The business traveller

Practising international networking: We present individuals who symbolise Germany’s partnerships around the world. Global challenges can only be overcome by working together. 

When Myrhge Spross returned after a stay in Germany in 2019, she took a new idea back home with her. An idea that involved creating “clusters”. At the time, the idea that firms could form such networks to engage in exchange and pool their strengths in order to achieve a better position on the market was not widely known in Mexico. Spross learnt more about the concept during the course of numerous discussions with business representatives from the Stuttgart area. As a participant in the programme ”Partnering in Business with Germany”, she spent four weeks in Germany in 2019, alongside more than 20 other entrepreneurs from Mexico.

“Partnering in Business with Germany” is a programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). It brings small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from 17 developing and emerging countries together with German firms. More than 17,000 international managers from different sectors have taken part in the programme since 1998, a number that increases by around 1,000 each year. Every year, some 3,000 German companies take part. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) runs the programme, which is then implemented directly at the local level by further training providers in different regions of Germany.

In the case of Myrhge Spross, this local provider was the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) Stuttgart. It arranged for Spross, who has a PhD in law and has already founded a number of companies in Mexico, to meet representatives of technology firms from the local region for talks. “At these meetings I learnt a lot about how to do business with Germany. And I heard about the cluster initiatives that exist in the Stuttgart region. That was a real light-bulb moment for me, as I wasn’t familiar with this form of cooperation from Mexico.” She said that she was grateful for her time in Germany. “It completely changed my way of thinking and of doing business.”

Back in Mexico, Spross, whose grandfather was from Germany, founded the “Airspace Cluster Edo Mex” in which various aviation companies joined forces. She hopes this will also enable her to access the German market. “That’s my main objective. Germany is the most important EU trading partner for Mexico and the third most important worldwide after the US and China.” Spross, the go-getting entrepreneur, already has another new idea: to export Mexican superfoods to Germany.

Benefiting both sides

Myrhge Spross’ group was the first to come from Mexico to Stuttgart, explains Nahida Amado from the IHK, who looked after the entrepreneurs at the time - and has since been responsible for many others, also from other countries. Over the years, a number of concrete business ventures have been initiated, says Amado. Taking part in the programme also benefits the German companies, she adds, explaining that they often gain access as a result to countries that have not yet been tapped by German SMEs. The direct contacts help them minimise risks and enter the market more easily.

Myrhge Spross, who has an MBA in addition to her doctorate in law, will soon be travelling to Germany again - this time with her son, who is beginning a university degree there. Her ties with Germany - on both a business and a personal level - will remain close, Myrhge Spross is sure.