Synthetic biology and genetic engineering advances have led to new industrial applications and cheaper technologies, expanding commercial possibilities. Latin America has great potential for biotechnology market development. Mexican synthetic biology teams participating in competitions represent only a segment of the growing synthetic gene market need in Mexico and other developing countries. Establishing a synthetic biology enterprise in the region could capture the existing market and develop new opportunities in custom genes and proteins. Kuxtal BioTech is a new Mexican company of 16 biotechnology students that will provide genomic services and solutions to help develop the biotechnology market in Mexico and Latin America.

1. SUMMARY PRESENTATION
Current advances in Synthetic Biology and Genetic Engineering were achievable thanks to
the breakthroughs in the industrialization of biological sciences. By broadening the
spectrum of commercially available molecular biology reagents and equipment, new
techniques have been developed yielding in novel applications, products, and services for
both laboratory and industry. As more sophisticated and accurate technologies are
developed, they also become less expensive; this leads to an expansion of the industrial,
and therefore commercial possibilities. Fresh and emerging markets provide exceptional
niche opportunities; the exponential growth of scientific development in biological sciences
is currently pulling the global market as well.
Latin America is a region with great potential regarding market development and
expansion of biotechnological products and services. From 2007 onwards, iGEM has
hosted a total of 25 Mexican teams. The rate of participation has increased 60% per year.
This year there are 12 Mexican teams registered within all iGEM categories, representing
almost half of the total historic participation. The Mexican and Latin American teams
participating in the iGEM competition represent only a segment of a niche within the
synthetic gene market; in reality the market-share is much bigger. Private & public
research institutions, as well as companies and industries, develop services and products
that currently, or will eventually, require synthetic genes and optimized sequences. The
need for a company that efficiently provides such services, as well as other
biotechnological solutions to industrial processes, is increasing rapidly in Mexico and the
rest of the developing World as a consequence of the biological sciences paradigm shift.
Consolidating a Synthetic Biology enterprise that provides custom synthetically designed
and optimized genes, recombinant proteins, and specialized biotechnological solutions in
the region, would capture the existing market-share and at the same time would fuel the
development of a fresh new market that currently remains underexploited.
Integrated by sixteen undergraduate Biotechnology Engineering students with
specializations in molecular biology, bioprocesses, and business management, Kuxtal
Biotech is a Mexican company that will provide top-notch genomic technology services.
Team members are: Aldo A. Díaz Jiménez, Antonio Villarreal Larrauri, Israel Guerrero
Argüero, Jorge A. Vásquez Pratz, Nelson G. Cano Eusebio Rodrigo Machado, Mariana
Nieto De León, Laura C. Amaya Hernández, Cintli C. Morales Alcalá, David I. Maycotte
Cervantes, Daniela Noriega Sierra, Roberto Rosano Lara, Yunuen Zuñiga, Alicia G.
Quiróz, Cynthia Michelle Avilez and Alejandra M. Rojano Nisimura. Our team advisors are
MBA Cristian S. Nuñez, PhD Sonia Vázquez-Flores and M.Sc. Gerónimo Villanueva.

2. Kuxtal Biotech has identified the need for a company that supplies quality services with
both speed and an excelling customer support. The opportunities for business
development of genomic technologies in Mexico have been underrated. Kuxtal Biotech
intends to get a grip on the already existing market, and develop it, by supplying quality
products and services with on-time deliveries, validation, and technical assistance trough
all the research and project development process. Kuxtal Biotech will be dedicated to gene
synthesis for the development and scaling of new projects related to synthetic biology,
genetic engineering, as well as other biotechnological applications within México and the
Latin America.
While the market matures, Kuxtal Biotech will be positioned as the main provider of
biotechnological solutions in the region, expanding its core business from gene synthesis,
to a holistic biotechnological company that will serve as a platform to launch laboratory
research into the market, taking synthetic biology applications into the everyday life of
society.
The Kuxtal BioTech Group