Costa Rica welcomes more than 400 buyers and investors to the region's largest international business gathering
- Over three days, the business matchmaking event will bring together delegations from more than 40 countries and over 1,000 companies operating in Costa Rica.
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, Sept. 2, 2026 /CNW/ -- The second edition of the Costa Rica Trade & Investment Summit (CRTIS) officially opened on Wednesday, bringing together companies operating in Costa Rica with international buyers seeking products and services, while giving investors the opportunity to assess potential projects and explore opportunities to establish or expand operations in the country.
Over the course of three days, delegations from more than 40 countries will take part in over 3,600 tailored business meetings with 1,000 exporters, multinational companies, and suppliers operating in Costa Rica. The Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) developed each agenda around specific purchasing and investment priorities, enabling participants to compare opportunities, assess capabilities, and move forward with their business decisions.
"Costa Rica offers specialized talent, strong productive capabilities, access to global markets, and a supplier network equipped to meet the needs of international buyers and investors. The country has also demonstrated its ability to support complex, high-value operations. The Costa Rica Trade & Investment Summit (CRTIS) provides decision-makers with a firsthand look at these capabilities and an opportunity to assess Costa Rica as part of future sourcing, investment, and expansion decisions. Our goal is for those decisions to translate into greater exports, new investment, and more opportunities for Costa Rican companies to integrate into global value chains," said Laura López, CEO of PROCOMER.
The agenda also includes discussions on location strategy, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence, featuring Chris Knight, Managing Director of FT Locations, part of the Financial Times Group; Elena Gallego, Director of Invest in Andalucía; and Jairo Londoño, Country Manager of Microsoft Costa Rica.
An Export Offering Evolving Toward Greater Diversity and Sophistication
Costa Rica's export offering reflects the transformation and diversity of its economy. Services account for 34% of the country's export offering, medical devices for 31%, and the agricultural sector for 11%. Together, these industries demonstrate Costa Rica's ability to serve traditional markets while increasingly participating in knowledge- and technology-intensive sectors.
This diversity is on full display at the Costa Rica Trade & Investment Summit (CRTIS), where international buyers can establish business relationships with companies in agribusiness, food, specialized manufacturing, digital technologies, corporate services, creative industries, and applied innovation. The meetings provide an opportunity to discuss technical requirements, production capacity, commercial terms, and sourcing opportunities directly with potential partners.
Investors, meanwhile, are assessing new projects and expansion opportunities in agribusiness, advanced manufacturing, services, tourism infrastructure, and semiconductors. Their customized agendas provide direct insight into the talent, infrastructure, installed capacity, and supplier ecosystem available to support their operations.
The Summit also gives participants the opportunity to experience Costa Rica's productive capabilities firsthand across different regions of the country. Delegations will visit agricultural operations in northern Costa Rica and the Caribbean region, ornamental plant companies in the western Central Valley, and advanced manufacturing companies located within some of the country's leading research hubs, free trade zones, and business parks.
Through site visits and business tours, buyers and investors will be able to observe operations firsthand, engage directly with company teams, and gain a deeper understanding of the capabilities available across Costa Rica. This provides decision-makers with firsthand information on the country's productive environment to support future commercial and investment decisions.
An Export-Driven Economy Continuing to Expand Its Global Reach
The Summit is taking place against the backdrop of an economy that continues to expand its presence in international markets. Between January and July 2026, Costa Rican goods exports reached $13.821 billion, up 5% compared with the same period in 2025. Growth was recorded across all regions of the country and was driven by both the Free Trade Zone Regime, which grew by 4%, and the Definitive Regime, which increased by 8%.
More than 1,000 foreign direct investment companies operate in Costa Rica, generating 312,000 jobs. Their presence, combined with the continued growth of Costa Rican exporters and local suppliers, provides a strong foundation for new operations, increased local sourcing, and greater integration of Costa Rican capabilities into global value chains.
$33 Million in Business Deals Demonstrate the Summit's Impact
The commercial value generated by the Summit extends well beyond the meetings themselves. During its first edition in 2025, more than 3,600 business meetings and 104 investment agendas were held. Subsequent follow-up conducted by PROCOMER identified $33 million in closed business deals resulting from negotiations initiated through the event.
These results demonstrate the Summit's ability to turn initial connections into concrete negotiations and ultimately into business deals. Building on that foundation, the second edition seeks to expand opportunities between Costa Rican companies and international decision-makers across global markets.
SOURCE PROCOMER
Fabiola Solano, [email protected]
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