The Mexican government has presented the ‘Kutsari’ program, an initiative aimed at strengthening the chip value chain in the country. The strategy includes the creation of the National Center for Semiconductor Design, which will allow technologists and scientists from public higher education institutions to develop components of this nature with the possibility of patenting.
Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico, highlights that this project seeks to position the country as a scientific and technological power. The initiative is aligned with the Master Plan for the Development of the Semiconductor Industry 2024-2030, whose objective is to attract operations for the design, assembly, packaging and validation of microprocessors, with a value of more than 10,000 million dollars. Another goal is to double exports and employment in the sector by the end of the six-year term. “‘Kutsari’ is the union of many scientists and technological developers who will put all their intelligence and creativity to design cutting-edge semiconductors,” says the president.
The new Design Center will have offices in Puebla, Jalisco, and Sonora by 2027. These research units will be under the coordination of the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics, and Electronics and the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute. They will have assistance from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The creation of the Accelerated Training Program for Designers is planned, which will offer training to members of ‘Kutsari’ and other public and private design laboratories. The initial purpose is to meet local demand from the automotive, household appliance, medical equipment, and sensor industries.
The project plans to define a semiconductor manufacturing model next year. It contemplates the construction of a plant that could be established in 2029 as a public, private, or mixed company. The goal is that at the end of Sheinbaum’s administration, the country will cover the three key links in the chip supply chain: design, production, and assembly.
The ‘Kutsari’ program also includes modifications to the Federal Law for the Protection of Industrial Property (LFPPI) to speed up the patenting process for technological innovations and facilitate their commercialization. Raquel Buenrostro Sánchez, head of the Anti-Corruption and Good Government Secretariat, explains that the LFPPI will be reformed to bring it into line with international standards in the matter and reduce the time for certification procedures to three years.
For his part, Santiago Nieto Castillo, general director of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, mentions that the aim is to grant scientists a provisional patent with the right to reserve for 12 months, which ensures that their designs are not registered anywhere else in the world. Likewise, the aim is to claim ownership of the rights in the event that plagiarism is proven in the generation of the patent.
Mexico in the semiconductor sector
Mexico imported more than 24 billion dollars in integrated electronic circuits during 2023, according to official figures. With the ‘Kutsari’ program, it aims to reduce this dependence and position the local industry as a benchmark in the sector. The country’s geographical location is a strategic advantage that has facilitated the adoption of various international trade agreements.
These factors become relevant in the context of the dispute between China and the United States for leadership in the industry. Taiwan is the world’s leading producer of semiconductors. It accounts for 60% of global production and 90% of manufacturing of the most advanced chips. Chinese and US trade authorities have implemented measures to hinder the advance of their rival and consolidate their position in this industry of enormous economic potential.
The administration of former President Joe Biden presented last year the ‘Western Hemisphere Initiative for Semiconductors’, which includes a partnership agreement between the United States and Mexico to “explore opportunities in the value chain” based on the principles of the Chips and Science Act. The regulation provides for at least 52 billion dollars of government investment to grow the US microprocessor industry, with the help of strategic partners.
Source: es.wired
