AI Fest 2025: Mexico Becomes a Meeting Point for Talent, Investment, and Artificial Intelligence

• Investment in artificial intelligence in Latin America reached $4,500 million dollars in 2024, underscoring the growing confidence of investment funds in validated projects.
• AI Fest 2024 brought together more than a thousand leaders, founders, experts, and investors for a program combining workshops, talks, and a startup competition designed to foster knowledge and genuine collaboration.
• By connecting emerging talent with capital ready to fuel innovation, Mexico is establishing itself as an AI hub in the region. 

During 2024, investment in artificial intelligence reached $4,500 million dollars in Latin America, according to the Latin American Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (LAVCA). This figure reflects funds’ growing confidence in projects with solid foundations.

“The industry no longer rewards innovation alone, but also the ability to solve real problems with AI through validated solutions with the potential to transform entire sectors,” says Israel García, director of Startuplinks.

The global AI market is advancing at an unprecedented pace, making it essential to create key platforms for accessing capital and forging strategic partnerships that drive global expansion. 

AI Fest — organized by Batech.ai, Startuplinks and Escuela Bancaria y Comercial (EBC)— turned Mexico City into the epicenter of tech entrepreneurship on October 21 and 22. The event brought together more than a thousand leaders, investors, founders, and experts for a program that included workshops, an exhibition area, talks, and the “AI for Corporates Challenge” competition.

Innovation with Purpose

The first day began with the first round of the competition, where participants presented artificial intelligence solutions for the retail, banking, and healthcare sectors. Of the dozens of projects, eight advanced: Luhn, Brücke, Cora, Maat, Mawi, Calificadas, Fleet, and Llamit AI.

The semifinal, held on the second day of activities, took the competition to another level. The founders presented their models to a panel of specialists, who evaluated everything from the value proposition to monetization strategies. At the end of the day, Fleet, Maat, Llamit AI, and Cora emerged as finalists and will present their pitches at a private event, where the winner will be selected.

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Knowledge, Startups, and Investment

At AI Fest, held as part of Mexico Tech Week, emerging talent and investment funds came together in a collaborative atmosphere, united by a shared intention: to build bridges. 

Notable attendees included Google, NVIDIA, Perkins Coie, and HubSpot, which led discussions on generative artificial intelligence, advanced automation, regulation, and model scalability. The festival was also sponsored by Cuantico VP, Tienda Red, deRecruiters, Apolo 25, NU4, Delfi AI, ADN, Brücke, and Fleet, all committed to fostering an ecosystem where technology and capital come together to build the future.

Strengthening Mexico’s position as an AI hub in LATAM depends on creating spaces that turn talent into traction. The region has minds capable of executing world-class ideas.

“The next step is to ensure these projects have access to the capital and partnerships they need to scale,” concludes Israel García.

About Startuplinks

Startuplinks is a venture capital (VC) platform that strengthens Mexico’s and Latin America’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It connects founders, investors, and key players to accelerate the growth of startups with global potential. Based in Mexico City, it offers tools, data, educational content, calls for applications, and reports that drive innovation and access to capital throughout the region. Its mission is to help Latin American founders build world-class startups. Learn more at www.startuplinks.world

About Batech

Batech is a Mexican artificial intelligence company that transforms existing cameras into sources of strategic data. Its SaaS platform turns images into actionable insights to optimize safety, efficiency, and customer experience in sectors such as retail, logistics, and industry. With proprietary technology and a presence throughout Latin America, Batech is driving the shift toward smarter spaces and data-driven decisions. Learn more at www.batech.ai

About EBC

Escuela Bancaria y Comercial is a private Mexican institution specializing in business, accounting, and finance, with more than 95 years of experience. It operates 14 campuses across the country, has a network of more than 160 000 alumni, and promotes the education of professionals prepared to meet the challenges of the global market. Learn more at www.ebc.mx