Archive El País.
The smile it away. Best Technologies, a company that develops Cali software is about to take a big leap. That is happy to Luis Guillermo Pachon, founding partner of the company, who believes that the software industry in the Valley and the country is going through a good time.
His experience allows him to believe that the region conscientizaron entrepreneurs to make high quality developments, to certify the software and do things with international standards and “that triggers any business, “he says.
Best Technologies born in Parquesoft, an organization that now has 55 technology companies of different sizes and, according to Luis Guillermo Pachon, being in the park has been key to developments faster.
The start of this company was not in production but marketing software biometric solutions, but in 2006 he was measured to design a proposal itself and out came “Welcome,” a software that helps manage processes in goal and can also act as a complement to systems access control and other security systems in organizations. Today, this solution has had multiple evolutions in organizations like The Office, Congress, mayors and many companies in the country.
But now the company will give a big jump from the hand of a multinational that after a year of negotiations shall integrate “Welcome” to its portfolio and placed initially in Latin America. “The deal will be signed soon, it is a company with presence in many countries worldwide and more than 20,000 employees. If before we sold 10 monthly licenses is now possible to move to 100 licenses, “says the founder of Best Technologies very proud of what has been achieved in just over a decade.
In Valle del Cauca there is a characterization of the software industry, but the success stories are increasing every day. In the region leading vendors like Open System, Carvajal Technology, Siesa, Compunet, which are now recognized internationally and now are part of the Cluster Information Technology Pacifitic that seeks to strengthen the sector working on several strategies emerged: Search resource for SMEs to grow, support between small and large firms and the development of a plan of internationalization, among others.
“We know that international competition is strong, but we believe that if we are united we have the way to find strategies to grow, now the government has been supporting companies to qualify their knowledge and work on the basis of quality, “said Maria Elena Suarez, director of Pacifitic.
It is estimated that the number of software companies operating in the Valle del Cauca reached 200, not counting with daily ventures in the sector. Only Pacifitic cluster brings together some 80 companies.
In Colombia the jump has also been important. According to the Ministry of Information Technology (Mintic), there are 4016 companies in this sector (the vast majority of Bogotá, Cali and Medellín).
On this advance, Albeiro Cuesta, director of Policy and Development Information Technology Ministry, said that for the first time in the country this industry has real support from the state and that is reflected in the results of organizations.
Government figures indicate that in 2010 this sector sold $ 2.6 billion in 2013 to $ 5.9 trillion were reached and last year amounted to $ 7.5 billion, of which 8% are exports. “The goal now is to triple sales by 2018, double the number of companies and especially the certified and triple the number of jobs is 41,000 today,” said Cuesta.
What is required?
- According to scholars of the region, specialized education is a determining factor in differentiating software artisan markets, industrial.
- So say many professionals, specialists, magisters and doctors in the field of Information Technology are needed.
- Fedesoft has trained more than 3,000 professionals in development methodologies necessary to ensure product quality.
- Software companies of the country reach non-traditional markets such as Germany, South Africa, UK, according Fedesoft.
Another great leap
Alejandra Ordóñez is the manager Tactics and Strategy, Cali firm with 11 years in the market that began with the production of software that measures the impact of communication in business. Today, says the executive, the organization is member of the Association of Corporate Communication Measurement (AMEC) and is the only company in the country specializing in their field.
The evolution of business has led to have several developments
software, but now offer more service involving the use of their programs. “We are in big companies because they are the ones with more structured communication strategies, 90% of customers are in Antioquia, so last year took a big leap with the opening of an office in Medellin allowing us greater growth, yet we demand investment, “he says.
Tactics and Strategy (TYE) has been growing at an annual rate of 40% in sales and now in addition to his three classic products are developing several applications with the goal of having 2 releases per year. “Companies are evolving because the market has also done and now believe more because they see the usefulness of the product”
To Beatriz Eugenia Grass, Program Director of Systems Engineering at the University San Buenaventura, Valle has made significant progress because they have created technology clusters, technology parks and state initiatives have been launched to promote the growth of the information technology sector (IT). “We are the sixth department with the highest Internet penetration, which has boosted the sector and the interesting thing is that there is support for persos actors.”
Ensures the teaching that “we are on the right track and we believe in local talent. The software products we develop competing in any dimension with any other country. ”
The University San Buenaventura de Cali has a technology park that have left companies like OLsoftware doing custom development of clients and they have provided services to companies such as La 14, Comfandi, Coomeva, Money and Finance, among others.
In addition, some employers have taken advantage of the support of the Government. For example, firms such as IP caleñas Total Software and Consulting Optimum participated in February technology conference in Barcelona with accompanying Mintic and Procolombia. Both organizations reported good results because they closed deals to expand in Latin America and Europe.
Paola Restrepo, president of Fedesoft, believes that one of the strengths of the Valley is the association, which has impacted not only the image people have of the companies, but their business models. “The Valley has companies that are major players in the industry, one of which is already part of one quadrant of Gartner (A US consulting which includes among its customers only large firms) and another has become the multilatina of our country, “he said.
With this background it is expected that more companies make the leap towards consolidation.
No comments:
Post a Comment