Despite challenges and stiff competition from overseas Phl software industry eyes global market

MANILA, Philippines - The budding Philippine software industry aims to boost and sustain  the creation and global distribution  of locally-made software products through the Product Development Special Interest Group (PD/SIG), an official of the organization said.

In a statement, the Philippine Software Industry Association  (PSIA) said it is looking to achieve global recognition for at least 10 Filipino software products as well as generate approximately $1 million in annual export revenues by 2016.  

Joey Gurango, president of Gurango Software Corp. said ‘’the Philippine software industry will continue to succeed based on two factors: delivering deep technical and professional expertise in specific niches where we can be the best global providers, and creating software intellectual property that will allow Philippine-based companies to achieve ‘top of the food chain’ status within the global software ecosystem.” 

Gurango, who is among the  PSIA’s  founding members, said  their group saw the need to further improve the visibility of software products throughout the association and ultimately the local information technology industry at large.

Since the group was created in August 2011, he said there has been a “nascent software products movement in the Philippines.”

“Still, a lot needs to be done in terms of evangelism, capability development, and coaching — areas which the PD/SIG (Product Development Special Interest Group) hopes to contribute its energies into,” he added.

Challenges currently faced by the software industry are idea generation and innovation, software product go-to-market strategies, as well as organizational and capability development.

The PD/SIG supports PSIA members through the  development of business plans and product pitching to foreign venture capitalists.

The PD/SIG has also put up marketing subsidies for companies with market-ready products and forged tie-ups with software vendors, infrastructure providers, communications providers, and groups such as Philippine Development Foundation, People Management Association of the Philippines, and Brain Gain Network.

Last year, the PD/SIG already conducted numerous meetings and workshops that address various needs and interests of software firms.

For this year, the PSIA will be working with the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on product development and intellectual property portfolio in marketing efforts.

“We will be showcasing the first batch of software products that PD/SIG will assist in becoming globally successful. These efforts aim to encourage more software product ‘technopreneurship’ in the Philippines and, consequently, attract more members into PD/SIG,” Gurango said.

The PSIA, a partner association of the BPAP, seeks to promote the growth and global competitiveness of the country’s software industry.

The group is  eyeing an increase in active members to at least 50 companies at the end of 2012. “This year, we will continue our educational and capability development programs from 2012, such as quarterly workshops on various business-building topics specific to software products,” Gurango said.

The group conducted numerous meetings and workshops last year that address various needs and interests; best practices sessions; mentoring sessions by seasoned speakers; and joint academic programs with local and foreign institutions.

“We will be showcasing the first batch of software products that PD/SIG will assist in becoming globally successful. These efforts aim to encourage more software product technopreneurship in the Philippines and, consequently, attract more members into PD/SIG,” he said.                                     â€“ With Lawrence Agcaoili