Centro Regional de Seguridad Hídrica bajo los auspicios de UNESCO

What Centro Regional de Seguridad Hídrica bajo los auspicios de UNESCO does

Centro Regional de Seguridad Hídrica bajo los auspicios de UNESCO (CERSHI) is a civil association registered under Mexican law and operating as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre under the International Hydrological Programme. Headquartered at UNAM's Institute of Engineering in Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, the organization was established in 2018 through a trilateral agreement among Mexico's Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, the Mexican Institute of Water Technology (IMTA), and UNAM's Institute of Engineering. Its mission is to provide regional action for scientific, political, and business communities to achieve water security across scales in Latin America and the Caribbean, coordinating the Network of UNESCO Water Centers in the region.

CERSHI's core offerings span seven research lines: water quality and wastewater treatment, ecohydrology, aquifer management and artificial recharge, hydroinformatics and decision support systems, hydrometeorological risk management and early warning, water resources planning and diplomacy, and education and capacity development. Deliverables are delivered as specialized research studies, consulting for public and private institutions, MOOCs on Coursera (Water Security and Smart Hydro Cities), downloadable UNESCO publications, and the Premio Nacional Juvenil del Agua youth program. Distribution is primarily through direct engagement with government agencies, regional workshops and conferences, the cershi.org website, and the Coursera platform.

Commercially, CERSHI operates as a non-profit research, training, and dissemination organization rather than a product company. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the organization provides specialized consulting services to government agencies at national, regional, and local levels in Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean, supplemented by capacity-building programs for academic and research institutions. Its revenue base is concentrated among a small set of Mexican government counterparties (CONAGUA, SRE, SEMARNAT) and intergovernmental partners (UNESCO, IDB), with no private equity, venture capital, or commercial ownership interests disclosed.

Name

Centro Regional de Seguridad Hídrica bajo los auspicios de UNESCO

Legal name

Centro Regional de Seguridad Hídrica bajo los auspicios de UNESCO

Website

https://cershi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CERSHI is a UNESCO Category 2 Centre and Mexican civil association that conducts water security research, specialized consulting, MOOCs, and capacity-building for government agencies, academics, and water professionals across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mexico City

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research and consulting services: Specialized consulting and research services provided to public and private institutions on water security issues

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CERSHI is a UNESCO Category 2 civil association that conducts specialized research, consulting, and capacity-building services on water security across Latin America and the Caribbean. Its portfolio covers seven research lines (water quality and wastewater treatment, ecohydrology, aquifer management and artificial recharge, hydroinformatics, risk management, water resources planning and diplomacy, and education), supplemented by Coursera MOOCs, peer-reviewed publications, and the Premio Nacional Juvenil del Agua program for students aged 15–20.

