The Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) aims to lead entrepreneurs, young professionals and even students on how to start and succeed in software business in the upcoming 3rd GoNegosyo Filipino Technopreneurship Summit slated on February 19, Wednesday at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
The Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) will hold the summit which it named after its advocacy Go Negosyo, a non-stock, non-profit organization.
Joey Gurango, President of PSIA, said the time is ripe for businessmen and even aspiring entrepreneurs in the country to tap into software development and other IT services now pegged as a multi-billion-dollar industry.
Joey Gurango
Gurango, who also sits as CEO and CTO of the local Human Capital Management solutions company Gurango Software, said the Philippine software industry has earned $1.16 billion in revenues and recorded 60,000 full-time employees since 2012.
He said PSIA targets the local software industry to reach $5 billion by 2016.
“There are about 400 to 600 software companies in the Philippines composed of multinationals, locals, and captives,” Gurango said.
Gurango described software development as a very doable and lucrative business that Filipinos can earn from compared to traditional businesses like selling foods, clothes and other goods.
“It doesn’t cost much to start a software development business because the capital is cheap. You only need a computer and Internet connection,” Gurango said, noting many Filipinos also have the skills and creative ideas to succeed in such venture.
He said what Filipinos really need is expert mentorship to help them turn their technopreneurship ideas into a moneymaking scheme.
Aside from software development, Gurango along with other IT entrepreneurs in the country will highlight business models by featuring successful techno-enterprises in the fields of mobile applications, wireless applications, game design and development, e-commerce, website development and even blogging.
In terms of talent development, PSIA has been continuously guiding and funding Filipino software entrepreneurs through its software startup program called Spring.ph or Software PRoducts Incubation Group.
The PSIA president added that people who join software startups include not only students and graduates of software engineering and other IT courses but also people involved in art, business, social sciences, marketing, among others.
“The country has the talent that can produce the next Facebook or Angry Birds. They only need to know on how to turn their ideas into business,” Gurango said.
Other technology giants who are expected to attend the event are Engr. Dado Bantao (Silicon Valley) and Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP Group of Companies).
