Startups in Central America – statistics & facts
Central America is home to a nascent but fast-growing startup scene. As of June 2021, almost 900 private companies made up the Central American startup ecosystem, with the largest quantity of them based in Costa Rica. Commonly associated with violent crime and migration crises, what is less known is that the isthmus comprehended between Guatemala and Panama holds great potential for entrepreneurism. Central America is among the regions with the highest rates of entrepreneurship in the world. In 2020, more than 16 percent of adults in Guatemala and nearly 10 percent in Panama managed or owned a new business. Honduras and Nicaragua are also some of the Latin American countries with the highest percentage of self-employed workers.
