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Join STS Forum LATAM 2025

The STS Forum, created in 2004 in Kyoto, Japan, has established itself as one of the leading global platforms in science and technology at the service of society. Mexico will host the STS Forum in its chapter for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 and InnovaFest LATAM 2025, which represents a decisive step in consolidating its regional leadership in scientific and technological fields. The meeting will take place on December 4 and 5, 2025, at the Cuernavaca, Morelos Convention Center.

Within the framework of STS Forum LATAM 2025, strategic topics of high relevance will be addressed, including:


  • Water security for human and agricultural consumption.

  • New perspectives on electromobility and the development of adaptive urban centers.

  • Advances in medicine through biotechnology and genomics.

  • Innovation in the aeronautical industry and the advancement of aerospace frontiers.

  • Promoting entrepreneurship and innovation as engines of the future.


In this way, the forum is positioned as an international dialogue space where science, innovation and entrepreneurship converge, with the purpose of generating transformative solutions for society.

STS FORUM AGENDA

December 04

08:00

Doors open and registration at the Morelos Convention Center


09:00 – 09:30

Opening ceremony – inaugural remarks


09:40 – 10:30

Opening plenary session: "New Ideas for a New Era: Driving Innovation and Overcoming Obstacles in Latin America and the Caribbean"

10:35 – 11:25

Plenary session 1: "Water at the Crossroads: For People, Agriculture and Energy"


11:30 – 12:20

Plenary session 2: "Driving Progress: Smart Mobility and Latin American Cities"


Simultaneous sessions 1


12:35 – 13:25


204A
Innovations in electromobility and urban infrastructure

204B
Big Data and AI in health

204C
Sustainable water management and agriculture

204C
Fostering innovation in startups and AI


13:35 – 14:45

Networking and boxed lunch

Simultaneous sessions


14:50 – 15:40


205A
Space exploration: opportunities for Latin America

205B
Climate resilience and water governance

205C
Adaptive urban planning and electromobility

205D
From startups to unicorns: lessons in rapid scaling and innovation

15:50 – 16:40

Plenary session 3: "Revolutionizing Medicine: Biotechnology and Genomics"


16:45 – 17:35

Plenary session 4: "Aeronautical Innovation and Advancing Space Frontiers"


17:40 – 18:30

Plenary session 5: "Developing Entrepreneurship for the Future"


18:40 – 19:10

Closing remarks

I want to attend the STS forum

This inaugural segment will formally begin the STS Forum Latin America & the Caribbean 2025, bringing together the Government of Mexico, the Government of Japan, and the leadership of the STS Forum. Senior authorities will outline the strategic vision for the event, highlight the importance of science, technology, and innovation for regional development, and set the stage for three days of high-level dialogue and collaboration across sectors.

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon

Minister of Economy, Mexico

Rosaura Ruiz

Rosaura Ruiz

Minister of the SECIHTI, Mexico

Margarita González Saravia

Margarita González Saravia

Governor of Morelos, Mexico

Ryosei Akazawa

Ryosei Akazawa

Minister Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan (Video Message)

This opening session brings together some of the leading experts in the five core themes of the Forum: 1. Electromobility and Urban Centers, 2. Medicine and Genomics, 3. Space and Aeronautics, 4. Startups and Unicorns, 5. Water. Each speaker will deliver sharp insights on the breakthroughs, roadblocks, and opportunities shaping the region's innovation landscape.

Session 201

Moderator

Motoko Kotani

(Science and Technology Co-Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan)

Motoko Kotani
Session 201

Speaker 01

Electromobility & Urban Centers

Rohan Patel

(United States / Board Member / International Council on Clean Transportation)

Rohan Patel
Session 201

Speaker 02

Medicine & Genomics

David Kershenobich

(Mexico / Minister of Health)

David Kershenobich
Session 201

Speaker 03

Startups and Unicorns

Neri Tollardo

(Mexico / Founder / Plata)

Neri Tollardo
Session 201

Speaker 04

Water

Ismail Serageldin

(Egypt / Founding Director Emeritus / The Library of Alexandria)

Ismail Serageldin
Session 201

Speaker 05

Space & Aeronautics

Heriberto Saldívar

(- / Head of the Strategy Department / ESA)

Heriberto Saldívar

This session will explore critical dimensions of water resource management in the context of mounting global pressures—climate volatility, demographic expansion, and rising energy demand. Through three interlinked sub-themes, speakers will examine how water systems intersect with human wellbeing, power generation, and agricultural resilience.

