San José, Costa Rica. June 4, 2026. With the Life Sciences Forum 2026, the fifth edition of the region’s most relevant strategic platform for the sector, Costa Rica is positioning itself as the epicenter of the life sciences industry in Latin America today.
Organized by CINDE in partnership with Health & Tech Prime Partners, a group that brings together life sciences and advanced manufacturing suppliers in Costa Rica, the event is held at the Costa Rica Convention Center and convenes executives, researchers, investors, academics, and suppliers from more than 200 companies across the global and Costa Rican MedTech ecosystem.
The event comes at a decisive moment for the industry. In 2025, Costa Rica’s medical device exports reached nearly US$11 billion, representing 48% of the country’s total goods exports. This marks the first time the sector has surpassed the US$10 billion threshold.
"What we're seeing is the result of three decades of sustained strategic decisions in talent development, investment attraction, and value chain sophistication. Today, the challenge is not only to continue growing in volume, but to lead the next transition toward frontiers of greater specialization, at a time when global supply chains are being reconfigured, and quality, innovation, and speed standards define who remains on the competitive map," commented Marianela Urgellés Batalla, Managing Director of CINDE.
The 2026 forum focuses on defining Costa Rica’s next frontier in life sciences: a more specialized industry that delivers greater added value, driven by artificial intelligence and automation. Featured keynote speakers include Mohammad Behnam, PhD, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company; Elia Suzette Lima-Walton, MD, PA, Senior Product Manager for Generative AI in Healthcare at Mayo Clinic; and Brian Díaz, Global Director of Operations – Strategic Manufacturing Initiatives at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Costa Rica is home to more than 100 multinational life sciences companies, including 18 of the world’s top 35 MedTech firms, among them Edwards Lifesciences, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, and Abbott.
Specialized Talent: The Competitive Advantage Sustaining the Ecosystem
The growth of Costa Rica’s life sciences sector depends on one factor that is difficult to replicate: its talent. Each year, the country trains biomedical, chemical, and industrial engineers, along with advanced manufacturing specialists, who move directly into operations at multinational companies in the sector. This connection between academia and industry is one of the pillars that distinguishes Costa Rica’s ecosystem.
"In the life sciences ecosystem, talent is the most difficult asset to replicate – and its development is a responsibility shared between academia and industry. At ULACIT, we train engineers to enter the sector with skills aligned with international standards, as well as with early mastery of technology and organizational leadership. Costa Rica’s ability to continue elevating its value proposition toward more complex operations depends on that preparation," stated Luis Güell, Dean of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering at ULACIT.
Logistics as a Strategic Link
As Costa Rica strengthens its role as a medical device export hub, logistics is facing even greater expectations. Every shipment exported must compete not only on cost, but also on transit times, regulatory compliance, and the ability to respond to an industry that operates under high and demanding standards.
"Over 25 years of operations in Costa Rica, we have seen how the country has become a strategic node for the life sciences industry, while also redefining the role of logistics in the region. Today, ensuring the integrity of each shipment requires temperature control, end-to-end visibility, and connectivity with key markets. At FedEx, we understand that the local supply chain must directly reflect the industry’s quality standards, and our operation is structured under that premise," said Basil Khalil, Vice President of Operations for FedEx in the Caribbean and Central America.
A Forum That Drives Investment Decisions
The 2026 agenda is built around three questions that will define the sector’s next decade: how to ensure the supply of medical devices in a changing trade environment; how much and how quickly artificial intelligence is transforming manufacturing and clinical practice; and where Latin America will stand on the MedTech investment map over the next decade. The program combines executive panels, technical sessions, and business networking opportunities among multinational companies, strategic suppliers, and academia.
The Health & Tech Prime Partners group is comprised of six strategic suppliers, including Enhanced Compliance Inc. (ECI), Grupo Vargas, Inventory and Distribution Services (IDS), Microbiología y Calidad Industrial (MCI), OPIA Operaciones e Ingeniería de Avanzada, and Electrotécnica, which all provide solutions to life sciences and advanced manufacturing companies throughout full project cycles.
About CINDE
CINDE is Costa Rica’s expert and strategic guide for investment, business development, and talent initiatives. With more than 44 years of experience working with multinational companies and acting as a key player in the country’s investment ecosystem, CINDE has developed dozens of initiatives to strengthen local talent as a key element of Costa Rica’s business climate, and has helped establish more than 450 multinational companies in the country.
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