At a glance
| Booth | K2169 |
| Website | investincr.com/en/semiconductors |
Company profile
Invest in Costa Rica is an autonomous, non-governmental agency founded in 1996 and dedicated to attracting foreign direct investment and boosting exports. Its work focuses on creating high-quality jobs and enhancing national well-being through investment and export activity. Investors can use a wide range of free services, including specialized FDI advisory and retention support as well as assistance with establishment and facilitation of procedures. The agency also builds productive linkages with local suppliers and operates tax incentive programs for investors. Its service scope further includes export and international trade promotion for SMEs and country-brand licensing. Invest in Costa Rica is recognized by the United Nations Trade Centre as the world's best trade promotion agency.
Exhibits
The Business Agendas service organizes business visits to Costa Rica so companies can learn about the country's capabilities for the semiconductor industry. These agendas can include visits to the main hubs for advanced manufacturing, meetings with key advisors who can support successful operations in Costa Rica, and exchanges with industry peers about their experience doing business in the country. Costa Rica presents more than 25 years of advanced-manufacturing experience together with a National Semiconductor Strategy as a platform for semiconductor-industry growth in the region. Its semiconductor proposition includes specialized talent supported by universities and programs aligned with the needs of the technology industry. Companies can operate under the Free Trade Zone Regime, which includes exemptions from income tax, customs duties and VAT. A national roadmap for semiconductor-sector development focuses on areas including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and systems design. Operations are supported by a 97% renewable energy matrix, while the country describes a stable political environment in the region. Costa Rica is a member of the OECD and the WTO, is aligned with international standards, and has time zones compatible with America and Europe for real-time operations. Its location is described as only a few hours from the United States, and companies can access highly qualified talent in technical fields. The country has a network of 18 free trade agreements, including agreements with the USA and the European Union. An expanding high-tech R+D ecosystem offers early investment opportunities, and alliances with ASU, Texas Tech and Purdue strengthen advanced-talent development. The semiconductor ecosystem is supported by a steady flow of highly qualified STEM professionals and by growth in systems design and intellectual-property generation with companies such as Teradyne, Rydev and Advantest. Costa Rica reports more than 25 years of experience assembling and testing advanced components, along with specialized infrastructure and technical capabilities. Local engineers participate in advanced design for companies including Teradyne, Advantest and Intel, and the ecosystem has continued to expand with new investments such as Applied Materials in 2025. A consolidated supplier network covers advanced manufacturing, metrology, automation and specialized logistics, providing supporting capabilities around semiconductor operations. The country states that it ranks 2nd in Latin America for overall political stability, holds the number 2 position in the region for rule of law according to the World Justice Project, and has had 77 years without a standing army. It also states a 2nd-place Latin American democracy ranking from The Economist Intelligence Unit in 2024 and a 3rd-place regional ranking for intellectual-property protection in the International Property Rights Index from the Property Rights Alliance in 2024. Free zones provide tax and operational incentives for companies in advanced manufacturing, complementing the country's experience in assembling, testing and designing advanced components.
Capabilities and products
- FDI advisory and retention support
- establishment assistance and procedure facilitation
- investor linkage with local suppliers
- tax-incentive program support for investors
- export and international trade promotion for SMEs
- country-brand licensing
- semiconductor investment business-visit agenda planning