IT businesses grow 40% in Santos
Valor Econômico
If the Brazilian market of information technology is considered promising, in Santos, on the coast of São Paulo, the ground seems even more fertile. The enlargement of the largest port of Latin America, the attraction of companies of the oil and gas chain and a university population that is the fourth in the State make the city a business incubator. From 2007 to 2010, the number of opening companies grew nearly 40%, to 1,110 operations of all sizes - already discounted those that shut down in the period. But among the micro and small enterprises of the region of Baixada Santista, the retail and IT services are those growing the most, according to the Sebrae (Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises), agency that provides support to such small businesses. In the block are stores selling from cartridges to the development of software.
The Director of MKT Virtual, Ludmilla Rossi, abandoned Marketing School at age 19 to found the internet services agency with her boyfriend Mauricio Matias, at 16 square meter room. This month, MKT turns ten years at a 450 square meter headquarters. In 2010, MKT earned R$ 1.2 million (US$ 681.8 thousand), 3,900% more than in 2001, when the internet market still crawled. Currently, the agency's portfolio has clients like Avon, Poko Pano, Buriti Filmes and the rock band Charlie Brown Jr.
"Most of our customers have already had some experience with a Website and are looking for something more advanced, such as applications for iPhone, iPad and games", says Ludmilla. "We moved to the new headquarters to get our act together, foreseeing there is market to do a lot of great stuff". Matias, on his turn, says the focus of MKT is in the growth of the development of applications on Apple and Android platforms.
The 2010 IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) Census points out Santos has 419,757 inhabitants and, according to the last data of the State System of Data Analysis Foundation (Seade), the University population of the city was of 36,451 students in 2007.
Founded 20 years ago, ConsulData is currently one of the greatest integrators of data communication systems of the region of Baixada Santista. 80% of the client portfolio is made up by companies of the port of Santos. For one of those clients it was made the integration of the office located to the margin the port of Santos with the terminal located to the margin located in Guarujá. To do that, besides a radio connection, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems are used. ConsulData has 60 employees. Its contracts are covered by a Service Level Agreement (SLA), with a time tolerance for the company to the solve problems that may arise. But the time range necessary to solve the occurrences has fallen over the years, says the President of ConsulData, Luis Carlos Tenorio, without disclosing the details.
In 2010, the company earned R$ 5 million (US$ 2.8 million), with growth of 20% compared to the prior year. The Executive outlines as one of the main gains having won the bidding to provide services of optical fibers for the Suape terminal (PE), of Petrobras. It took ten months of preparation to get the Certificate of Registration and Record Classification (CRCC) of the oil company, document required by the State company, says Tenório.
The Municipal Government of Santos, has also announced it intends to set aside an area of six square kilometers, in the continental area of the city, to receive the second hub of the Technological Park of Santos. The place is located in the neighborhood of Guarapá, nearly 33 km from downtown Santos, neighbor of the future Barnabé Bagres port. The characterization of the land allows it to receive the technology and innovation activity,said the Secretary of Development and Strategic Affairs of the city, Márcio Antonio Lara.