Session 202

Moderator

Francisco Nuñez-Escudero

(Mexico / Water Expert / Secretariat of Economy of Mexico)

Francisco Nuñez-Escudero
Session 202

Speaker 01

Water

Samuel Sandoval Solís

(USA / Lead Faculty Affiliate / California Institute for Water Resources)

Samuel Sandoval Solís
Session 202

Speaker 02

Water

Judith Domínguez

(Mexico / Research Professor / El Colegio de México)

Judith Domínguez
Session 202

Speaker 03

Water

Patricia Valdespino Castillo

(Mexico / Project Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

Patricia Valdespino Castillo

This session will explore how electric mobility is reshaping the urban landscape across Latin America. The discussion will bring together leading voices in sustainable urbanism, automotive innovation, and public transportation reform. Drawing from experiences in advanced urban planning institutions, global electric vehicle strategies, and large-scale public transit overhauls, the session will examine how adaptive infrastructure, policy leadership, and equitable mobility systems can drive resilient urban transitions.

Session 203

Moderator

Raul Rojas

(Mexico / Professor Emeritus / Free University of Berlin)

Raul Rojas
Session 203

New Perspectives in Electromobility & Adaptive Urban Centers

Ermilo Barrera

(Mexico / Secretary of Economic Development / Government of the State of Yucatán)

Ermilo Barrera
Session 203

New Perspectives in Electromobility & Adaptive Urban Centers

Daniel Breton

(Canada / CEO and President / Mobilité Életrique)

Daniel Breton
Session 203

New Perspectives in Electromobility & Adaptive Urban Centers

Aditya Ramji

(USA / Director / Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California)

Aditya Ramji

Concurrent Sessions No. 1 will bring together experts from diverse fields to explore emerging trends shaping the future of strategic sectors. Across the four rooms, discussions will address the intersection of technology, sustainability, health, and innovation, highlighting practical solutions and cross-sector collaboration.

Room A

Innovations in Electromobility Infrastructure

204A

Moderator

Jimena David

Jimena David

(México / Mobility Manager / WRI)

204A

Speaker 01

Marcela Verónica Bázan Michea

Marcela Verónica Bázan Michea

(Chile / Strategy Coordinator / Ministry of Transport and telecommunications, Santiago)

204A

Speaker 02

Roberto Capuano

Roberto Capuano

(Mexico / Responsable proyecto / Olinia)

204A

Speaker 03

Josué C. Velázquez Martínez

Josué C. Velázquez Martínez

(USA / Research Scientist / MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics Room Horizontec– Big Data and IA in Health Care, Intelligent Health)

Room B

Big Data & AI in Healthcare Intelligent Health

204B

Moderator

Guillermo Ruiz Palacios

Guillermo Ruiz Palacios

(Mexico / Head of Department of Infectous Diseases / Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán)

204B

Speaker 01

Najmedin Meshkati

Najmedin Meshkati

(United States / Professor / University of Southern California)

204B

Speaker 02

William B. Weeks

William B. Weeks

(United States / Microsoft AI for Health)

204B

Speaker 03

Tonatiuh Barrientos

Tonatiuh Barrientos

(Mexico / Director / Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP))

Room C

Sustainable Water Management & Agriculture

204C

Moderator

María del Carmen Carmona

María del Carmen Carmona

(Mexico / Researcher / UNAM Institute of Legal Research)

204C

Speaker 01

Kenji Nagata

Kenji Nagata

(Japan / Water Expert / Japan International Cooperation Agency– JICA)

204C

Speaker 02

Josué Medellin-Azuara

Josué Medellin-Azuara

(USA / Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering / University of California, Merced)

204C

Speaker 03

Valeria Piñeiro

Valeria Piñeiro

(Unired States / Senior Research Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, International Food Policy Research Institute– IFPRI)

Room D

Igniting Innovation: Fostering Innovation in Tech and Startups

204D

Moderator

Adolfo Babatz

Adolfo Babatz

(Mexico / Chief Executive Officer / Clip)

204D

Speaker 01

Alejandro Adem

Alejandro Adem

(Canada / President / Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)

204D

Speaker 02

Rosibel Ochoa

Rosibel Ochoa

(USA / Associate Vice Chancellor for Technology Partnerships / UCR)

204D

Speaker 03

Nicolás Cabrera

Nicolás Cabrera

(USA / Chief Production Officer / Tala)

Concurrent Sessions No. 2 will deepen the conversation on the technological, environmental, and industrial transformations underway across Latin America and beyond. Speakers in each room will examine sector-specific opportunities—from space industry development and climate governance to adaptive urban planning and high-growth entrepreneurship—while emphasizing policy frameworks, innovation readiness, and long-term resilience.

