ExporTIC Program for Venezuela Technology Export

The first nationwide program for export promotion in the Information and Communication Technologies sector, ExporTIC, was launched today at the Antonio José de Sucre auditorium at the CAF headquarters in Caracas.

This initiative is funded by CAF and BANCOEX, and seeks to promote and underpin internationalization of SMEs and cooperatives that develop Information and Communication Technology products, by defining strategies tailored to each beneficiary. The program is also supported by the National Investment Promotion Council (CONAPRI), the Ministries of Light Industries and Trade (MILCO) and Science and Technology (MCT), as well as the Venezuela Sí Compite network. The executing agency of ExporTIC is the Corporación Parque Tecnológico de Mérida (CPTM).

ExporTIC was inspired by the Exporte program, a proposal launched by the Colombian government, which began in December 2000, and aimed at promoting producers of applied engineering-intensive goods, software and biotechnology, in an effort to help them efficiently design and adapt their products and services and tap into selected international markets.

CAF supported this project as part of its Competitiveness Support Program (PAC), which provides technical assistance to projects that help create competitive advantages in the region, in areas that are expected to have more impact and value for Andean countries, such as information technology.

In mid-2003, the results of the Exporte initiative were presented to different countries, and Venezuela decided to implement this concept, with a focus on information technology, thus giving rise to ExporTIC.

The Information and Communication Technology Export Program (ExporTIC) integrates training, evaluation, advisory and implementation activities for export-oriented actions to be developed over 16 months. With a US$350,000 investment, the program will help Venezuelan ICT products to reach international quality standards.

SMEs or Cooperatives interested in joining the ExporTIC network and the program must register on the website www.exportic.org, where they will find all the information and requirements. In the first stage, more than 200 SMEs and Cooperatives are expected to be registered, which will provide detailed information on projects developed by Information and Communication Technology companies nationwide.

After the nationwide call, certified consultants will identify 60 companies, of which 30 beneficiary companies will be selected based on their projects and exporting potential. These companies will receive advice on foreign trade and related issues; specialized consulting on the design of their business plan, and the necessary tools for international negotiation of their products and services, thorough research in benchmarking, based on each business plan.

“However, ExporTIC has a systematic approach, and therefore, companies and cooperatives not selected in the first round will be able to participate in subsequent stages of the program,” added General Manager Luis A. Chavez.