Global technology and data analysis company Helm360 is set to expand its Costa Rican operations. The firm will make an investment of $3.5 million, which will allow for the construction of a new building in the district of San Isidro de El General, Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica.
“We are excited to actively participate in Costa Rica’s economic growth by offering new job opportunities to the San Isidro de El General community, and especially to women,” said Raminder Singh, President and CEO of Helm360. “Many companies focus on San José, but if we train more people in Pérez Zeledón, other companies could set their sights on this city.”
Singh emphasized that the company aims to support area development by technically preparing the population in order to attract more companies to Pérez Zeledón.
Helm360 provides services including software development, quality control, staff recruitment, human resource coordination, marketing, legal, and accounting services. With this facilities expansion, the company aims to access local IT talent to provide business management support to its clients in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
“We are extremely satisfied with Helm360’s decision to invest in our country’s southern zone talent, a sign that our capacity and the quality of Costa Rica’s human capital are still two of our greatest strengths for attracting capital and projects,” said Costa Rican First Lady Claudia Dobles. “We celebrate this expansion of operations, which translates to more jobs, mostly for women, and a better quality of life for Pérez Zeledón residents. The expansion also reflects a vote of confidence in our human talent, investment climate, and Costa Rican institutions.”
Helm360 launched its Costa Rican operations in 2019, in the canton of Pérez Zeledón. Currently, local operations represent around 15% of Helm360’s global workforce, and generate employment for 70 area residents, mostly women. Over the next two years, the company’s goal is to reach around 150 total employees in Costa Rica.
“Attracting FDI (foreign direct investment) is a priority strategic objective for our country, and represents a fundamental tool for creating jobs that help drive domestic socioeconomic development,” said Andrés Valenciano, Minister of Foreign Trade. “The announcement by Helm360 fills us with enthusiasm since it represents quality employment opportunities for Costa Ricans residing outside the greater metropolitan area. In the foreign trade sector, we are committed to continuing our hard work of strengthening the Costa Rican business climate.”
Both the company’s entry into operations and its Costa Rican expansion are part of the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency’s (CINDE) Rising Cities Initiative, meant to improve competitiveness for communities outside the Greater Metropolitan Area by attracting foreign direct investment. This national strategy aims to improve competitiveness for 20 communities, including Pérez Zeledón.
“We are extremely excited to announce this significant investment by Helm360 in Pérez Zeledón and the growth it implies for the company, its employees, and the entire southern region of our country,” said CINDE Managing Director Jorge Sequeira. “Regional development is one of CINDE’s priorities. Currently, we are working with groups in 20 cantons, divided into six regions, to reinforce their strengths and opportunities for attracting investment.”
“Our records at 2020 close show that employment outside the greater metropolitan area has grown steadily by 15% over the last five years in companies attracted by CINDE.” Sequeira added.
In 2020, CINDE reported 456 new jobs in communities outside the Greater Metropolitan Area. It is estimated that employment generated by these companies has increased by an annual average of 15% over the last five years, adding a cumulative total of 3,660 positions by close of the previous year.