Rising Leaders of Mexico

What Rising Leaders of Mexico does

Rising Leaders of Mexico (RLOM) is a Mexico City-based non-profit fellowship and accelerator ecosystem that supports social entrepreneurs building ventures addressing Mexico's structural challenges. Founded in 2020 as an outgrowth of the Watson Institute Fellowship (Boulder, Colorado), RLOM now supports 45+ ventures across 10 sectors including climate change, sustainability, education, mobility, economic inclusion, and human rights. The organization is led by Director Robin Luff and operates with a core team of 11-50 employees, extending its reach through affiliated programs such as Girl Up México, which spans 23 Mexican states.

RLOM's core product is a multi-sector cohort program that provides selected founders with mentorship, programmatic support, and access to an institutional network of partners including UNICEF, the UN Foundation, Intel, and the Google AI First Accelerator. The underlying platform is fundamentally a community and partnership layer rather than a technology product; however, the portfolio increasingly includes technology-enabled ventures such as kAI, an AI tool for WhatsApp business that holds a commercial agreement with Intel and was selected for Google's AI First Accelerator, and Erandi Aprende, an AI-powered learning platform. These ventures indicate a directional shift toward deeper product-building support, though RLOM does not develop proprietary technology itself.

RLOM's business model is that of a non-profit accelerator: revenue is generated through institutional grants, fellowship funding, and partner sponsorships rather than equity, fees, or product sales. Founders enter the program typically without taking dilution in RLOM itself, and the organization's value proposition to its members is access to mentorship, peer founders, and institutional partnerships that would be difficult to assemble independently. Distribution relies on the Watson Institute brand lineage, third-party validation (Forbes 30 Under 30, MIT recognition), and a growing alumni network across Mexico's impact-venture landscape.

Name

Rising Leaders of Mexico

Legal name

Rising Leaders of Mexico

Website

https://risingleadersofmexico.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rising Leaders of Mexico is a Mexico City-based non-profit fellowship and accelerator ecosystem that supports 45+ social ventures across 10 sectors, including climate, education, and economic inclusion, serving impact-driven founders throughout Mexico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Impact Accelerator

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Business Associations (813910), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Innovation Leadership & Leading Growth (EDABAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA), Organizational Culture & Values-Based Leadership (EDABAAAE)

Keywords

• Social entrepreneurship
• Impact accelerator
• Fellowship ecosystem
• Venture development
• Social innovation

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, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fellowship Program: Rising Leaders of Mexico is a fellowship-based ecosystem that supports social entrepreneurs through intensive programs. Revenue appears to be generated through partnerships with global accelerators like Watson Institute and organizational sponsors rather than direct product/service revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rising Leaders of Mexico is a fellowship and accelerator ecosystem that unites, empowers, and accelerates 45+ impact-driven social ventures across 10 key sectors in Mexico. Originating as a partner program of the Watson Institute's fellowship in Boulder, Colorado, RLOM provides social entrepreneurs with cross-sector networking, shared resources, peer support, and access to global accelerator connections. Girl Up México operates as a youth leadership sub-program within the ecosystem, running 86 active clubs across 23 Mexican states.

Product overview

Rising Leaders of Mexico is not a single product company but rather an ecosystem/accelerator supporting 45+ social impact ventures across 10 key sectors: Mobility, Sustainable Cities, Climate & Sustainability, Agriculture, Education, Human Rights/Diversity/Equity, Economic Inclusion, Sustainable Manufacturing, Community, and Tech Solutions. The portfolio includes ventures across diverse categories such as cleantech (Econova, WAS Company), AI-powered tools (kAI, Erandi Aprende), mobility technology (Muevetex, Yipi), circular economy platforms (SOCA Exchange, Rearvora), financial technology (Fassets, Monai), STEM education (PhET, Hipocampus), sustainable food systems (ON MIND, Epona Mexico), ethical fashion (Amor & Rosas, Agamarga), and social impact organizations (Girl Up México, Yes She Can). Each venture operates independently while benefiting from shared resources, mentorship, and the Rising Leaders of Mexico collaborative ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rising Leaders of Mexico Fellowship
• Girl Up México

