San José, Costa Rica, Oct. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the fourth time, Costa Rica is the Latin American epicenter of technological convergence for life sciences. Ten international speakers will be analyzing the future of the technological manufacturing industry in the face of automation, artificial intelligence, new materials and virtualization.
Organized by CINDE, the Costa Rican agency for promoting and attracting foreign direct investment to Costa Rica, this is one of the most important specialized events in Latin America, positioning the country as the regional hub for analysis of the most innovative issues of the moment.
Life Sciences Forum 2018 is being held for the first time in the Costa Rican Convention Center in San José.
It has brought together participants from fifteen countries the world over, such as the United States, Germany, Mexico, Holland, Estonia, Italy, India, Saudi Arabia, Guatemala, El Salvador and Colombia, among others.
“Costa Rica is home to 72 life sciences multinationals which export, day after day, medical devices that save lives around the world. These companies face the challenge of constant reconversion due to the industry’s accelerated global transformation, where the technological component will mark the coming trend. Costa Rica is poised to take advantage of this, and we will undoubtedly continue to be the best strategic partner for the companies hoping to reach this goal,” remarked CINDE’s Managing Director, Jorge Sequeira.
“The fourth edition of the Life Sciences Forum in Costa Rica, organized by CINDE, is the center stage for analyzing the latest trends in life sciences and understanding the competitive advantages of Costa Rica as a strategic partner for these companies. As representative of the foreign trade portfolio, I can reaffirm our commitment to helping the companies that are already here, and the ones to come, to build their businesses by getting the most out of the technological reconversion currently impacting the industry,” said Foreign Trade Minister Dyalá Jiménez.
During the second day of the event, participants will be able to take guided tours of some of the life sciences multinationals to see first-hand the success stories they have achieved in Costa Rica.
At the start of the activity on Monday, October 15, the multinational firm Precision Concepts Medical Technologies announced its expansion of operations here with an investment of US $5 million in its plant, which will now give them better conditions for their molding and engineering processes.
During 2017, Costa Rica exported almost US $3 billion in medical devices, making these the country’s main export good. Moreover, more than 22,000 people now have direct jobs deriving from this sector. Seven of the ten largest cardiovascular firms have operations in Costa Rica.
About CINDE
CINDE is a private, non-profit organization. For 35 years, it has been committed to Costa Rica’s sustainable social progress and development, attracting foreign direct investment in manufacturing and high value-added services that generate quality jobs, transfer of knowledge and productive linkages. CINDE also works to fortify the Costa Rican business climate, promoting the growth of high-value activities, better-prepared local talent, job creation and improved opportunities for people living in the country’s different communities.