Room A

Space Exploration Opportunities in the Industry Sector

205A

Moderator

Olivia Holzhaus

Olivia Holzhaus

(USA / Chief Executive Officer, Rhodium Scientific, Space and Life Sciences)

205A

Speaker 01

Pilar Zamora Acevedo

Pilar Zamora Acevedo

(Colombia / Executive Director / Colombian Space Agency)

205A

Speaker 02

Katia Echazarreta

Katia Echazarreta

(Mexico / Astronaut and Founder / Fundación Espacial Katya Echazarreta)

Room B

Climate Resilience and Water Governance

205B

Moderator

Hugo Roberto Rojas

Hugo Roberto Rojas

(Mexico / Executive Director / National Association of Water and Sanitation Utilities)

205B

Speaker 01

José Ramón Ardavín Ituarte

José Ramón Ardavín Ituarte

(Mexico / Executive Director / CESPEDES - Business Council for Sustainable Development)

205B

Speaker 02

José Antonio Rodriguez Tirado

José Antonio Rodriguez Tirado

(México / International Consultant / Water issues)

205B

Speaker 03

Frank J. Loge

Frank J. Loge

(USA / Director / Center for Water-Energy Efficiency - CWEE)

Room C

Adaptive Urban Planning & Electromobility in Latin America

205C

Moderator

Manola Zabalza Aldama

Manola Zabalza Aldama

(Mexico / Secretary of Economic Development / Government of Mexico City)

205C

Speaker 01

Patricia Baires

Patricia Baires

(El Salvador / LATAM Business Development Manager / SynergEV)

205C

Speaker 02

Gabriela de la Torre Ríos

Gabriela de la Torre Ríos

(C40 / Regional Head of C40 Cities / Zero Emitions Vehicles LATAM)

205C

Speaker 03

Edgar Antonio Valdés Porras

Edgar Antonio Valdés Porras

(Mexico / Founder of Polisplexity and Hadox Research Labs, and Director, Centro de Supercómputo del Bajío)

Room D

From Startups to Unicorns: Lessons in Rapid Scaling and Innovation

205D

Moderator

Francisco Solsona

Francisco Solsona

(Google Developer Experts (GDE) Lead - Americas)

205D

Speaker 01

Daniel Vogel

Daniel Vogel

(México / Founder / DeepTech & Industrial Innovation)

205D

Speaker 02

Diego Santamaría Razo

Diego Santamaría Razo

(Mexico / Founder / ACTIVAE – DeepTech & Industrial Innovation)

205D

Speaker 03

Marlene Garayzar

Marlene Garayzar

(Mexico / Co-Founder and Chief Governance Officer / Stori)

This session will explore how advances in biotechnology and genomics are redefining the boundaries of modern medicine. With insights from leading scientists, entrepreneurs, and global health experts, the discussion will trace the impact of genomic research on disease prevention, personalized therapies, and drug development.

Session 206

Moderator

Juan Enriquez Cabot

(Mexico–United States / Founder and Chief Executive Officer / Biotechonomy LLC)

Juan Enriquez Cabot
Session 206

Speaker 01

Revolutionizing Medicine: Biotech and Genomics

Juan Andrey Zarur Jury

(Mexico–United States / Founder and Chief Executive Officer / Greenlight Biosciences)

Juan Andrey Zarur Jury
Session 206

Speaker 02

Revolutionizing Medicine: Biotech and Genomics

Luis Herrera Montalvo

(Mexico / Dean of the School of Medicine / Tecnológico de Monterrey)

Luis Herrera Montalvo
Session 206

Speaker 03

Revolutionizing Medicine: Biotech and Genomics

Laura A. Palomares

(Mexico / Director / UNAM Biotechnology Institute)

Laura A. Palomares

This session will examine the forefront of industrial innovation in the global aerospace and aeronautics sectors, with a particular emphasis on how technological advances are reshaping the industry in Latin America and beyond. Bringing together leaders from national space agencies, major manufacturers, and pioneering organizations, the discussion will highlight developments in propulsion systems, satellite technologies, and next-generation aircraft.

