With unprecedented growth in space, participation and reach, the twelfth edition of Business Factory 2026 , organized by GS1 Mexico , was inaugurated as the largest edition in its history, consolidating itself as a platform for linking small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large commercial chains in the region.
During the opening ceremony, Juan Carlos Molina , CEO of GS1 Mexico, highlighted the evolution of the event in recent years, going from a space of just 200 square meters to a venue of more than seven thousand square meters , with the participation of 42 commercial chains and thousands of companies.
“Today we are receiving between three and four thousand SMEs participating in business meetings so that their products have a real opportunity in retail,” he stated.
The executive emphasized that this edition reflects the transformation of commerce towards an omnichannel and unified environment, where physical stores, marketplaces and new forms of digital sales such as social networks coexist.
For his part, Jorge Garces, president of GS1 Mexico, described the event as ” the cradle of entrepreneurial dreams ,” bringing together small and medium-sized manufacturers with large buyers in an environment that facilitates market access.
“Each microenterprise represents a family’s dream. Fábrica de Negocios seeks to turn those dreams into commercial realities,” he said.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the event already transcends borders, with the participation of international companies, which positions this platform as a bridge to new markets.
Santiago Nieto Castillo , director general of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) , contextualized the event within a global environment marked by trade tensions and protectionist trends, particularly in the United States.
Given this scenario, he stressed the importance of strengthening innovation and industrial property as drivers of economic growth.
“SMEs generate around 35% of innovation in Mexico, and we must increase that percentage by protecting intellectual property,” he noted.
He also highlighted recent actions such as operations against piracy and regulatory advances to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in the country.
From the Ministry of Economy , Andrea Genoveva Solano Rendón , Head of the Regulations, Competitiveness and Competition Unit, emphasized that spaces like Business Factory are key to boosting business competitiveness.
“This meeting strengthens the integration of companies into broader value chains and fosters their development based on quality, innovation and digitalization,” he explained.
He also announced that the government is working on new regulations for e-commerce, with the aim of creating clearer conditions for both consumers and businesses.
Records and ecosystem expansion
In a press conference, the organizers reported that this edition broke all records with nine thousand registrations, around four thousand five hundred business appointments, participation of 42 commercial chains, and presence of international companies.
Furthermore, it was highlighted that GS1 Mexico, as a non-profit organization, seeks to promote the professionalization of SMEs, from the adoption of barcodes to their integration into formal marketing chains.
One of the central themes of the event is the adoption of new technologies, such as 2D codes , which will allow for providing more information to the consumer and improving product traceability.
Digital tools, training, and mentoring are also being promoted so that SMEs can compete on equal terms with large manufacturers.
With more than a decade of evolution, Fábrica de Negocios positions itself as a space where innovation, training and real business opportunities converge.
“We turn ideas into sales, talent into results, and vision into growth,” Molina summarized.
In an increasingly complex economic environment, the event reaffirms its role as a catalyst for business development in Mexico, encouraging SMEs to conquer both the national and international markets.
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