Universidad Cenfotec

What Universidad Cenfotec does

Universidad Cenfotec is a private Costa Rican university founded in 2000 and headquartered in San José, dedicated exclusively to computing and informatics education. It serves prospective Costa Rican students as its primary market, alongside corporate clients seeking employee technology upskilling and international partner universities collaborating through its Global Engagement Office (GEO). The institution operates 8 specialized schools covering business administration, cybersecurity, software engineering, industrial systems, information systems, intelligent systems, and information technologies. It delivers instruction through Moodle and Google Workspace for Education Plus, featuring a proprietary experiential learning methodology called XperiencEd (60% practical experience, 20% theory, 20% feedback), live virtual classes, and cloud-based virtual labs that remove the need for local software installation.

The product portfolio spans undergraduate degrees (Bachilleratos), master's programs (Maestrías), quarterly technical programs (Técnicos Cuatrimestrales), agile technical programs (Técnicos Ágiles), intensive dual-skill programs (TechBoost), continuing education courses, and professional certification programs aligned to frameworks such as EC-Council, PECB, CERTIPROF, AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Revenue is generated through tuition and fees for academic programs, transactional e-commerce sales of individual professional courses priced roughly USD 220–2,200, enterprise training agreements (convenios) with over 60 corporate partners including Amazon (Career Choice), NTT DATA, Accenture, and BAC Credomatic, and international programs under the COIL framework. Distribution runs through direct enrollment, a self-serve e-commerce storefront, enterprise sales, and international university partnerships spanning Latin America, Europe, Asia, and North America.

Governance is provided by a Junta Directiva led by Dr. Robert Beck as President, with a Rector and Director General (Dr. Agüero) heading operations; the university is privately held with no disclosed parent company, venture capital, or private equity backing. The institution holds EC-Council Accredited Training Center status and is an authorized training partner for PECB and CERTIPROF, and aligns its offerings to the SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age) global standard. Compliance with Costa Rican Law 8968 (data protection) and Law 7476 (anti-harassment) is maintained, and it operates with stated academic autonomy under Costa Rican higher-education regulation.

Name

Universidad Cenfotec

Legal name

Universidad Cenfotec

Website

https://ucenfotec.ac.cr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Universidad Cenfotec is a private Costa Rican university founded in 2000 that specializes exclusively in computing and informatics education, offering degrees, technical programs, and professional certifications to students and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Computing and Informatics

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Business and Secretarial Schools (61141)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Computing degrees
• Cybersecurity training
• Professional certifications
• Corporate training

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Academic Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from tuition and registration fees for undergraduate degrees (bachilleratos), technical programs (técnicos), and master's programs. Programs are offered in quarterly (cuatrimestral) and accelerated formats. Fees vary by program length and format.
2. Professional Development Courses and Certification Programs: Individual courses and professional programs (programas profesionales) sold via e-commerce platform. Students can purchase single courses or enroll in learning paths leading to certificates. Revenue is transaction-based per course or program. Prices range from approximately $220 to $2,200 per course depending on certification level and duration.
3. Corporate Training and Partnerships: Training services provided to corporate partners through training agreements (convenios). Companies send employees for upskilling and certification programs, often sponsored through programs like Amazon Career Choice. Revenue from enterprise training contracts.
4. International Programs and COIL: Revenue from strategic international collaborations including COIL Strategic programs that may include co-developed degrees, double certifications, and shared revenue models with partner universities abroad.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Universidad Cenfotec is a private university exclusively dedicated to computing and informatics education. It offers undergraduate degrees (Bachilleratos), master's programs (Maestrías), accelerated technical programs (Técnicos Cuatrimestrales and Técnicos Ágiles), and professional certification programs (Programas Profesionales) organized across eight specialized schools. The institution sells individual professional courses and certification preparation programs (e.g., EC-Council, PECB, CERTIPROF) through its own e-commerce platform, and delivers corporate training agreements with employers for employee upskilling.

