Life Sciences Sector

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If you’re thinking about investing in Costa Rica, we’re here to help you! CINDE has attracted over 330 high-tech companies for more than 35 years. Your company can become our next success story, and it all starts with one click!

Life Sciences Sector executives:

  • Erick Mora
    Erick Mora
    Sector lead
  • Jimena Pérez
    Jimena Pérez
    Sector Specialist
Invest with Purpose
Smart Manufacturing

Life Sciences

Leading patient-centered solutions
in the era of connected care

PLAY VIDEO

The future of health
is here: from e-health
to automation

Costa Rica hosts a robust ecosystem for the life sciences industry with +90 Medtech multinationals that design and produce solutions that save lives around the world. These companies face the challenge of constant reconversion due to the industry’s accelerated global transformation, where IoT, e-health, automation, and new materials will mark the coming trend.

Home of 13 of the top 20 OEMs, and 16 top technology leaders, Costa Rica is your natural choice for medical devices, pharma, and biotech.

#1
Export
product

Medical Devices is the #1 export product of Costa Rica

COVID
business impact

Resilience: Effective COVID-19 response strategy led to minimum business impact.

$5.2B
Medtech Export

Medtech exports are $5.2 billion, with a 33% growth compared to 2020 exports

10
Medtech companies

10 MedTech companies carrying out R&D processes in CR

58%
growth per employee

Increased productivity: 58% growth of average output per employee since 1999

#1
Medical Devices company

#1 Medical Devices worldwide company operating in Costa Rica: Medtronic

2/3
of world's GDP

Ideal nearshoring option: preferential access to 61%% of world’s GDP through free trade agreements including USA, EU, China, South Korea and Singapore

#1
Competitive City

San Jose-Heredia Metro Area: #1 Most Competitive City in LATAM for Life Sciences (Site Selection, 2018)

12
of top 30 Global Medtech OEM companies

12 of the top 30 Global Medtech OEM companies have established manufacturing operations in 18 different subsectors

#3
exporter of high-technology in LATAM

#3 exporter of high-technology in LATAM (as % of manufactured exports) - World Bank, 2020

43k
employees

Nearly 43,000 employees in 2021 in Life Sciences Sector

6,4%
of exports

Pharmaceuticals & chemicals represented 6,4% of exports in 2020

99%
renewable energy

99% electric grid from renewables: and several facilities are certified LEED or Edge.

27
Pharma companies

27 Pharmaceutical companies operating in Costa Rica

Life Sciences conections
Explore Ecosystem »

Applications in the

Life Sciences Sector

Researcher using MedTech equipment in Costa Rica Life Sciences
Pharma
Biotech

Strength

in numbers

0

companies in the Life Sciences sector in Costa Rica

EXPLORE FULL LIST OF COMPANIES

92 currently active companies in this sector

Advisory Services
  • MicroPort Orthopedics

    2013
Aesthetics
  • AbbVie

    1999
  • Establishment Labs

    2015
Agroindustry
  • Agrosustentable

    1995
Assemblies and Sub-assemblies
  • Abbott Vascular

    2010
  • Advant Medical

    2018
  • Apollo Endosurgery

    2014
  • Applied Medical Precision

    2012
  • ATL Technology

    2013
  • Baxter Healthcare

    1987
  • Bayer Medical

    2012
  • Biomerics CRI

    2013
  • Biomerics NLE

    2020
  • Boston Scientific

    2004
  • Cardinal Health

    2017
  • Cirtec Medical

    2020
  • Confluent Medical

    2010
  • CooperMedical (Former CooperSurgical)

    2017
  • Creganna Medical

    2008
  • DeRoyal

    2002
  • Edwards Lifesciences

    2016
  • Freudenberg Medical

    2019
  • Heraeus Medical Components

    2016
  • Hologic

    2004
  • Horizons Intl.

    2005
  • ICU Medical

    1999
  • Itek

    2016
  • Micro Technologies

    1999
  • MicroVention a Terumo Co.

    2011
  • Moog Medical

    2009
  • Oberg Industries

    2002
  • Philips

    2010
  • Precision Concepts Medical

    1991
  • SMC Ltd

    2011
  • Smith & Nephew

    2002
  • TE Connectivity (TE Medical Co.)

