Driving Mexico’s blue economy: TECA’s transformation in action
“We are a team deeply rooted in our land, and we want to do our part so that future generations can have a better place to live.” — Juan Antonio Geraldo, Founder, REAM
Along the coasts of Baja California Sur, where the ocean shapes both landscapes and livelihoods, a new movement is taking hold. Women are giving new life to discarded hotel furnishings; cooperatives are cultivating clams and oysters using regenerative methods; and startups are designing artificial reefs to restore marine ecosystems. This is the impact of the first wave of TECA in Mexico, a pioneering program for early-stage climate ventures that is proving the transformative power of innovation in the blue economy.
Thanks to the catalytic support of six strategic donors – Swiss Re Foundation, PayPal, Builders Initiative, Innovaciones Alumbra, Fundación Coppel, and Nacional Monte de Piedad, the program has supported 40 entrepreneurs, invested in 10 new ventures, and built a vibrant network of actors dedicated to coastal regeneration.
An open call attracted over 200 applicants from across the country. Forty were selected based on their innovation, feasibility, environmental and social impact, and alignment with TECA’s climate resilience goals. These participants, including NGOs, cooperatives, and early-stage startups, represent a diverse range of experiences, genders, and generational perspectives.
The first phase, Génesis, brought fellows together in La Paz for an immersive experience focused on entrepreneurship, trust-building, and collaborative creativity. Over the next two months, they participated in more than 30 intensive virtual sessions to strengthen their skills and build sustainable, purpose-driven business models.
The second phase, “Traction,” focused on market validation, pilot design, and business modeling. Ten ventures received $40,000 USD in catalytic support: $20,000 in direct investment and $20,000 in tailored acceleration services.
Impact metrics and voices from the field
TECA fellows report high satisfaction with the program. All participants (100%) say they’ve made significant progress on their ventures and found the program very useful in their entrepreneurial journey. Both the Génesis and Traction phases were rated as highly useful by 90% of participants. Eighty percent consider the seed funding essential to their growth, and all participants gave TECA a perfect 10/10 when asked if they’d recommend it to other entrepreneurs.
Beyond sector and generational diversity, TECA has elevated women-led ventures that also generate tangible impact for other women. Thrasos 3D, led by a female founder, turns sargassum into artificial reefs, opening doors in male-dominated fields like marine restoration and green tech. Estudio Mapache repurposes discarded hotel items alongside local women, creating income and dignified employment through a circular economy model. TECA proves that climate innovation can also be a powerful path for women’s economic inclusion in coastal regions.
Fellows highlighted real transformations: Oyster Mex refined their value proposition and communication strategy; Raíces del Mar applied pilot design methods across their operations; Baja Scallops significantly improved internal coordination and project planning. The program also catalyzed strategic partnerships: Thrasos 3D is developing reef prototypes for hospitality and government sectors; The Nature Conservancy is helping Oyster Mex and Bendito Mar measure carbon capture from oyster farming. Additionally, Marco Medina, founder of SatoUmi, designed and championed an elective course on entrepreneurship that will be offered as part of the Marine Biology program at the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, bringing the spirit of TECA into the classroom.
Since joining TECA, the 10 selected ventures have mobilized over USD 229,380 and generated more than $8,300 USD in revenue. Together, they have created at least 22 jobs, with 44% of these positions held by women, and 33% of the founding teams including women in leadership roles. They’ve also forged 31 active partnerships across technical, strategic, and distribution domains.
Their environmental impact is equally measurable, even at this very early stage of measurement; Thrasos 3D has sequestered 952 kg of CO2e and reused 600 kg of sargassum; Raíces del Mar has released over 20,000 abalone seeds into the wild; EcoRed is piloting sustainable fishing models with embedded social benefits. TECA is not just launching startups—it’s building a regenerative, inclusive ecosystem capable of transforming coastal realities across environmental, economic, and social dimensions.
Addressing a strategic gap
TECA targets a high-potential but underfunded sector. With over 11,000 km of coastline and marine industries accounting for more than 4% of national GDP, Mexico’s blue economy holds immense promise. Yet less than 1% of global climate finance flows to ocean-based solutions. TECA addresses this gap by channeling investment and capacity-building into this overlooked space, positioning Mexico as a leader in regenerative ocean innovation.
Without TECA, many of these solutions would lack the support needed to evolve from idea to impact. There are a few mechanisms connecting local entrepreneurs to climate finance, technical assistance, and networks focused on the blue economy. Meanwhile, coastal communities in Baja California Sur face growing risks from climate change: dune erosion, marine biodiversity loss, and declining fisheries. TECA is helping turn isolated ideas into scalable solutions with long-term potential.
TECA has also seeded capacities across the broader ecosystem, engaging over 50 actors, including accelerators, investors, government, and academia, to foster strategic alignment. These efforts have bridged public and private stakeholders, including the Baja California Sur Climate Change Office, around a shared vision: a more resilient, regenerative, and interconnected local blue economy.
This first wave has not only unlocked investment opportunities but also laid the groundwork for a stronger, more connected blue innovation ecosystem. Through TECA, ventures have validated their value propositions, demonstrated market demand, and built promising financial models. The program is proving that impact and profitability can grow together.
What’s next: A call to action
On July 29, the 10 TECA ventures will pitch to key investors in Mexico City, a milestone moment to showcase progress and unlock next-stage financing. This is more than a demo day; it’s a catalytic opportunity to invest in high-potential solutions driving Mexico’s blue economy transformation.
As we prepare for the next TECA cohort, we invite new donors, strategic allies, and visionary entrepreneurs to join us. Now is the time to back solutions that regenerate coastal ecosystems, build climate resilience, and prove that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.
*TECA Mexico is a joint initiative co-implemented by BFA Global and New Ventures. This program was made possible thanks to the leadership and commitment of Mariana Madero and Santiago Gatica (New Ventures), alongside María Puch, Aline Schlebach, Julián Rodríguez, Tyler Ferdinand, and Nelly Ramírez (BFA Global), who also contributed to the development of this blog.
