São Paulo – Brazilian software manufacturing companies will feature in the Gitex Technology Week, a trade show due from October 20th to 24th in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Brazil’s participation is sponsored by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex), the Association for Promotion of Excellence in Brazilian Software (Softex) and the Rio Grande do Sul Software Development Support Association (Softsul). Registration to participate in the event will remain open until September 16th.
“The market holds great promise for Brazilian enterprises. Despite the distance and the language barrier, there is no prejudice against Brazilian product. The market is quite open and the sales cycle is quick,” says Adriana Martins, the Operations director at Softsul, which is organizing Brazilian companies’ trips to the event.
The executive says Softsul has participated in Gitex in two years, 2009 and 2010, solely with enterprises based in Rio Grande do Sul, and this year the association has managed to expand participation to a countrywide scope. “Three companies have registered already, and we plan on having eight,” she says.
So far, the companies which have confirmed their attendance are STA Holding, a developer of customer relations software based in São Paulo; SBPA Simulators & Tecnologies, for flight simulators, based in São Leopoldo (Rio Grande do Sul); and FiberWork Optical Communications, a fibre optics solutions developer based in Campinas (São Paulo).
According to Martins, the most on demand software in the Middle East is those that serve the oil and gas, banking, finance, and telecom industries.
According to the Softsul director, Brazilian software exports to Arab countries “is still fairly low, lower than we would like.” The main competitors with Brazilian software are the United States and India, but according to Martins, Brazil is second to none of these countries when it comes to technology.
“In terms of technology, we are up to par. What makes things difficult is the Brazil cost [i.e. the cost of doing business in Brazil]. The other countries subsidize their enterprises. India pays for its companies to attend fairs; the company does not need to spend any money. In Brazil, it takes work to take the companies to fairs,” Martins explains.
This year, the Gitex is expected to receive 139,000 information technology professionals from 144 countries. Exhibitors will include over 3,500 companies from 54 countries. “Gitex has grown a lot. It is a highly qualified, business-oriented fair, unlike others which attract a more general public. This is attractive to companies. The fair’s qualification is very important to businessmen,” says Martins.
The executive also states that Apex’s support enables small businesses to participate. “Brazilian companies are seeking alternative markets,” she says.
Service
Gitex Tecnology Week
October 20th to 24th in Dubai
www.gitex.com
Brazilian companies interested in participating in the event may contact Softsul at (+55 51) 3346-4422.
For information on the costs and benefits of participating in the fair go to www.softsul.org.br/portal/noticia.php?id=3850.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
