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New York, July 25th (Pxp). The largest software & IT Business Matchmaking Forum organized by PROCOLOMBIA was hosted in New York, gathering over 60 Colombian exporters and 105 international buyers for seven hundred appointments in one five-hour session.
The event yielded business expectations worth more than $49 million USD, bringing new expansion opportunities for the Colombian IT industry abroad. Entrepreneurs from markets open for exportation like the United States, Canada, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico found new business opportunities in the country during this extensive event, where each exporter held up to 10 appointments.
" Colombia is very robust. It has a significant competitive advantage and is second to none compared to American companies. Colombia&rsquo s portfolio is very interesting with experience in areas like animation and apps&rdquo , stated Carlos Montañ o, a representative from Brandshark Group, an American company that intends to hire the services of a company in Bogota called Hit Combo to develop apps for restaurants in New York.
This was one of the deals closed during the business event that was held during the launch of the " Colombia Bring IT On" campaign, which was officially launched last Thursday by the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications Diego Molano Vega in order to position Colombia as a software & IT service provider and a foreign investment destination for this sector.
" This campaign is the first stage of a positioning strategy so that international companies consider Colombia as a business destination, either through investments or exports. PROCOLOMBIA&rsquo s promotion activities are in line with the industry,&rdquo explained the Vice-President of Foreign Investment of PROCOLOMBIA, Juan Carlos Gonzalez.
The United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central American countries, including Argentina, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Spain, and United Kingdom are but some of the markets where PROCOLOMBIA has identified opportunities for the domestic software & IT industry, and where all brand recognition efforts will focus.
Digital Strategy to Foster the IT industry
The Colombian site www.colombiabringiton.proexport.com.co was unveiled as part of the Bring IT On campaign launch and the industry' s Business Matchmaking Forum in New York. The campaign will be positioned and promoted through digital and specialized media, and this webpage will serve as its main platform.
Through this webpage, foreign entrepreneurs interested in conducting business in Colombia will find information about the products and services available in the country, as well as Government plans to drive this sector, success stories of exporting and established foreign companies and the full portfolio of IT solutions in Colombia.
Another advantage at the New York&rsquo s business meeting is the promotion of investment for this sector.
" Colombia clearly believes in ICT as a development tool. Foreign investors are interested for many reasons: The domestic market is not only strong, but is also the perfect platform to reach other markets in the region. Foreign companies find that the country is a very interesting business alternative thanks to its qualified human resources, its geographical location, and the possibility of meeting customer needs quickly and efficiently,&rdquo added Juan Carlos Gonzalez.
The Software and IT Industry in Numbers
- Colombia has the greatest IT service sales in Latin America just behind Brazil and Mexico. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), Colombia is expected to show the greatest development in the region regarding IT services.
- Over 53% of Colombian digital content companies export their products and services.
- According to the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications, the IT industry is developing at a fast pace. In 2013, approximately 1,800 software development and IT services companies were registered. Last year, total sales added to $5.9 billion pesos.