Session 207

Moderator

Gustavo Medina-Tanco

(Argentina/Mexico / Researcher and Head, Space Instrumentation Laboratory LINX / Institute of Nuclear Sciences, UNAM)

Gustavo Medina-Tanco
Session 207

Speaker 01

Aeronautics Innovation and Advancing Aeronautical Frontiers

Alejandro Cardona Seemann

(Mexico / President / Safrán)

Alejandro Cardona Seemann
Session 207

Speaker 02

Aeronautics Innovation and Advancing Aeronautical Frontiers

Shelli Brunswick

(USA / Founder and Chief Executive Officer / SB GLOBAL LLC)

Shelli Brunswick
Session 207

Speaker 03

Aeronautics Innovation and Advancing Aeronautical Frontiers

Heriberto Saldívar

(- / Head of the Strategy Department / ESA)

Heriberto Saldívar

This session will convene global entrepreneurial leaders and investors to explore how innovation, leadership, and risk-taking are being redefined in the face of shifting economic, technological, and societal landscapes. From venture-backed tech startups to biotechnology research and corporate leadership, panelists will share diverse perspectives on what it takes to build transformative companies across regions and sectors.

Session 208

Moderator

Adam Smith

(Sweden / Chief Scientific Officer / Nobel Outreach)

Adam Smith
Session 208

Speaker 01

Mexico / Chief Executive Officer and Founder / Saptiva AI

Angel Cisneros

(Mexico / President / Agro&Bio)

Angel Cisneros
Session 208

Speaker 02

Driving Entrepreneurship for the Future

Enrique Galindo Fentanes

(Mexico / President / Agro&Biotecnia)

Enrique Galindo Fentanes
Session 208

Speaker 03

Driving Entrepreneurship for the Future

Chapin Flynn

(USA / Senior Vice President / Mastercard)

Chapin Flynn

The Closing Remarks will bring together national and international authorities to reflect on the outcomes of the forum. Leaders will highlight key messages from the sessions, reaffirm commitments to scientific and technological cooperation, and outline the next steps for regional collaboration ahead of the 2026 edition.

Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo

(President of the United Mexican States)

Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo

Margarita González Saravia

(Governor of Morelos, Mexico)

Margarita González Saravia

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon

(Minister of Economy, Mexico)

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon

Rosaura Ruiz

(Minister of the SECIHTI, Mexico)

Rosaura Ruiz

Amb. Sadayuki Tsuchiya

(Head of the STS Forum Delegation)

Amb. Sadayuki Tsuchiya

Morelos Convention Center

Aut. Cuernavaca – Acapulco Km. 112, Col. Alpuyeca, Xochitepec, Morelos,
C. P. 62797
Tel: (777) 391 6321 to 23

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Frequently Asked Questions

No, participation in the STS Forum in its chapter for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 and InnovaFest LATAM 2025 is completely free with prior registration.

At the Morelos Convention Center, from December 4 to 5, 2025.

Yes, it is necessary to complete the registration form. You can do so through this link. And through the confirmation folio you will have your place secured.

The STS Forum in its chapter for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 and InnovaFest LATAM 2025 will be held in person at the Morelos Convention Center.

The STS Forum in its chapter for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 and InnovaFest LATAM 2025 is driven by the Ministry of Economy, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation, the Government of the State of Morelos, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), as well as recognized research centers, universities, entrepreneurs, innovators and investment funds.

Organizers

Gobierno de MéxicoLogo - STS ForumEconomía | Secretaría de economíaMorelos | La tierra que nos une
Ciencia y TecnologíaIMPI | Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad IndustrialHecho en México | Mentes en acciónPremio IMPI a la inovación Mexicana 2025

Strategic Innovation Allies

Canieti
HisenseSamsungLG
SantanderTelmexPlataVivaFixconnVolvoClipMobility
FemsaFinsusPfizerTalaGrupo ModeloKapitalUalaLiverpoolDanoneMetaKavakSaptiva
Crea
MerckSynthonPalagod