Designed for Growth: How Evolution Free Zone Builds a Long-Term Business Ecosystem
17 de April de 2026
Evolution Free Zone has become a benchmark for free zones outside the Greater Metropolitan Area
April 2026. With a vision of a high-tech business park integrated into the community, and after less than two years in operation, Evolution Free Zone serves as a model for the development of other free zones outside the Greater Metropolitan Area.
Its leadership in innovation, technology, and sustainable development —which has attracted companies in the Advanced Manufacturing, Life Sciences, and Semiconductor sectors to the Western part of the province of Alajuela— has been recognized by industry leaders, as well as national and municipal authorities.
To that end, the Western Federation of Municipalities of Alajuela (FEDOMA – Federación Occidental de Municipalides de Alajuela) organized a tour of Evolution Free Zone and other free trade zones near Grecia, so that representatives from the Regional Development Agencies (AREDES) and the Northern Huetar Region could learn how this business park has achieved its development, in accordance with global standards for attracting Foreign Direct Investment, thus contributing to the creation of job opportunities and the improvement of the quality of life in the region.
According to Álvaro Carballo, President of CODE Development Group, the developer of Evolution Free Zone, “this is a great opportunity to share the knowledge we have gained with other free zones across the country and contribute to the economic and social development of more regions. We do this with the best of intentions, because as real estate developers, we know that at Evolution Free Zone we build more than just buildings: we build opportunities, transformation, and progress for the western region of Alajuela Province and for Costa Rica as a whole.”
Specifically, with this Free Trade Zone, the development group planned to build an industrial park outside the Greater Metropolitan Area to serve highly sophisticated industries, such as the Life Sciences, incorporating three fundamental pillars into its design: innovative construction, sustainability, and specialized talent.
Currently, eight world-class companies have chosen Evolution Free Zone to operate in Costa Rica, including Johnson & Johnson MedTech, AVNA, Accudyn, Trelleborg Medical Solutions, Forj Medical, Stryker, Segex, and Switchback Medical. To date, these companies, together with the Evolution Free Zone operational team, have created 433 direct jobs and 2,000 indirect jobs for people involved in the construction phase.
With these eight companies beginning operations, the creation of 6,000 quality jobs is guaranteed on a short-term basis. Evolution Free Zone estimates that it will create 20,000 jobs over the next 15 years, directly benefiting the residents of cantons such as Alajuela Central, San Ramón, Grecia, Atenas, Naranjo, Palmares, Poás, Zarcero, and Sarchí.
Luis Barrantes, Executive Director of FEDOMA, noted that these tours provide an opportunity to learn about best practices at Free Trade Zone parks outside the Greater Metropolitan Area, with the aim of replicating models that promote employment and economic development in other regions of the country, such as the Northern Region.
Evaluation Free Zone is a high-tech industrial park where attracting investment serves as the driving force behind transformation, the creation of opportunities, and economic development, all aimed at improving the quality of life and well-being of the people living in the western region.