    2013
  • TEGRA Medical

    2010
  • Theragenics

    2014
  • Utitec Medical

    2005
  • Viant Medical

    2004
Business Intelligence
  • Covance Clinical Development

    2017
  • Glaxo Smith Kline

    1990
  • GSK Glaxo Smith Kline Costa Rica

    2013
  • Merck (MSD)

    2017
  • Procter & Gamble

    1999
Cardiovascular/Vascular
  • Abbott Vascular

    2010
  • Boston Scientific

    2004
  • Cardinal Health

    2017
  • Edwards Lifesciences

    2016
  • Philips

    2010
  • Theragenics

    2014
Contract Manufacturers
  • ADMEDES

    2020
  • Advant Medical

    2018
  • Biomerics CRI

    2013
  • Confluent Medical

    2010
  • Creganna Medical

    2008
  • Itek

    2016
  • Micro Technologies

    1999
  • Precision Concepts Medical

    1991
  • SMC Ltd

    2011
  • TE Connectivity (TE Medical Co.)

    2013
  • TEGRA Medical

    2010
  • Viant Medical

    2004
Customer Service/Care (via phone, e-mail & chat)
  • Align Technologies Global Park

    2001
  • Align Technology

    2001
  • Baxter Healthcare

    1987
  • ICU Medical

    1999
  • Roche

    1985
  • Roche Services Americas

    2016
  • Smile Direct

    2016
  • TE Connectivity (TE Medical Co.)

    2013
Dental Systems
  • Align Technologies Global Park

    2001
  • Align Technology

    2001
  • Byte

    2020
  • Implant Concierge

    2018
  • Smile Direct

    2016
  • Smith Sterling

    1994
  • Viax Dental Lab

    2014
Electronic Components
  • NACS

    2020
Endoscopy
  • Apollo Endosurgery

    2014
  • Boston Scientific

    2004
  • Horizons Intl.

    2005
Engineering & Design
  • Align Technologies Global Park

    2001
  • Align Technology

    2001
  • ATL Technology

    2013
  • Confluent Medical

    2010
  • Creganna Medical

    2008
  • International Precision Molds

    2006
  • MicroPort Orthopedics

    2013
  • Micro Technologies

    1999
  • Moog Medical

    2009
  • NACS

    2020
  • OraMetrix (Dentsply Sirona)

    2019
  • Precision Concepts Medical

    1991
  • SMC Ltd

    2011
  • Smile Direct

    2016
  • TE Connectivity (TE Medical Co.)

    2013
  • TEGRA Medical

    2010
  • Viant Medical

    2004
  • Wright Medical

    2010
Finance & Accounting
  • Align Technologies Global Park

    2001
  • Align Technology

    2001
  • Aspen Pharma

    2014
  • AstraZeneca

    2017
  • Baxter Healthcare

    1987
  • Glaxo Smith Kline

    1990
  • GSK Glaxo Smith Kline Costa Rica

    2013
  • Hologic

    2004
  • ICU Medical

    1999
  • Lonza

    2017
  • Merck (MSD)

    2017
  • MicroPort Orthopedics

    2013
  • Pfizer

    2013
  • Procter & Gamble

    1999
  • Roche

    1985
  • Roche Services Americas

    2016
  • TE Connectivity (TE Medical Co.)

    2013
  • Thermo Fischer Scientific Coyol

    2018
  • Thermo Fischer Scientific Flexipark

    2011
  • Thermo Fisher Scientific Ultra

    2016
Food Processing
  • Jiang Huai

    2017
Human Resources
  • ICU Medical

    1999
  • Lonza

    2017
  • Pfizer

    2013
  • Roche

    1985
  • Roche Services Americas

    2016
  • TE Connectivity (TE Medical Co.)

    2013
Machining and Tooling
  • Hologic

    2004
  • International Precision Molds

    2006
  • Medtronic

    2011
  • Micro Technologies

    1999
  • Viant Medical

    2004
Medication Delivery System
  • Baxter Healthcare

    1987
  • ICU Medical

    1999
  • Moog Medical

    2009
Metalwork
  • Oberg Industries

    2002
  • Okay Industries

    2012
  • Utitec Medical

    2005
Neuroendovascular
  • MicroVention a Terumo Co.

    2011
Neuromodulation Devices
  • Boston Scientific

    2004
  • Cirtec Medical

    2020
OEMs
  • Abbott Vascular

    2010
  • AbbVie

    1999
  • Align Technologies Global Park

    2001
  • Align Technology

    2001
  • Apollo Endosurgery

    2014
  • Baxter Healthcare

    1987
  • Bayer Medical

    2012
  • Boston Scientific

    2004
  • Cardinal Health

    2017
  • Coloplast A/S

    2018
  • CooperMedical (Former CooperSurgical)

    2017
  • Coopervision

    2012
  • DeRoyal

    2002
  • Edwards Lifesciences

    2016
  • Establishment Labs

    2015
  • Hologic

    2004
  • Horizons Intl.