Product overview

CERSHI is a Civil Association under the auspices of UNESCO dedicated to research, training, and dissemination of culture on Water Security. Rather than a software product company, it offers a portfolio of services: (1) Specialized Research on water quality, ecohydrology, aquifer management, risk management, hydroinformatics, and water diplomacy; (2) Specialized Consulting for immediate and priority problems facing public and private institutions; (3) Training Programs via MOOCs on Coursera covering water security and smart hydro cities; (4) Publications including UNESCO materials and national water statistics as PDFs; and (5) the Premio Nacional Juvenil del Agua youth award program. The organization operates as a knowledge-sharing hub connecting academia, government, and civil society across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Specialized Water Security Research Specialized research across seven lines: water quality and wastewater treatment (reuse, circular economy); ecohydrology; sustainable aquifer management and artificial recharge; hydrometeorological risk management and early warning; hydroinformatics and decision-support modeling; interdisciplinary water-resources planning and diplomacy; and water-security education. Target audience: government agencies and academic partners across Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Specialized Consulting on Water Security Analysis of immediate-attention and priority water-security problems, plus consulting engagements for public and private institutions on water management topics. Target audience: federal, state, and municipal governments, water utilities, and academic institutions.
• MOOCs on Water Security and Smart Hydro Cities Self-paced online courses covering water security and smart hydro cities, offered via Coursera in partnership with UNAM. Target audience: water-sector professionals, scientists, engineers, decision-makers, communicators, and the general public worldwide.
• Water Security Publications Disseminated publications on water security including UNESCO materials, International Hydrology glossaries, national water statistics, national water plans, and academic resources available as downloadable PDFs. Target audience: researchers, students, policymakers, and the general public.
• Premio Nacional Juvenil del Agua 2026 National youth water award program for students aged 15–20 enrolled in secondary or high school education in Mexico, promoted through CERSHI's website.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2018UNESCO provides official auspices and recognition as a Category 2 Center under the International Hydrological Programme (IHP). The agreement was signed on April 17, 2018 between UNESCO and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, establishing CERSHI as part of the UNESCO Water Family. CERSHI contributes to implementing the IHP stage VIII objectives.
• Instituto de Ingeniería UNAM (IINGEN-UNAM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2018The Institute of Engineering of the National Autonomous University of Mexico is the most recognized engineering research center in Mexico. It signed the collaboration agreement on May 4, 2018 to establish CERSHI and provides research infrastructure, facilities at Ciudad Universitaria, and access to academic expertise.
• Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua (IMTA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2018The Mexican Institute of Water Technology signed the collaboration agreement on May 4, 2018 to establish CERSHI. IMTA is the national benchmark for water research and technological development, contributing expertise in knowledge creation, application, transfer, and human resource training.
• National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNAM is the host institution providing the physical location and administrative support for CERSHI operations at the Institute of Engineering campus.
• Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCONAGUA formally requested UNESCO's consideration of the proposal in July 2014 and continues as a key government partner in water sector initiatives.
• Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally requested UNESCO consideration of the proposal in July 2014 and signed the agreement on April 17, 2018.
• Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental ministry partner for water resource policy and environmental protection initiatives.
• Red del Agua UNAMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNAM Water Network is an associated institution providing coordination for water-related research and programs, including the Water Management, Use and Reuse Program (PUMAGUA).
• Network of UNESCO Water Centers - Latin America and CaribbeanmajorTechnology or IntegrationRegional network of centers specialized in water resources under UNESCO auspices, including cooperation with African centers (RCTWS, RCSARM, RCGRE, RC-IRBM, RCWH), Asian and European networks.
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional development bank partner for water sector financing and development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Agua CapitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil society organization partner in water issues, co-creator of the Smart Hydro Cities MOOC with UNAM and CERSHI.
• FEMSA Foundation (Centro del Agua para América Latina y el Caribe)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation providing sustainable water access and watershed conservation initiatives in Latin America through its Water Center.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• WaterAid: Major international NGO focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene access in developing countries. Comparable thematically as a water-security advocate and capacity-builder but operates via program delivery rather than research and UNESCO-convening.
• IRC WASH: International knowledge institution focused on WASH sector capacity development and systems strengthening. Comparable as a research-and-capacity-building organization in the water sector, though with a stronger WASH-service-delivery orientation than CERSHI's policy-research focus.

Direct peers

• Agua Capital: Mexican civil society organization focused on water security and co-creator of the Smart Hydro Cities MOOC with CERSHI and UNAM. Comparable as a domestic Mexican water-security organization with overlapping training, advocacy, and convening activities.
• Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua (IMTA): Mexico's national benchmark for water research and technology development, and a founding partner of CERSHI. Overlaps directly on water research, training, and technology transfer mandates in Mexico, making it the closest comparable organization in scope and geography.

Broad incumbents

• Global Water Partnership (GWP): An international network organization promoting integrated water resources management across regions. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder convening and capacity-building organization with regional arms in Latin America — overlapping with CERSHI's regional-network role.
• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI): An established international water policy and research organization that convenes World Water Week and produces policy research. Comparable as a policy-research-and-convening model operating at the water-security/development interface.
• International Water Management Institute (IWMI): A larger, globally established CGIAR-affiliated water research organization with a similar research-and-consulting model. Comparable because it operates at the intersection of hydrology, policy, and development — though at much greater scale and with broader geographic remit.
• IHE Delft Institute for Water Education: UNESCO-affiliated institute specializing in water education, capacity development, and applied research. Comparable as a sister UNESCO-category water institution focused on training professionals and producing research for developing-country water security.

Regional players

• FEMSA Foundation Water Center for Latin America and the Caribbean: Corporate philanthropy initiative focused on sustainable water access and watershed conservation in Latin America. Comparable because it operates in the same regional water-security space and is a direct partner of CERSHI, but is funded through private philanthropy rather than UNESCO auspices.
• Regional Centre for Training in Water and Sanitation (RCTWS): A UNESCO Category 2 Center based in Africa with an analogous mandate (water/sanitation training and capacity building). Comparable as a sister UNESCO regional water center, but operating in a different geography — useful as a structural benchmark for the CERSHI model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cershi-unesco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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