Por Israel Pantaleón
March 12, 2026
The startup ecosystem in Costa Rica has gained prominence in Central America thanks to the growth of tech talent, the presence of global companies, and the development of an increasingly robust entrepreneurial culture, according to Costa Rica’s Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology, and Telecommunications, Paula Bogantes Zamora.
In recent years, the Central American nation has fostered a favorable environment for innovation and the creation of startups. This process has enabled new technology projects to find growth opportunities both within and outside the local market.
The dynamism of Costa Rica’s entrepreneurial ecosystem also reflects the interest of professionals seeking to transform innovative ideas into scalable businesses. A sign of this is that engineers, developers, and technology specialists are actively involved in creating startups that offer digital solutions across various sectors.
“This trend is driving a new generation of companies that are betting on technology as an engine of economic development,” the Costa Rican official noted in an interview with Contxto.
Despite this progress, Costa Rica’s startup ecosystem faces structural challenges that limit its growth. One of the most significant relates to the low level of investment in research, development, and innovation. While member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development allocate an average of about 2.7% of their Gross Domestic Product to these areas, Costa Rica invests less than 0.3%. This disparity reduces the country’s ability to strengthen its technological competitiveness.
Limited investment in innovation also impacts the creation of new technology companies. Entrepreneurs need greater access to financial resources, technological infrastructure, and business development programs that enable them to transform ideas into market solutions. Without these elements, many startups face difficulties in establishing themselves or scaling their operations.
Access to financing remains one of the main challenges for entrepreneurs. The traditional financial system requires collateral that many startups cannot provide during their early stages. This situation limits the growth of innovative projects and reduces opportunities for new technology ventures
In the latest GEM report, the Central American country ranks 17th out of 19 in terms of business financing, while it ranks 16th in ease of access to credit for businesses.
“It is key to promote a culture that values experimentation and learning from mistakes. With these measures, Costa Rica’s startup ecosystem could consolidate its regional leadership and strengthen its role as a driver of innovation in Central America,” the Minister noted.
Despite these challenges, Costa Rica has a strategic advantage that drives the ecosystem’s development. The presence of technology multinationals such as Intel, Microsoft, and HP has contributed to the development of highly specialized talent in engineering, software development, and technology.
An example of this is that in 2023, Intel announced it would invest approximately US$1.2 billion in Costa Rica over the next two years to upgrade the infrastructure and technical and engineering skills of its operations in the country.
The Costa Rican official explains that this corporate environment has allowed many professionals to gain international experience before launching their own entrepreneurial projects.
“Many of these professionals decide to create startups after working at global companies. The experience gained in technological processes, project management, and innovation development strengthens the capabilities of the local ecosystem. This knowledge transfer generates a virtuous cycle that drives the creation of new technology-based companies,” said Bogates Zamora.
Costa Rican startups focus primarily on technology projects, with one of the most significant areas being agrotechnology, or AgTech, which leverages the country’s agricultural heritage to develop digital tools aimed at improving productivity.
“Many startups are working on solutions based on sensors, artificial intelligence, and drones to optimize crops such as coffee,” explained the Minister.
In addition to the agricultural sector, the ecosystem is growing in areas such as digital health, creative industries, video games, and software development. These industries combine creativity with technology, opening new opportunities to compete in international markets.
“Costa Rican talent has demonstrated a great capacity to develop innovative products with global reach,” highlighted Bogates Zamora.
The Costa Rican government is also involved in strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem through public policies focused on innovation. The Ministry promotes programs aimed at facilitating the development of technology projects and expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs. Among these initiatives, the innovation labs operating in different regions of the country stand out, explained Bogantes Zamora.
These spaces are equipped with technological tools such as drones, 3D printers, and virtual reality systems that allow entrepreneurs to experiment with new solutions. Additionally, the labs aim to democratize access to innovation, especially in communities far from the metropolitan area. This strategy seeks to integrate more regions into the country’s technological development.
“The ecosystem is also strengthened thanks to collaboration between public universities, the private sector, and the government. Academic institutions participate in training specialized talent and developing applied research projects. This model of cooperation generates knowledge that is subsequently transformed into business solutions,” said the Minister.
