participation in the global knowledge economy, Puerto Rico recognizes that research and development is an agent of change, one that will create better jobs and more opportunities for economic advancement and entrepreneurship.

The Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust was created as an autonomous entity to provide ongoing funding for research and development projects and infrastructure advancements in the Island. As such, I am confident that the groundwork laid out by the Trust’s initiatives will move Puerto Rico to the forefront of the knowledge economy.

Puerto Rico already possesses the basic ingredients for success in the science sector:

• We produce 50% of the medical devices sold in the U.S.
• Over 20 of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies have either corporate offices and/or Manufacturing plants in the Island
• An average of 9,000 college degrees are granted each year in the fields of science and engineering
• Our status as a U.S. Commonwealth has enabled Puerto Rico to combine the special benefits of an off-shore location with the important protections of doing business in the United States.

The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) also supports the Island’s commitment to the knowledge economy. Major investment opportunities are being explored in areas such as information technology, aerospace, electronics, among others. In addition, companies such as Hewlet-Packard and Microsoft are taking advantage of Puerto Rico’s many benefits for the manufacture of products sold worldwide.

Puerto Rico is an economic engine that will surely play a central role in the global knowledge economy. 

Warmest regards,

Thomas Forest Farb
Executive Director, Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust