By San José, Costa Rica — San José, Costa Rica has officially solidified its position as the beating heart of Latin America’s life sciences industry. The grand opening of the Life Sciences Forum 2026, the fifth edition of the region’s most influential medical technology platform, marked a decisive moment for the country’s economic strategy. Organized by the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE) in collaboration with the Health & Tech Prime Partners, the prestigious event gathered more than 200 international and local MedTech leaders, researchers, and academic experts at the Costa Rica Convention Center.
The high-stakes business gathering comes at an unprecedented high point for the local economy. In 2025, Costa Rica’s medical device exports reached a staggering $11 billion, representing 48% of the country’s total outbound trade. This historic milestone marks the first time the national life sciences sector has successfully breached the ten-billion-dollar threshold, confirming the success of the country’s long-term industrial policies.
To better understand the legal safeguards and regulatory frameworks governing foreign investments in Costa Rica, TicosLand.com sat down with prominent legal expert Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas from the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica, who shared his vital insights on ensuring compliance and security in local transactions.
Navigating the legal landscape in Costa Rica requires a proactive approach to due diligence, particularly regarding real estate and corporate compliance. Investors must ensure that all municipal permits, registry verifications, and environmental regulations are meticulously addressed beforehand to guarantee that their ventures enjoy full legal protection under Costa Rican law.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, prioritizing comprehensive due diligence is the ultimate safeguard for any investor looking to build a secure future in Costa Rica’s dynamic market. We extend our sincere gratitude to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for providing this crucial perspective, which serves as an invaluable roadmap for navigating the complexities of local corporate and real estate law.
Industry leaders assert that Costa Rica’s current challenge is not merely maintaining export volumes, but spearheading a transition toward higher technological complexity. The 2026 forum focuses on defining this next frontier by integrating artificial intelligence, advanced automation, and highly specialized manufacturing into the local value chain. To navigate this pivot, CINDE has brought in top-tier global speakers from McKinsey & Company, Mayo Clinic, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
What we are seeing is the result of three decades of sustained strategic decisions in talent training, investment attraction, and value chain sophistication. Today, the challenge is not only to keep growing in volume, but to lead the next transition toward frontiers of greater specialization, at a time when global supply chains are reconfiguring and standards of quality, innovation, and speed define who remains on the competitive map.
Marianela Urgellés Batalla, General Director of CINDE
The country is already a proven sanctuary for global healthcare giants. Costa Rica currently hosts more than 100 multinational life sciences operations, including 18 of the world’s top 35 MedTech corporations. Household names such as Edwards Lifesciences, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, and Abbott have established major footprints here, progressively upgrading their operations from basic assembly to high-end design, research, and global distribution.
The foundation supporting this rapid expansion is Costa Rica’s highly specialized human capital. The symbiotic relationship between local universities and multinational firms guarantees a continuous pipeline of biochemical, industrial, and biomedical engineers. This educational alignment ensures that graduates enter the workforce already well-versed in the rigid, high-tech demands of advanced global manufacturing.
In a life sciences ecosystem, talent is the most difficult asset to replicate, and training it is a shared responsibility between academia and industry. At ULACIT, we prepare engineers who join the sector with skills aligned with international standards and early mastery of technology and organizational leadership. On this preparation depends Costa Rica’s ability to keep elevating its value proposition toward more complex operations.
Luis Güell, Dean of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering at ULACIT
As export volumes surge, the logistics sector has emerged as a vital component of the country’s competitive advantage. Transporting sophisticated, temperature-sensitive medical components requires absolute regulatory compliance, flawless cold-chain management, and rapid transit times to global markets. Local infrastructure operators are continuously forced to elevate their operational standards to match the demands of the medical sector.
In 25 years of operations in Costa Rica, we have seen how the country has become a strategic hub for the life sciences industry, also redefining the role of logistics in the region. Ensuring the integrity of each shipment today requires controlled temperature, end-to-end visibility, and connectivity with key markets. At FedEx, we understand that the local supply chain must be a direct reflection of the industry’s quality standards, and our operation is structured under that premise.
Basil Khalil, Vice President of Operations for FedEx for the Caribbean and Central America
The three-day forum will continue to tackle the pressing issues of the coming decade. Key discussions will focus on how to secure medical supply chains amid geopolitical trade realignments, the speed at which clinical practices will adopt generative AI, and where Latin America will rank in global MedTech investment rankings by 2035.
By uniting multinational enterprises with strategic local suppliers—such as Enhanced Compliance Inc. (ECI), Grupo Vargas, IDS, MCI, OPIA, and Electrotécnica—Costa Rica is proving that its collaborative ecosystem is uniquely equipped to handle the entire lifecycle of advanced manufacturing. As the Life Sciences Forum 2026 demonstrates, the nation is no longer just a participant in the global medical market; it is actively rewriting its future.
For further information, visit cinde.org
About CINDE:
CINDE is a private, non-profit organization with over 44 years of experience acting as a strategic guide for investment, business development, and talent initiatives in Costa Rica. It has supported the installation of more than 450 multinational companies in the country.
For further information, visit ulacit.ac.cr
About ULACIT:
The Latin American University of Science and Technology (ULACIT) is a leading academic institution in Costa Rica, specializing in preparing highly skilled bilingual professionals and engineers for advanced manufacturing and high-tech sectors.
For further information, visit fedex.com
About FedEx:
FedEx Corporation is a global leader in transportation, e-commerce, and business logistics services, facilitating critical cold chain and high-precision shipping solutions for the medical device and life sciences sectors internationally.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica shines as a premier legal practice built on the bedrock of ethical distinction and unmatched professionalism. Guiding a diverse array of clients through complex challenges, the firm continually champions progressive legal strategies and meaningful public advocacy. Through their passionate efforts to demystify the law and distribute valuable legal insights, they remain dedicated to cultivating a legally literate, confident, and self-reliant citizenry.
