Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- Founded with Purpose: IDS began as a bold initiative to close the gap between multinationals and suppliers in Costa Rica. It started with just 3 people, no salaries, and a credit card loan.
- Strategic Milestones: Entered the Free Trade Zone in 2019 and adopted operational excellence in 2021, enabling IDS to scale and compete with global players.
- Growth & Expansion: Today IDS is opening a facility in the Dominican Republic and opening to a site 6x larger than in Costa Rica.
- Digital Transformation: The focus now is on evolving into a fully digital company to differentiate further and add value to the MedTech supply chain.
- Ecosystem Vision: Beyond business, IDS aims to impact the broader ecosystem, developing talent and expanding regional capabilities.
EF: Could you tell us about the origins of IDS and how the journey began?
AF: IDS was born a decade ago from a very intentional and values-driven vision. From the start, we knew we didn’t want to build just another company chasing quick wins or short-term gains. We wanted to create an organization that could generate long-term value — not only for us but for the ecosystem as a whole.
What sparked this idea was a genuine desire to offer solutions that make a difference. We saw a gap between what companies needed in terms of transportation and what was being delivered. Our goal was to become a trusted partner that listens deeply, adapts quickly, and evolves constantly alongside our clients.
Over the past ten years, we’ve worked hard to embody that philosophy. Our goal was to grow in terms of impact. We treat every project as a stepping stone toward something bigger. That is still our mindset today.
EF: How does that translate into your positioning and visibility strategy?
AF: Our approach to visibility is different. Many companies seek visibility to sell more or to enhance their reputation. That’s not our main objective. For us, visibility is a tool to engage, to listen, and to learn.
We want to connect with people who are seeing different parts of the puzzle — people facing challenges we may not yet understand, or who bring different perspectives to the table. For example, when we talk about digital transformation, we are talking about how people work, how decisions are made, and how operations flow; it’s deeply human.
Visibility, for us, is about being part of the dialogue. It’s about opening ourselves up to those conversations so we can keep evolving. The more we understand our environment, the more relevant and impactful we can be.
We often say within the company: “Money is not the goal — it’s the outcome of doing things right.” If we create value, listen well, and build intelligently, the business follows. That belief is at the core of everything we do.
EF: What have been some defining moments for IDS during these past ten years?
AF: There are several milestones that stand out. One is the very beginning, being just three people with a lot of conviction. We didn’t have external funding or a large client base. We had to earn trust project by project, proving our value through our work.
Another key moment came in 2019 when we joined the Free Trade Zone regime in Costa Rica. That allowed us to operate with more agility and scale, and it marked a new phase in our growth. It was a validation of our model, that what we were offering had strategic value, even for large multinational clients.
More recently, we’ve begun a significant expansion into the Dominican Republic, where we expect to grow our presence sixfold. That’s a massive step, not just in size, but in ambition. We’re building teams, forging new partnerships, and investing in talent in a way that will really shape the next chapter of IDS.
And through all of this, what’s mattered most has been our team. We’ve been fortunate to attract passionate, curious, and resilient people. They’re the ones who take our vision and make it real every day.
EF: Based on your personal experience, what mindset has been critical for this kind of growth and leadership?
AF: The ability to transition from belief to action has been our key to success. Many individuals and organizations champion change and innovation, but few can successfully translate those ideals into a tangible, self-sustaining enterprise that delivers consistent results.
At IDS, we have consciously evolved from an organization that simply believes in transformation to one that actively builds it. This shift is not accidental; it is a deliberate process requiring courage, consistency, and a profound openness to learning every day.
From our inception, we embraced a hands-on approach. We learned by doing—navigating complex client negotiations, overcoming setbacks, and managing uncertainty. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment of readiness, we chose to act. Over time, this bias toward action has become a cornerstone of our corporate culture.
This proactivity is paired with a deep focus on understanding context. We recognize that each market has unique cultural, operational, and economic intricacies, which makes standardized, copy-and-paste solutions ineffective. Our methodology is therefore rooted in listening, analyzing, and co-creating bespoke solutions with our clients. It is this human element—the capacity to tailor, adapt, and connect—that is our defining strength.
EF: Looking ahead, what is the ambition for IDS in the next five to ten years?
AF: Our vision is to become a benchmark in digital transformation not only in Central America but across Latin America and beyond. We want to redefine what it means to be a technology partner by being close to our clients, deeply understanding their ecosystems, and offering solutions that truly enable growth.
We’re not just digitizing processes. We’re aiming to help companies transform how they operate at their core. That means moving into higher-value services, embracing automation, and building scalable platforms that can be replicated across industries.
We’re also investing heavily in talent. We see ourselves as a talent accelerator, a place where people can grow fast, take ownership, and contribute to meaningful projects from day one. As we expand geographically, that commitment to people will remain at the heart of our strategy.
And finally, we want to keep that spirit of humility and learning alive. No matter how big we get, we always want to be a company that listens first and acts with purpose.
EF: What final message would you like to share with our readers?
AF: Don’t wait until everything is perfect to start building. If you believe in something — a solution, a way of working, a different approach — take the first step. The path will reveal itself as you move forward.
At IDS, we started with nothing but a strong belief in doing things differently. Today, we’re proud of how far we’ve come, but even more excited about what’s ahead.