Product overview

Universidad Cenfotec is a private university specializing exclusively in computing and informatics education. The institution offers a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs including undergraduate degrees (Bachilleratos), master's programs (Maestrías), technical programs (Técnicos Cuatrimestrales and Técnicos Ágiles), and professional certification programs (Programas Profesionales). Programs are organized across eight specialized schools: Administración de Empresas, Ciberseguridad, Fundamentos, Ingeniería del Software, Sistemas Industriales, Sistemas de Información, Sistemas Inteligentes, and Tecnologías de Información. Additional offerings include TechBoost (dual-skill intensive training), international programs, English language training (NEO+), Amazon Career Choice vocational training, and continuing education courses. The institution operates a digital-focused library (Biblioteca Ignacio Trejos Zelaya) and utilizes an experiential learning methodology (XperiencEd™) combining 20% theory, 60% practice, and 20% feedback.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachilleratos (Undergraduate Degrees)
• Maestrías (Master's Programs)
• Técnicos Cuatrimestrales (Quarterly Technical Programs)
• Técnicos Ágiles (Agile Technical Programs)
• TechBoost
• Programas Internacionales (International Programs)
• Higher English Academy – NEO+
• Amazon Career Choice
• Cursos de Aprendizaje Continuo (Continuing Education Courses)
• Programas Profesionales (Professional Certification Programs)

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Amazon (Career Choice Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmazon Career Choice program partnership allowing Amazon employees to pursue technology education and certifications at Universidad Cenfotec. Employees receive sponsored training for career advancement in technology fields.
• EC-CouncilcoreTechnology or IntegrationEC-Council Accredited Training Center (ATC) providing official cybersecurity certification preparation courses including CEH, CHFI, CCISO, ECIH, CND, and CCT. Students can take certification exams on-site.
• International Universities (COIL Partners)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Engagement Office (GEO) manages COIL partnerships with universities across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and North America for collaborative online international learning. Includes Master Classes, Mirror Classes, COIL Integrated, XperiencEd COIL, and COIL Strategic programs. COIL Strategic partnerships may include double degrees and revenue-sharing.
• CERTIPROFcoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized certification provider for Certiprof's Lead Cybersecurity Professional (LCSPC) certification, offering digital badges and blockchain-verifiable credentials for graduates.
• PECBcoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized training partner for PECB ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Foundation certification, enabling students to obtain internationally recognized information security management certifications.
• Corporate Training Partners (60+ companies)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 60 companies including NTT DATA, Accenture, BAC Credomatic, Sonda, GFT, Fair Play Labs, and others have training agreements (convenios) for employee technology upskilling. Partners include technology companies, financial institutions, and enterprise organizations across Costa Rica.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tecnológico de Monterrey: Mexico's leading private university with a strong technology and engineering focus, multiple specialized schools, and extensive corporate partnerships. Comparable as a Latin American private university monetizing computing/technology education via degrees, certifications, and executive education across the region.
• ULACIT (Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología): Panama-based private university specializing in science and technology with online delivery. Comparable as a Central American peer competing for similar regional technology students and corporate training demand.
• SANS Institute: Global cybersecurity training and certification organization offering hands-on courses (SEC401, GIAC certifications). Comparable as a competing cybersecurity training provider, particularly for enterprise and government security professionals in Latin America.
• New Horizons Computer Learning Centers: Global corporate IT training franchise delivering authorized certification courses (Microsoft, Cisco, AWS, CompTIA). Comparable as a competing channel for corporate technology upskilling and certification exam preparation in Costa Rica and the region.
• Universidad Galileo: Guatemala-based private university focused on science, technology, and engineering with online and hybrid programs. Comparable as a Central American specialized technology university targeting similar student segments and corporate training clients.

Regional players

• Universidad Latina de Costa Rica: Major Costa Rican private university with broad program offerings including technology programs. Comparable as a domestic competitor for Costa Rican higher education students, though less specialized in computing/informatics than Cenfotec.
• Universidad INCAE Business School: Top-ranked Central American business school with executive education and master's programs. Comparable as a regional peer in postgraduate and executive education, though focused on management rather than computing.
• Universidad Fidélitas: Costa Rican private university focused on engineering and technology programs. Comparable as a domestic Costa Rican peer competing for the same technology student pool, though smaller and broader in scope than Cenfotec.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Global online learning platform offering degree programs, professional certificates, and courses from top universities and companies including Google, IBM, and AWS. Comparable as a competing channel for IT and cybersecurity certification learners in Costa Rica and across Latin America.
• edX (2U): Global online learning platform offering university-level programs, bootcamps, and professional certificates including cybersecurity, data science, and cloud computing. Comparable as a competing channel for professional certification learners and corporate training buyers across Latin America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@direcciondedesarrollocurri266
• Facebookfacebook.com/UCenfotec
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucenfotec
• Xx.com/ucenfotec

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Universidad Cenfotec