Quantifiable outcome

• 45+ ventures supported across 10 sectors in Mexico
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Watson Institute FellowshipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Samuel Meschoulam (Axya) received Watson Institute Fellowship in 2025.
• Google AI First AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025kAI was selected by Google for the AI First Accelerator in Latin America to enhance its AI model.
• Hult PrizecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Adolfo Vidal (CeluNova) was Global Finalist at Hult Prize in London 2025.
• Y4C UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Adolfo Vidal won Y4C, a UNDP initiative in Brazil in 2025.
• Nasdaq Entrepreneurial CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025CeluNova was recognized by Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center in 2025.
• Watson Institute FellowshipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024José Manuel Reyes (SOCA Exchange) was selected for Watson Institute Fellowship in 2024.
• Intel CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024kAI is the first Latin American startup with a commercial agreement with Intel Corporation, participating in Intel Innovation 2024.
• BeVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz FellowshipflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Edgar Hernandez Moto (ON MIND) was a BeVisioneers Fellow and Grant winner in 2024. Also Mercedes-Benz Fellowship for multiple RLOM entrepreneurs.
• CATAL1.5TcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Karime Guillen (Rearvora) was CATAL1.5T Pre-Accelerator participant and Mujeres de Cambio recognition recipient.
• The Climate Reality Tour LATAMminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Karime Guillen participated in Climate Reality Tour LATAM 2025.
• Global Shapers Hub Mexico CitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Karime Guillen serves as Curator of Global Shapers Mexico City Hub.
• Solar Impulse FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Walter Mata (WAS Company) is a member of the Solar Impulse Foundation for sustainable solutions.
• MIT Design the X AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Edgar Hernandez Moto won MIT Design the X Accelerator in 2023.
• Entrepreneurs Organization (EO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Adolfo Vidal was ranked Top 6 Entrepreneur Worldwide by EO in 2023.
• Watson InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner45 independent ventures were selected for the intensive Rising Leaders of Mexico Fellowship at the Watson Institute—a globally recognized social impact accelerator in Boulder, Colorado. Watson Institute provided the foundational fellowship program that launched RLOM's ecosystem.
• UNICEF MéxicoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGirl Up México, part of the RLOM ecosystem, has strategic partnerships with UNICEF México for youth leadership development programs.
• UN FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGirl Up México maintains strategic partnership with UN Foundation for global youth empowerment initiatives.
• Mercado LibreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting Girl Up México's technology and entrepreneurship initiatives.
• National GeographicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting Girl Up México's exploration and education programs.
• Wester-Welle FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting kAI's international development initiatives.
• Halcyon IncubatorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiroslava Rodríguez (Erandi Aprende) received Halcyon Incubator Fellowship in 2022.
• MIT SolvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErandi Aprende was MIT Solve Global Learning Challenge Finalist in 2024.
• One Young WorldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiroslava Rodríguez is a One Young World Ambassador since 2022.
• Nasdaq Milestone MakerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErandi Aprende participated in Nasdaq Milestone Makers Program in 2024.
• IKEA AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHipocampus participated in IKEA Accelerator program.
• MIT Innovators Under 35 LATAMflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalter Mata received MIT Innovators Under 35 LATAM 2022 Award and was Inventor of the Year.
• Google for StartupscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuz Sánchez (CheckIn) participated in Google for Startups Program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ashoka: Global fellowship network for leading social entrepreneurs, with strong LATAM presence. Directly comparable model of selecting, funding, and convening impact founders across sectors and geographies.
• Echoing Green: Fellowship program that identifies and supports early-career social entrepreneurs with seed funding and leadership development. Comparable fellow-driven, multi-sector impact entrepreneurship focus.
• Acumen Latin America: Impact investment and talent organization that supports social enterprises in LATAM. Already a partner of RLOM ventures (Hipocampus) and competes for the same impact-founder pipeline in Mexico and the region.
• New Ventures Mexico: Leading Mexican accelerator and venture development organization supporting high-impact startups. Operates the same Mexico-based impact entrepreneurship support model with similar sector breadth.
• One Young World: Global forum and ambassador network for young leaders; an RLOM entrepreneur is an OYW Ambassador. Comparable in identifying and connecting high-potential young leaders across geographies and causes.
• Unreasonable Group: Global fellowship and venture platform supporting entrepreneurs tackling grand challenges. Comparable in running multi-cohort impact entrepreneur fellowship programs with cross-sector reach.
• Watson Institute: The founding fellowship organization that originated RLOM; runs the Boulder-based social-impact accelerator program from which RLOM's ecosystem grew. Operates the same fellowship/accelerator model for impact entrepreneurs.
• Halcyon: Washington DC-based social enterprise incubator providing fellowship programs to impact entrepreneurs globally. Operates a comparable cohort-based fellowship model with similar partner ecosystems.
• Impact Hub Mexico: Part of the global Impact Hub network of innovation spaces and accelerators focused on social entrepreneurs. Operates in Mexico City with a comparable community/fellowship-based impact entrepreneur model.
• Global Shapers (World Economic Forum): An initiative of the WEF that creates local hubs of young leaders driving social impact; RLOM partner Karime Guillen is Curator of the Mexico City hub. Operates a similar hub-based, youth-led impact leadership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rising-leaders-of-mexico

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rising Leaders of Mexico