Puerto Rico positions itself as ICT investment hub
Puerto Rico is a prime spot for information and communication technology (ICT) companies, the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC, by its Spanish acronym) reported in its 2025 ICT industry profile.
DDEC highlighted high return rates, tax benefits, modern infrastructure, excellent communication systems, strong government support and entrepreneurial activity as factors attracting ICT companies to Puerto Rico.
The industry, which provides essential goods and services for information processing and transmission, includes computer and electronics manufacturers, computer systems designers, software publishers, media streaming and distribution services, wired and wireless telecommunications, and computer infrastructure providers.
The computer and electronics manufacturing category alone accounted for $10.6 billion, or 20%, of Puerto Rico’s gross domestic product in the manufacturing sector ($53.8 billion) in fiscal year 2023. In fiscal 2024, it contributed $1.7 billion, or 2.7%, of total exports of $63.1 billion, along with 22,189 jobs and 999 establishments, according to the report.
Out of 85,535 manufacturing jobs in Puerto Rico, 7,742 are computer and electronic manufacturing, earning about $468 million in wages out of total manufacturing wages of $3.8 billion, the DDEC reported citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 2025.
Most ICT companies in Puerto Rico are located in about a dozen municipalities. San Juan hosts information technology services, cybersecurity, software, telecommunications services, and equipment and infrastructure companies. Ponce, Guaynabo, Caguas, Vega Alta and Aguadilla stand out in software, while Mayagüez, Isabela, Caguas, Dorado and Aguadilla appear prominently in IT, Bayamón and Hormigueros in telecommunications services, and Bayamón in cybersecurity.
In 2024 the average annual pay in ICT companies was $60,000, excluding jobs in software publishing companies, which averaged an annual pay of $200,000.
The DDEC emphasized that workforce development contributed heavily to the industry. “Puerto Rico has a strong bilingual workforce supported by a rigorous STEM education system, with more than 100 accredited universities and colleges producing skilled professionals in technical fields,” DDEC stated in the report.
A tech reputation
Puerto Rico’s performance in the technology sector has been cited by publications such as Forbes and Inc. Magazine. The island has been described as “a new breeding ground for tech innovation,” a “rising technology hub” and a place with a “growing tech scene.”
Established tech firms and innovative startups have made Puerto Rico home, and companies such as Evertec, Honeywell, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Cisco have a strong presence, creating thousands of jobs in engineering, software development, data analytics and other technology fields, Forbes reported.
“Leading investment firms and incubators also have greatly contributed to the vibrant tech ecosystem in Puerto Rico,” wrote Forbes Councils member Carlos M. Meléndez in Forbes.
Meléndez is vice president of operations for Vantor in Puerto Rico. Colorado-based Vantor is a spatial intelligence firm that acquired Wovenware, an artificial intelligence and software development consultancy Meléndez founded in Puerto Rico, in 2022, when Vantor was known as Maxar Technologies. The Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for chief information officers, chief technology officers and technology executives.
“As noted by the robust establishment of tech leaders both big and small in Puerto Rico, the island is emerging as a prime destination for investment in the technology industry, driven by a trifecta of government incentives, common U.S. business rules and a skilled workforce,” Meléndez wrote.
“Puerto Rico is proving to be a fertile breeding ground for this new generation of tech thinkers, providing financial incentives, convenience and the talent required to become a new frontier for global tech growth,” Meléndez concluded in the article.