    2005
  • ICU Medical

    1999
  • Implant Concierge

    2018
  • Medtronic

    2011
  • MicroPort Orthopedics

    2013
  • MicroVention a Terumo Co.

    2011
  • Moog Medical

    2009
  • Philips

    2010
  • Smile Direct

    2016
  • Smith & Nephew

    2002
  • Smith Sterling

    1994
  • Theragenics

    2014
  • Viax Dental Lab

    2014
  • Wright Medical

    2010
Optics
  • Coopervision

    2012
Orthopedics/Sports Medicine/ENT
  • MicroPort Orthopedics

    2013
  • Smith & Nephew

    2002
  • Wright Medical

    2010
Packaging
  • Pacific Barcode

    2021
Parts Manufacturing
  • Smith Sterling

    1994
  • Viax Dental Lab

    2014
Plastic Injection
  • AbbVie

    1999
  • Advant Medical

    2018
  • Apollo Endosurgery

    2014
  • Baxter Healthcare

    1987
  • Bayer Medical

    2012
  • Boston Scientific

    2004
  • CASS

    2014
  • Coloplast A/S

    2018
  • Confluent Medical

    2010
  • Coopervision

    2012
  • Creganna Medical

    2008
  • DeRoyal

    2002
  • Establishment Labs

    2015
  • Freudenberg Medical

    2019
  • ICU Medical

    1999
  • Itek

    2016
  • Merrill´s Packaging

    2010
  • Micro Technologies

    1999
  • Moog Medical

    2009
  • Nelipak

    2005
  • Philips

    2010
  • Precision Concepts Medical

    1991
  • Prent

    2012
  • SMC Ltd

    2011
  • Spectrum Plastics (Former Kelpac Medical)

    2001
  • TE Connectivity (TE Medical Co.)

    2013
  • TEGRA Medical

    2010
  • Tekni-plex / Natvar

    2012
  • Viant Medical

    2004
Procurement
  • Pfizer

    2013
  • PolyOne

    2012
  • Thermo Fischer Scientific Coyol

    2018
  • Thermo Fischer Scientific Flexipark

    2011
  • Thermo Fisher Scientific Ultra

    2016
Quality Assurance and compliance
  • Roche

    1985
  • Roche Services Americas

    2016
Radiology
  • Bayer Medical

    2012
Respiratory
  • Philips

    2010
Software Development
  • Align Technologies Global Park

    2001
  • Align Technology

    2001
  • Bodybuilding

    2011
  • Glaxo Smith Kline

    1990
  • GSK Glaxo Smith Kline Costa Rica

    2013
  • MicroPort Orthopedics

    2013
Software Maintenance
  • Bodybuilding

    2011
Sterilization
  • Sterigenics

    2010
  • Steris

    2008
Suppliers
  • Applied Medical Precision

    2012
  • ATL Technology

    2013
  • Biomerics CRI

    2013
  • CASS

    2014
  • Creganna Medical

    2008
  • CRx Lifesciences (Enhanced Compliance)

    2019
  • Freudenberg Medical

    2019
  • G.Rau

    2012
  • Heraeus Medical Components

    2016
  • International Precision Molds

    2006
  • Merrill´s Packaging

    2010
  • Micro Technologies

    1999
  • NACS

    2020
  • National Building Maintenance

    2013
  • Nelipak

    2005
  • Oberg Industries

    2002
  • Okay Industries

    2012
  • Pacific Barcode

    2021
  • Philips

    2010
  • PolyOne

    2012
  • Precision Coating

    2015
  • Prent

    2012
  • Production Automation Corp.

    2016
  • Resonetics

    2015
  • Sachs Chemicals

    2015
  • Specialty Coating Systems

    2006
  • Spectrum Plastics (Former Kelpac Medical)

    2001
  • Steris

    2008
  • TE Connectivity (TE Medical Co.)

