What is Technical Assistance?

Technical Assistance is an EU-funded service LCBA Mexico aims to offer high potential partnerships between European and Mexican companies that form throughout the initiative.

Companies on the LCBA platform will be encouraged to develop Joint Business Concepts. The most promising Joint Business Concepts will be selected and provided with up to 3 Technical Assistance Packages, i.e. tailored advisory services provided by experts on relevant topics based on each partnership's needs analysis with the aim of accelerating commercialisation.

Each Technical Assistance package is comprised of up to 6 Advisory days to be delivered in a timeframe of 4 months.

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Application Process

Available Assistance Packages

AP #1: Commercial quality assurance:

Definition of the roadmap for deal signing and commercialisation. It includes documentation review, comments and recommendations on the material prepared by EU and Mexican entities. The roadmap comprises a timeline with milestones and next steps to implement the deal.

At this stage, companies may submit remaining questions for clarification with experts and will receive feedback on points of improvement.

AP #2: Impact assessment and definition of metrics for carbon reduction:

Support the implementation of a methodological approach to measure and track economic and environmental impacts, also defining a current baseline for progress monitoring and GHG reductions.

This Assistance Package is essential to facilitate the final assessment of the Programme’s Impact (Task 06) and mandatory to all JBCs.

AP #3: Commercial Strategy and Negotiation:

Fine tuning the partnership’s strategies from concept design to implementation. This includes:

• Verifying the projects’ business model,
• Defining and fine-tuning value proposition for both entities
• Cost-benefit analyses
• Pricing strategy
• Time to market
• Support the set-up of business goals and KPIs for tracking successful implementation of partnership

AP #4: Commercial Due Diligence:

Review partners’ historical and forecast performance from the perspective of its markets, its customers, its competitors and its internal capabilities. It provides the counterpart company with a detailed, objective and fact-based review of the partners’ strategic risks and opportunities, as well as a quantitative assessment of the growth projections used as a basis for the transaction. It includes:

• A review of market demand, verifying the level of market growth in the partnerships’ specific products / services
• Analysis of the competitive environment, to assess the level of competition in the market and verify the partnership’s particular competitive position
• Analysis of key customers relationships by performing customer referencing checks
• An understanding of the drivers of historical commercial performance Conclusions on the achievable forecast projections, with specific adjustments where the level of risk is too high, or where there can be hidden upsid

AP #5: Doing Business in Mexico:

Understanding the cultural, political and economic scenario as well as the regulatory framework of Mexico in a specific sector of activity. This includes:

• International Trade Topics (e.g., barriers, licenses registrations,..)
• Taxation
• Cultural, political and historical aspects that may play a role when implementing the specific project or partnership

AP #6: Operations and Logistics :

Definition and co-design of a successful operation model and value chain, with an assessment of costs scenarios to define optimal implementation strategy of the partnership. This includes:

• Export modeling and assessment of freight options, logistic hubs, customs procedure, clearances and in-land transportation
• Accurate provision of in-market production versus import costs to integrate the financial modelling

AP #7: Trade and project finance:

Assessment of project’s financial viability and definition of funding mechanisms. This includes:

• Self-financed modeling: validation of financial means from partner companies to proceed with agreement.
• External funding:
  • mapping of potential financial institutions,
  • selecting and approaching funding sources, assessing interest and aligning the required documentation to apply for funding
  • define the guidelines for development of documentation for commercial credit lines,
  • meeting and pitch preparation,
  • Funding opportunities and deal analysis & negotiations

AP #8: Product & Technology Feasibility Analysis for Mexico:

Assessment of project, technology or solutions’ fits to the Mexican market. This includes:

• Mapping potential critical barriers to be addressed before implementation
• Technology demand analysis
• Addressing needs of technology adaptation including:
• Translation to local language
• Adjustments to national and regional regulations
• Adapt to costumers’ preferences and profiles

AP #9: IP protection:

Supported by Latin America IP SME Helpdesk, this assistance verifies the current extension of EU SME’s Intellectual Property in Mexico and indicates the path for registration, if needed.

AP #10: Legal advice:

Support companies establishing their contractual legal roles and expectations in order to define binding agreement. It includes:

• Positions in decision making for current and future practices,
• Partnership’s rights and liabilities
• Contract review