Bolivia: nearshore outsourcing technology hub
Science and technology in Bolivia grew greatly in these years, becoming an unexpected center for the region.
In Bolivia, technological growth is extremely important for the authorities.
The country has been developing significantly both in technological matters as well as in the social and economic area.
In fact, according to the latest official statistics, in the last 13 years Bolivia has:
Bolivia has also seen a significant increase in connectivity: the national telecommunications company has installed nearly 12,000 miles of fiber optic cables in the country, which should cover the entire territory by mid-2019.
In recent years, Bolivia has striven to become the technology hub of the region, investing heavily in local businesses and IT education. Technology Center
Technology in Bolivia continues to improve thanks to organizations like the Bolivian Tech Center and the Santa Cruz Center.
The country is improving technology education and business opportunities by providing not only incubators and accelerators for entrepreneurs, but also spaces for young people to develop skills and learn about industry trends such as artificial intelligence.
This incubator gives Bolivian entrepreneurs the opportunity to build a global company in just three months.
There are more than 20,700 companies in the country that offer products or services related to information and communication technologies.
According to the State of the Digital Economy in Bolivia 2020 report, the country has six state agencies dedicated to providing direct national and local support to technology companies, as well as 27 joint work spaces, three technology incubators and four technology accelerators. Free zones also play an important role in attracting foreign investment, promoting technology transfer and creating development poles.
Currently, Bolivia has several different free trade and industrial zones, including Zofwin and Zoframaq in Santa Cruz, Zofray in Yacuiba, Zofro in Potosí, Santa Cruz, Zofracobija in Pando, La Paz free trade and industrial zones in the capital city of Patacamaia , the District of Bolivia and Zoffrapat in La Paz.
Software development
Cochabamba is the largest producer and exporter of software in the country, after La Paz and Santa Cruz, according to the Secretariat of Electronic Government and Information and Communication Technologies.
Today they are exported more than 50 million dollars a year (mainly to the USA) through more than 200 software companies. Among them, Jala, the largest software company in the country.
The number of independent developers currently operating in Bolivia and hiring their skills abroad has also increased significantly in recent years. Some of the reasons software development in Bolivia is so popular abroad and many locals choose to be a developer nearby are: the country is in the same time zone as the US and lower labor costs.
For three years, Bolivia has hosted Digital Banking, one of the most important high-tech events in Latin America, where some of the most innovative solutions in mobile payments, electronic wallets and integration of financial agreements are discussed.
Bolivia aumento un 3% su inversión financiera entre 2017 y 2018, convirtiendolo en el tercer país latinoamericano más grande en el sector
According to Duni Bravo, the first female director of Microsoft in Bolivia, the country is adopting technology early and the country's digital infrastructure is less complicated due to the lack of large companies, which certainly have a market to develop. The hottest engineering technologies in Bolivia
La Paz: The main technological city of the country.
It is also home to one of the largest software development companies in the country.
Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz is Bolivia's most populous city and fastest growing economy.
Home to more than 20 public and private universities, software development companies, and local and international conferences, Santa Cruz is the site of a technological revolution.
Cochabamba generates 80% of Bolivian software development and is home to the largest software development company in the country.
Education
The government has spent more than $300,000 developing technology education in the country and has created nearly 130 new technology facilities equipped with the latest technology in the last 11 years, some in more remote areas of the country.
Based on the motto that "knowledge is freedom", the Bolivian government analyzes the autonomy of the IT industry.
As stated in the 2025 Agenda, the country needs to expand Bolivian innovation, knowledge and technology in strategic areas, products and services, complementing modern science with techniques, traditional skills, social and professional creativity, as well as technological and technical wealth.
Students are increasingly interested in technological innovation and software development in the ICT sector. Bolivia has a strong infrastructure and an excellent university system, and offers a wide range of IT and IT careers. In Santa Cruz alone, 9 universities offer 35 different engineering careers, 11 of which are offered by the Gabriel René Moreno Autonomous University, electromechanics being one of the most complex engineering on the market.
Currently, the most popular university in the country is the University of Bolivia, which consists of 8 private and public universities located in different cities of the country.
English Proficiency
While Spanish is the official language of Bolivia, English is especially popular with computer science students, especially since technical textbooks and exams are only available in English.
And of course in the IT industry the use of English is extremely important. In this case, Bolivia is not far behind. According to the EF English Proficiency Index 2020, Bolivia is one of the 10 countries with the highest English proficiency in Latin America, ahead of countries such as Peru and Mexico.
Flight Connectivity & Time zone
Bolivia has four international airports in the main cities, which are very useful for foreign managers and investors.
For a real-time relationship, you have to consider that Bolivia has the same time zone as New York and Miami and just three hours more than Los Angeles.
Although Bolivia is a traditional country, in recent years Bolivia has begun to use its potential in a number of areas, especially in engineering and computer science, strengthening the world's institutions, its educational and professional associations.
For all these reasons it is a very attractive option to do business in Bolivia.
Furthermore, its appeal will only increase due to more international software development deals with India, and the number of developers nearby will increase.