Querétaro, known for its thriving manufacturing industry, is becoming an epicenter of Mexico’s digital economy , as data centers for technology giants such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) , Google , and Microsoft have decided to establish themselves in this state .
In an interview with T21 , Carlos Salgado , Undersecretary of Information Technology for the Querétaro government, stressed that as part of this transformation, the state has 12 other companies that operate multiple data centers , positioning the entity as one of the main hubs outside the United States and Canada, comparable only to cities like Santiago, Chile, and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“This is creating a very interesting industry around data centers, and our universities are developing graduates in that industry,” he emphasized.
The rise of various digital services, the use of virtual tools, as well as data processing and storage, driven by nearshoring (relocation of production lines), has increased the demand for data centers in Mexico , which is why it is projected to build 73 facilities of this type by 2029, according to estimates by the Mexican Association of Data Centers (MEXDC) .
The state official emphasized that educational institutions are adapting their programs to train professionals in key areas such as programming, data analysis, big data, and cybersecurity, to respond to the needs of a rapidly evolving market. To accelerate this training, a program has been launched in collaboration with the European Union.
“We are launching a new program through the European Union to accelerate this training, because universities sometimes take a long time to adapt their programs,” Salgado explained.
This effort seeks to generate specific technical skills that support not only the technology industry but also sectors such as aerospace and automotive.
Querétaro’s geographic location is part of the state’s success in attracting technology sector investment in recent years. It is centrally located and has connections to Mexico City, Guadalajara, León, and Aguascalientes, benefiting from its position as a strategic logistics hub.
This advantage facilitates both connectivity for data centers and the development of other industries, since in addition to technology, Querétaro stands out in industries such as the automotive industry, with several companies supplying auto parts, and the aerospace industry, with firms such as Bombardier , Safran , and Embraer .
A distinctive element is that “I believe we are the only state that has an aeronautical university within the airport,” he emphasized, while pointing out that they are seeking certification as the first air terminal “with a spaceport license from which suborbital flights can take off.”
The state government invests heavily in an ecosystem of innovation and technological development, which has made Querétaro an attractive destination for foreign investment, attracting capital from countries such as Germany, Korea, Spain, Canada, and the United States.
To diversify its economy and reduce dependence on tariff-laden industries, Querétaro is promoting entrepreneurship and startups in services and technology.
According to Mexico’s Ministry of Economy , Amazon will invest five billion dollars in Querétaro to develop a digital data center region.
This amount will represent a contribution of $10 billion to Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the next 15 years, starting in 2025, and the creation of more than 7,000 jobs annually.
At the national level, according to a report by the consulting firm Mordor Intelligence , the data center market in Mexico is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 10.5% between 2021 and 2026, reaching a value of $1.5 billion .
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