PRESS RELEASE

DENVER, CO (April 22, 2024) – The Biennial of the Americas, in collaboration with the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT), Denver Economic Development & Opportunity Office (DEDO), and Governor Polis will kick off the 2024 Americas Summit Costa Rica from April 23 to April 27, 2024 in San José and the Central Valley. 

The 90 delegates represent various industries such as telecommunications, including Liberty Global and Liberty Latin America, civic leaders, including the Mayors of Grand Junction and Arvada, and academia representation including Colorado State University and Colorado Mesa University. Companies represented on the delegation include REVGEN, Edison Interactive, bpx energy and United Airlines, as well as several other C-Suite executives from across Colorado. The delegation also includes members of the Youth Congress joining the delegation from across South America. This diverse delegation all hope to gain insight and inspiration from the leaders and innovators of Costa Rica. 

“Colorado and Costa Rica have a lot in common, from our thriving agricultural industry to our strong businesses. This summit is an opportunity to continue building on our economic and cultural partnership. We are proud to showcase all that Colorado has to offer and learn from our counterparts in Costa Rica, and we will bring those benefits back to Colorado’s communities,” said Governor Polis. 

Over the week, the summit will explore a wide spectrum of topics, including innovation, business, public policy, conservation, foreign investment, and advancements in health and technology. It will also delve into grassroots tourism, agricultural innovation, energy transitions, subnational diplomacy, and migrant integration. The gathering will feature distinguished speakers from local and global backgrounds, fostering enhanced dialogue and cross-border collaboration. This integrated approach ensures a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and opportunities facing the region today. 

A spotlight on urban revitalization initiatives and the region’s rich cultural and environmental heritage will include a cultural and biodiversity tour through San José, engaging discussions in the Museo Nacional‘s butterfly pavilion, and a notable assembly of past and present mayors at Museo del Oro. Attendees will also explore Central Valley with a hike through Los Quetzales National Park, a farm-to-table dinner, and a Tech Trek at the Terumo plant in Cartago, complemented by a design pop-up experience and immersive coffee, honey, and cacao tastings. 

Highlights of the 2024 Americas Summit in Costa Rica: 

• Colorado Governor Jared Polis and team plan to meet with Costa Rican startups and the energy sector. 
• Colorado-based companies Hakkoda and Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies showcase their operations in Costa Rica and the reason why Costa Rica is being considered the Silicon Valley of Central America. 
• Opening reception with Governor Jared Polis, U.S. Ambassador Cynthia Telles, Costa Rica Minister of Foreign Trade, Manuel Tovar, and Minister of Environment & Energy, Franz Tattenbach. 
• Discuss regenerative agriculture with potential academic partnerships involving EARTH University, CSU System, NAAAN, IICA, and CATIE.
• Conversations around technical collaboration between the Colorado Office of Tourism and initiatives seeking data on the impact of tourism in Costa Rica. 
• Christian Marin-Muller, CEO at Speratum Biopharma, and Alejandro Vega, Founder of Huli, showcasing the country’s vibrant health & innovation ecosystem. 
• Involvement of the recently elected Mayor of San José, Diego Miranda, on a panel featuring former and current Colorado and Costa Rica mayors. 
• Youth leaders in sustainability from South America participating in a roundtable discussion at Parque la Libertad 
• Reflections and best practices around workforce development and migration with Diana Cartier, from UN Migration, and Adeeb Khan, from the Denver Economic Development and Opportunity office in partnership with Parque la Libertad and CSU System 
• Pitaya Design Pop-up at Gran Hotel Costa Rica and Central America Art Walk featuring TEOR/éTica, Cero Uno, Abra Espacio, and artist Federico Herrero. 

The 2024 Americas Summit Costa Rica, aims to harness the transformative potential of collaboration and innovation to address our region’s shared challenges and seize new opportunities for growth and prosperity. 

About Biennial of the Americas 

The Biennial of the Americas (The Biennial) builds connections, creates community and inspires change across the Americas through events and ongoing leadership summits in Canada and Latin America. Due to its location on the North-South axis, this Denver nonprofit organization was launched in 2010 to enhance, celebrate and discover the cultural and economic connections between North and South America. The Biennial assembles the most innovative leaders in the western hemisphere to identify 

unique opportunities and solutions to our shared challenges. For more information, visit https://www.biennialoftheamericas.org or engage with the Biennial on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or X (@thebiennial).

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