar, General Coordinator of EnTi.

Mr. Galicot said: "Over the past year and so far has been installed in Tijuana 9 new companies from the U.S., two of South Korea, one from Spain and another from Iceland, and other 13 companies already operating in the city began their expansion."

According to INEGI figures, Tijuana remains the number one in the maquiladora industry in the country and is the city with the largest concentration of jobs in the manufacturing of medical devices in North America.

In the Medical Manufacturing sector are more than 30,000 jobs in at least 41 companies located in our city. Additionally, we have 29 companies in the aerospace industry with over 7,300 jobs, representing the largest number of companies across the North area in the country, said Galicot.

Theaerospace industry in Tijuana generated between 2006 and 2011 an average annual employment growth of 6%. "In a way, this is due to our low cost of labor, resulting of protections from the Free Trade with North America and other benefits of treaties agreements in Mexico, regardless of Tijuana having an enviable location close to the coast. As a fact, a study by KPMG about competitive alternatives 2012 reveals that Mexico provides aerospace manufacturers a competitive advantage of 15.7%, compared with the United States."

He also explained that nearly 100 companies related to health technologies operating in Baja California, more than 55 are in Tijuana, including manufacturers of medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

"This 2012 we strengthened our approach with our northern neighbors, we have a volunteer Binational committed on both sides of the border, which made invaluable efforts to promote a reciprocal relationship of mutual benefits in the largest metropolitan area in the world" He said.

Meanwhile, Jaime Gonzalez Luna, Executive Coordinator of the Second Innovative Tijuana Meeting 2012, explained that the event will focus more than 100 influential and brilliant minds over 22 countries, experts on global issues with vision of becoming a better society.

Some participants are Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computers, Blake Mycoskie, entrepreneur and philanthropist who created the popular Toms Shoes, Sarah Reinertsen, "Ironman" triathlon competitor and motivational speaker, Richard Florida, author of bestsellers on innovative urban studies, also Philippe Cousteau, environmentalist, Alejandro Ramírez, Mexican businessman of Cinepolis, Ada Yonath a Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, Maurizio Corbi, senior designer Pinifarina, Andres Madrigal, Madrid chef, Steve Mosko, President of Sony TV, among others.

Source: Tijuana Innovadora