A US $300,000 Investment towards Software Export Industry Development

Microsoft, ARTech and Zonamerica Inaugurate Software Evaluation Lab

Last June, Microsoft Uruguay, ARTech y Zonamerica –with Hewlett Packard’s support- inaugurated the “.NET Solution Center” lab, a Microsoft technology environment where Uruguay’s software development companies will be able to evaluate the software they develop and to research new technologies with world-class quality standards.
The launching was attended by some of the main actors in the software export industry and the academic sector.

This new technological lab, which will be based in Zonamerica’s @3 building, required an investment of US $300,000 in installations, hardware, software and services. This lab’s main objective is to be an ideal work environment where the country’s software development companies can have access to first class resources to improve and develop their products, thus achieving higher quality and volume of exports.

The “.NET Solution Center” lab, which will have the support and assistance of Microsoft and ARTech’s specialized technicians, is a consequence of the national software industry’s high development potential and is connected with the “Associated Labs” program of the “Software Research Center”, an initiative of the CUTI (Uruguayan IT Chamber), and the IT Institute of the Engineering School at the Universidad de la Republica (Uruguay’s State University).

This new endeavor, along with the expansion of ARTech and De Larrobla’s facilities in building @3 and the continuous growth of TATA CONSULTING SERVICES, further consolidates Zonamerica’s IT platform as one of the best in the region





CNN interviewed different Zonamerica actors
for the Entrepreneurial Solutions space of its
Economy and Finances program.

CNN IN ZONAMERICA

CNN visited Zonamerica and interviewed its CEO, Orlando Dovat, and its CIO, Rodolfo Fernández, as well as authorities from two of the company’s main clients- Jose Luis Sablich, PriceWaterhouseCoopers – Zonamerica’s Partner, and Gabriel Rossman, President of Tata Consultancy Services Latin America.

The interview with Orlando Dovat (Zonamerica’s CEO) stressed the company’s evolution in 14 years of operation, during which Zonamerica has consolidated 7 business platforms and housed 2,400 employees from over 120 international companies in 64,000 m2 of office and warehouse space.
As a main topic, he addressed the development of the IT platform, with the expansion of companies such as Tata Consultancy Services, ARTech, De Larrobla, Trintech and Ipcom, and the establishment of the .NET Technologies Research and Development Lab, which was a joint venture with Microsoft, ARTech and Hewlett Packard.
At the same time, he mentioned the Logistics platform’s long and successful trajectory, and Uruguay’s progress as the Region’s logistic pole. Finally, he stressed the development of BioTec-Plaza, the Biotechnology platform, which incorporates concepts from the most advanced Biotechnology Parks for R&D activities and adds to the list of benefits Zonamerica offers as a Business Park.

Rodolfo Fernández, Zonamerica’s CIO, explained that the Park’s infrastructure stands out for its robustness. Zonamerica has invested heavily in redundant access channels and the highest logistic and physical safety standards. The statistics indicate that in 2003, the Park had 99.999% Internet access availability. This landmark has been achieved because of strategic alliances with suppliers such as Antel, Dedicado, and Movicom BellSouth. At the same time, Zonamerica has Wireless (WiFi) technology in 80% of the Park, which gives companies mobility and access to Internet and their own networks without cable or physical connection to hubs.

Jose Luis Sablich, PriceWaterHouse-Zonamerica’s Partner, talked about Uruguay and Zonamerica’s competitive advantages, making reference to the studies the firm conducts to evaluate the different investment markets in the region. Along those lines, Uruguay, and more specifically Zonamerica, rank high on the short list of locations considered good candidates for investment.
He also added that as long as Zonamerica can attract relevant projects through its defined strategy, the Park will continue to stand out as a pole of attraction for investors.

Gabriel Rozman, TCS’s President, stressed the company’s evolution since it began operating in Uruguay and described Zonamerica’s characteristics as very favorable for the operation of companies like Tata. He also stressed the Park’s long term vision, its infrastructure, technology, communications, and services as fundamental for companies to ensure that their clients receive the highest quality standards. He also mentioned the high quality of Human Resources in Uruguay, the favorable legal and fiscal framework, and its social and political stability.

Zonamerica sponsored the III Europe-Latin America Technological Forum and participated in the XIV International GeneXus Meeting

XIV International GeneXus Meeting

The most important event for the GeneXus Community took place on June 14th through 16th of this year, at the Radisson Victoria Plaza Hotel in Montevideo. The 14th International GeneXus Meeting gathered ARTech’s users, clients and business partners, in Montevideo. Experts such as Dr Masatoshi Miyazaki, (Professor Emeritus, Tohoku University), Anil Saboo (Senior Manager of Business Development, ORACLE), Sanjay Sarathy (Senior Director of Developer Programs, SUN) and Axel Steinman (Latin America Southern Cone Region Director, Microsoft) attended the event.

Almost 3,000 people attended over 100 conferences where knowledge related to the following topics was exchanged:
· Market alternatives to maximize IT’s investment returns.
· Optimization of skills used by Genexus.
· New products developed by ARTech’s business partners.

ARTech based its Research, Development and Support Center for GeneXus in Zonamerica’s @3 building.
Zonamerica participated in the event as one of the main sponsors, promoting its Platform for IT companies.

Zonamerica at the III Europe-Latin America IT Business Forum

The III Europe-Latin America IT Business Forum took place at the Radisson Victoria Plaza Hotel in Montevideo on May 31st. A total of 123 business people from 15 different countries in Latin America, as well as the United States, Italy, and Spain attended the event and held 1,300 business meetings.

The Forum was inaugurated by the President of Uruguay Dr. Jorge Batlle, who stressed the importance of the agreement reached by the European Union (EU) and the MERCOSUR, which will be concluded next October in the association and free trade negotiations. “The agreement will be an opportunity for the technological sector to continue growing,” said Dr. Batlle.

At the same time, Harris Miller, president of WITSA (World Information Technology and Services Alliance), commented on the large number of business people that enrolled in the business meetings and said “meetings like these hold the potential of increasing software sales.”

Uruguayan software companies the size of ARTech or De Larrobla & Associates, among others, participated of this forum.
Zonamerica sponsored the event and presented its business platform for IT companies, generating over 40 meetings with IT companies in both continents.

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