"Small is beautiful, and if we can just sit in the classroom next to the smartest kid in the classroom, then I'm sure that something good will come out of that." - Manuel Tovar

Costa Rica is a small country with a big mission: to become the startup nation of Latin America.

In this episode of Expedition Tech, Manuel Tovar, the Costa Rican Trade Minister discusses his inspiring vision of an economy focused on people, planet and prosperity.

He has launched initiatives such as aligning public policies to the best and most advanced standards, developing a bilingual workforce, and deepening the country's trade platform. The country is committed to sustainability and developing the necessary workforce to meet the technology demands of the modern economy.

Key Takeaways

• How Costa Rica is investing in technology and people to drive this change and equip the next generation of technology leadership.
• Why making tech is a priority, and focused on innovation, rather than commoditizing technology through low cost labor.
• The ways the country is committed to sustainability and developing the necessary workforce to meet the technology demands of the modern economy.
• Why they call Israel “the smartest kid” in the room 

Time Stamps

• 4:06 how Costa Rica became the digital epicenter of Central America  
• 6:07 Abolishing the army and dedicating taxes to educate students
• 7:10 8% of Costa Rica’s GDP is from digital technology     
• 9:11 This is Latin America’s time  
• 14:37 Where they are focusing in tech   
• 16:32 Trade agreements they are seeking 
• 17:33 Why they look to Israel 
• 21:23 Why being a good neighbor is imperative