    2013
  • Tekni-plex / Natvar

    2012
  • Utitec Medical

    2005
  • Visional Technology

    2019
  • VWR

    2014
Surgical Devices
  • DeRoyal

    2002
Technical Support (Tier 1-4)
  • MicroPort Orthopedics

    2013
  • Procter & Gamble

    1999
  • Roche

    1985
  • Roche Services Americas

    2016
Women's Healthcare
  • CooperMedical (Former CooperSurgical)

    2017
  • Hologic

    2004
  • Abbott Vascular

    2010
  • AbbVie

    1999
  • ADMEDES

    2020
  • Advant Medical

    2018
  • Agrosustentable

    1995
  • Align Technologies Global Park

    2001
  • Align Technology

    2001
  • Apollo Endosurgery

    2014
  • Applied Medical Precision

    2012
  • Aspen Pharma

    2014
  • AstraZeneca

    2017
  • ATL Technology

    2013
  • Baxter Healthcare

    1987
  • Bayer Medical

    2012
  • Biomerics CRI

    2013
  • Biomerics NLE

    2020
  • Bodybuilding

    2011
  • Boston Scientific

    2004
  • Byte

    2020
  • Cardinal Health

    2017
  • CASS

    2014
  • Cirtec Medical

    2020
  • Coloplast A/S

    2018
  • Confluent Medical

    2010
  • CooperMedical (Former CooperSurgical)

    2017
  • Coopervision

    2012
  • Covance Clinical Development

    2017
  • Creganna Medical

    2008
  • CRx Lifesciences (Enhanced Compliance)

    2019
  • DeRoyal

    2002
  • Edwards Lifesciences

    2016
  • Establishment Labs

    2015
  • Freudenberg Medical

    2019
  • Glaxo Smith Kline

    1990
  • G.Rau

    2012
  • GSK Glaxo Smith Kline Costa Rica

    2013
  • Heraeus Medical Components

    2016
  • Hologic

    2004
  • Horizons Intl.

    2005
  • ICU Medical

    1999
  • Implant Concierge

    2018
  • International Precision Molds

    2006
  • Itek

    2016
  • Jiang Huai

    2017
  • Lonza

    2017
  • Medtronic

    2011
  • Merck (MSD)

    2017
  • Merrill´s Packaging

    2010
  • MicroPort Orthopedics

    2013
  • Micro Technologies

    1999
  • MicroVention a Terumo Co.

    2011
  • Moog Medical

    2009
  • NACS

    2020
  • National Building Maintenance

    2013
  • Nelipak

    2005
  • Oberg Industries

    2002
  • Okay Industries

    2012
  • OraMetrix (Dentsply Sirona)

    2019
  • Pacific Barcode

    2021
  • Pfizer

    2013
  • Philips

    2010
  • PolyOne

    2012
  • Precision Coating

    2015
  • Precision Concepts Medical

    1991
  • Prent

    2012
  • Procter & Gamble

    1999
  • Production Automation Corp.

    2016
  • Resonetics

    2015
  • Roche

    1985
  • Roche Services Americas

    2016
  • Sachs Chemicals

    2015
  • SMC Ltd

    2011
  • Smile Direct

    2016
  • Smith & Nephew

    2002
  • Smith Sterling

    1994
  • Specialty Coating Systems

    2006
  • Spectrum Plastics (Former Kelpac Medical)

    2001
  • Sterigenics

    2010
  • Steris

    2008
  • TE Connectivity (TE Medical Co.)

    2013
  • TEGRA Medical

    2010
  • Tekni-plex / Natvar

    2012
  • Theragenics

    2014
  • Thermo Fischer Scientific Coyol

    2018
  • Thermo Fischer Scientific Flexipark

    2011
  • Thermo Fisher Scientific Ultra

    2016
  • Utitec Medical

    2005
  • Viant Medical

    2004
  • Viax Dental Lab

    2014
  • Visional Technology

    2019
  • VWR

    2014
  • Wright Medical

    2010
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Essential Insights

Find out more about why we are the hub for life sciences in Latin America. Get the most out of our latest data and inform your next investment project.

Want to become our next success story?

Life Sciences team
Erick Mora

Erick Mora

Sector lead
Jimena Pérez

Jimena Pérez

Sector Specialist
CONTACT US TODAY