Technology and software services developed in Colombia are playing an essential role in North America’s private sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, evidenced by four Colombian companies that have recently seen increased sales in the United States and Canada. 

With e-commerce, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, and web and mobile development solutions, they serve the needs of several sectors, including technology, fintech, manufacturing, and agribusiness, so that North American companies can maintain proactive commercial operations. 

One of the said companies is Sigma Studios, which specializes in web and mobile development, among other technological solutions required by its clients. Director of Operations Santiago Echeverri stated, "Thanks to our marketing strategies and having attended ProColombia's 80th Macro Business Matchmaking Forum, we have three new clients since the COVID-19 emergency began." 

He added, "Our outlook and export forecasts are both very positive, especially for North America, given that companies are now going to start outsourcing more in order to reduce costs and expenses." Sigma Studios has provided digital marketing and e-commerce services which enable companies to advance their business operations via the sale of products such as apparel, dental products, pet supplies, and multivitamins. 

ProColombia president Flavia Santoro noted that Colombia is positioned as the fourth largest IT market in the region, following Brazil, Mexico and Chile. “Colombia’s consolidated and growing IT and software industry is well-positioned as a world-class provider—especially in the United States—thanks to its technical capacity, creative potential, and high standards of innovation. We will keep supporting this industry’s exports so that they may continue to provide quality services to the various sectors that need them in the midst of this global situation.” 

According to companies’ reports to ProColombia, software and IT exports reached US $68 million between January and March of this year. The United States was the top buyer of these services in the first quarter of 2020, with US $45 million, while Canada registered US $220,000. 

Santoro added, “Thanks to ProColombia’s proactive promotion offices abroad, we have identified opportunities in the midst of this situation; we are currently analyzing the distinct situations and capabilities of various industries, partners, and Colombian businesses in order to explore these commercial possibilities. Additionally, we are moving forward with virtual meetings in order to match supply to demand under current circumstances.” 

Another case of increased business is reported by Vladimir Villa, CEO of Fluid Attacks, a firm with offices in San Francisco and North Carolina that provides cybersecurity services. “Our services consist of attacking or hacking software developments in order to detect their vulnerabilities and thus close those gaps. Many opportunities are opening up right now because companies are increasingly migrating to digital platforms, even faster than before, making cybersecurity imperative.” 

Villa added that their main operations take place in the fintech and technology sectors, and that they are aiming to expand to both the New England region and the state of Colorado, in order to provide cybersecurity services to the health sector. 

Along these same lines, Agustín Peláez, manager and co-founder of Ubidots—a company that focuses its software services on the Internet of Things—stated, “In the midst of the pandemic, we have had a 5% increase in exports. We believe exports will continue to grow, given that the remote monitoring sector is growing in importance. Our average sales have also increased.” Ubidots has 400 clients in 80 countries, including Canadian companies based in Ontario and Alberta. The United States is currently its top market. 

“Through our webpage we service several sectors, including manufacturing and agribusiness, helping them to stay active and receive pertinent information. For example, monitoring Michigan’s Great Lakes using special buoys that gather information on levels of rain, wind, and navigability; monitoring a trucking company to reduce fuel usage; and data collection at a chicken and pig farm, including the animals’ weight and temperature," Peláez described. 

Likewise, Yuxi Global provides consulting as well as web and mobile app development, serving companies that annually bill between US $25 million and US $200 million in the United States. General Manager Gerardo Calvo stated, "We are serving the pharmaceutical, supply chain, e-learning and training, fintech, and finance sectors, among others. Since the current public health situation began, we have seen a 25% increase in new customers, which will be reflected as increased sales in the medium term, so we hope to have a very successful year.” 

Yuxi Global, which is headquartered in Ohio, with branches in Florida and Texas, also plans to expand its services to the East Coast, including Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, as well as within the Great Lakes region and central United States. Furthermore, Calvo confirmed that the 80th Macro Business Matchmaking Forum, held online, allowed him to make business deals with clients from the United States and South Korea. 

Industry data 

Global software imports have ranged from $200 billion to $170 billion in recent years, according to Trade Map. This same market research firm affirms that India, China, and Germany generate 43% of global software exports while the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands generate 44% of global software imports.  

According to Colombia’s Department of Statistics, Colombian exports of IT services grew an average of 2.6% over the last 5 years. In 2019, exports reached US $229.1 million; the United States was the top buyer, with a 33% share, followed by Ecuador, Mexico, and Spain. 

According to a ProColombia study, Colombia has the potential to export software and IT to more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia, among others. Another ProColombia analysis concludes that technology and specialized software services are playing an essential role in this global situation, leading to opportunities in the following sectors: fintech, e-governance, health, mobile apps, cybersecurity, e-learning, e-commerce, virtual and augmented reality, telecommuting, logistics, blockchain, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence, among others.