Development of ICT Clusters: Baltic IS Cluster October, 2004

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Development of ICT Clusters Baltic IS Cluster
October, 2004
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The Latvian Information Systems cluster

• Established in autumn 2001 - initiative by
  Latvian Ministry of Economy
• A collaborative network of companies and
  institutions (currently 17 members)
• Aim to
• increase the competitiveness and ensure IT export
  growth
• become a leading exporter of software development
  services in Eastern Europe
• provide reliable application services
• develop know-how and products competitive on the
  global market.

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Figures and Facts

• In 2003 9 leading IS Cluster companies achieved
• Turnover EUR 80 m (10 growth)
• Export EUR 37 m (gt50 growth)
• Main export markets
• the Baltic's
• Europe (Germany, UK, Scandinavia etc.)
• USA
• CIS countries.

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Wide range of IT services and products

• Software development
• Hosting
• Network products
• Implementation services
• Software packages
• Content providing.

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Cluster participants

• Universities and Education
• University of Latvia
• Riga Technical University
• Baltijas Datoru Akademija
• Software Development
• C.T.Co
• DATI
• MicroLink
• Exigen Latvia
• IT Alise
• TietoEnator Financial Solutions
• Data Pro
• Tilde
• Verdi (Lattelekom)

• Application services providing
• DEAC
• Telia Latvija
• IBM Latvia
• Lattelekom
• Testing and Quality
• RITI
• Marketing
• Data Media Group
• RIX Technologies

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Mode of operations

• Marketing mall
• Independent business organizations seeking to
  co-operate on larger projects and cross-sell the
  products and services
• Code of Ethics
• Targeted activities through workgroups
• Human Resources
• Marketing
• Quality
• Business Environment
• Product Development
• Decisions based on consensus principles.

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Why Baltic IS Cluster ?

• Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus countries
  of the Baltic Region
• Baltic market - more interesting than separate
  countries
• Better co-ordination of resources and activities
• Near-shore and offshore development is becoming a
  necessity for large European companies
• Good basis for synergies

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Development of Baltic IS Cluster

• May 2003. Meeting between LITTA (Latvia),
  Infobalt (Lithuania), LDA, Lithuanian Embassy.
• November 2003. Meeting between ITL (Estonia) and
  LITTA.
• December 2003. Action plan for establishing the
  Baltic IS Cluster is elaborated by ITL, LITTA,
  Infobalt.
• April 2004. Pan-Baltic competencies assessment
  report (supported by UNDP).

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Planned Baltic IS Cluster Activities

• Joint marketing and PR
• Joint proposal development and participation in
  ICT programmes and projects
• Virtual stock-exchange of subcontracts and jobs
  in software development projects and product
  development
• Formation of Baltic IS Cluster internal/inter
  countries programmes and development of joint
  projects in Baltic countries

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Baltic IS Cluster current status

• Agreement of co-operation signed by LITTA,
  Infobalt (Lithuania Association) and National
  Infopark of Belarus
• The Baltic IS cluster represents
• 296 companies with 29,500 employees
• 2.24 billion EUR turnover in 2003
• The seminar on activities of Baltic IS Cluster
  September, 2004
• Memorandum of understanding among governmental
  counterparts and industry associations in process

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Thank you for attention!

• www.itbaltic.com