At the heart of the Americas, flanked by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, is an incredible area of rainforests, beaches and wildlife. Welcome to Costa Rica, home to over 5% of the planet’s biodiversity and one of the world’s five blue zones – rare regions where the population lives much longer than average.

Costa Rica is fully aware of how precious its natural resources are, yet the nation is rich in another resource – its people. Highly educated and talented, their shared love for the natural environment means that development and sustainability go hand in hand; it sets an example to the world. In fact, the population could be described as a force of nature in its own right and the close collaboration between companies, academia and the government is propelling this small nation to new heights.

Growth and modernisation puts pressure on any country’s natural resources, however there is one amazing fact about Costa Rica: for two years in a row it has generated over 99% of its electricity from renewable sources, steering away from fossil fuels at a higher pace than other nations.

This Latin American nation has been governed in peace for almost 200 years. It has a solid, long-standing democracy and regards health, education and the pursuit of self-development as the cornerstones of happiness. Indeed, healthcare and education form the basis of a successful economic model, which Costa Rica has been taking advantage of for several years now – allocating almost 10% and 8% of GDP respectively to these two areas.

Recognising the value of excellence

An outstanding talent pool is driving Costa Rica forward and is already pioneering the next generation of customer-centric solutions. It’s an open-minded approach to commerce that embraces, and welcomes opportunities. Companies have already started tapping into the innovation potential of Costa Rica’s biodiversity, and discovered a reliable partner for business scaling and establishing successful testing labs. Costa Rica attracts those who recognise the value of excellence and are committed to sustainability.

More than 300 multinational companies have a base in Costa Rica, a track record which speaks for itself. Its state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure, skilled talent pool and competitive economic climate sets it apart, enabling industry leaders to export quality to the world.

To name but a few of Costa Rica’s success stories, fast-growing biotech startup Speratum aims to develop a nanotechnology to prevent pancreatic cancer and reduce metastasis. Over the past two years Speratum’s team has completed a variety of pre-clinical studies to validate the efficacy and safety of cancer treatment. Speratum is already expanding with a laboratory in Rotterdam Science Tower, in the Netherlands, where they recently won first place as the most innovative company in the country.

Collaborations across different industries are proving fruitful. Renewable energy startup, Sibo Energy, has helped aerospace technology company Ad Astra Rocket Company operate 100% on solar power. Intel has collaborated with a medical device startup, Establishment Labs, to develop microchips embedded on a patient’s breast implants, which monitors the individual’s health and the implant’s success.

Costa Rica has much to offer to those wishing to buy, invest, produce and develop. Time and time again the country has demonstrated its human and technological capacity to achieve social and economic development. Defined by its precious natural resources Costa Rica can inspire the world to new heights in research and development, enterprise and knowledge.

Further information
www.cinde.org/en