Mexico is aiming to increase its semiconductor production capabilities 25-fold in the next three years, Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard announced on June 9.

Speaking ahead of a second round of formal trade negotiations with Washington, Ebrard said semiconductor manufacturing was central to the new trade environment Mexico is negotiating with the United States amid rising tariffs, heightened protectionism under the Trump administration and a looming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Ebrard made the announcement at VC Day 2026, an event organised in Mexico City by the Mexican Private Equity Association (Amexcap), where investors announced $1.6bn in funding for Mexican startups in 2025 and a further $525mn in the first quarter of 2026. 

"It's going to be very complicated to keep bringing all the semiconductors from Asia. Very expensive, complex, and difficult," Ebrard said.

The secretary said the US strategic objective is for semiconductors, critical components for both electromobility and artificial intelligence, to be manufactured within North America. He said that Mexico already participates in the sector, but not yet at the scale the new market will demand. 

Ebrard clarified that not all components of this industry will be manufactured in Mexican territory, as the United States will maintain a significant part of the production.

"Of the percentage that will decrease (due to less dependence on Asia), what part do we want to keep?" Ebrard said. "That means multiplying what we do today in semiconductors by about 25 times in three years."

Ebrard also pointed to Mexico's relative tariff advantage over rival exporters to the US, which he said helps explain why Mexican exports to the US have continued to rise despite broader trade uncertainty. He said Mexico's goal in the negotiations is to preserve that "better relative position" against other competitors.

Ebrard said he anticipated sweeping changes in the pharmaceutical sector. He noted that the US pharmaceutical market is valued at $1.4 trillion, while Mexico currently exports just $1.6bn in that category. Both countries maintain a heavy reliance on Asia for active pharmaceutical ingredients, a dependence he said Washington is now seeking to reduce. He said Mexican pharmaceutical exports "will multiply several times."

The secretary added that important developments are also set to be unveiled in sectors like electronics, medical devices, electric motors and more.