Soon after the late September meeting with Fundación Chile, I promptly began to follow up with a few of the members via emails, letting them know of my interest in coming to Chile to explore opportunities for software outsourcing. Whether any of them could or would play any specific role in this effort wasn't too obvious. At the time, this was simply an interesting idea and the execution-level details were not so clear. I waited for some time for some tangible response from Fundación members in the form of a formal invitation or itinerary or informal guidance but nothing materialized. So, I waited and deliberated between the desired trip to Montpellier versus heading south to Chile.
Finally, realizing my deliberations, Rodrigo suggested that I make the first move by committing to a trip. He felt that this demonstration of commitment on my part would provoke sufficient interest and action in Chile to get things rolling. And once I were there, I would have additional opportunities to find my own way around. So, I planned my trip and broadcast it out to everyone that I had met. Coincidentally, Pablo Flores, another friend, was also planning a business trip to Chile during this time. He also offered to make some introductions on my behalf.
Rodrigo's strategy and Pablo's efforts soon paid off. Moreover, Pablo had returned with some encouraging news. CORFO, Chile's Economic Development Agency, had offered to organize some initial meetings for me. Working in concert with Fundación Chile, they had proposed an agenda which would have me meet with representatives from other software technology companies that had invested in Chile, a technology staffing firm, as well as academics from Chile's leading technology universities. This was quite encouraging on many levels. In addition to the diverse agenda that had been set up, I also came to know a little about various programs that CORFO was offering for foreign high-tech ventures. It seemed that Chile was quite serious about wanting to attract foreign investments in high-tech and had taken a number of steps to make it easier and financially attractive for foreign companies to setup shop there. I thought that the financial incentives could certainly help launch zAgile. I became very hopeful of this trip and began in earnest to prepare a formal pitch for these meetings.
Pablo had also provided an introduction to a good friend of his -- Paolo Colonnello, a software technology entrepreneur and head of BlueCompany, based in Santiago. Paolo graciously offered to help me with anything I needed during my stay in Santiago.
So, on Saturday, November 11th, 2006, I arrived in Santiago, somewhat apprehensive and anxious, with lots of hope but without any expectations. I came prepared to deal with any outcome but determined to make something happen, if there was even a remote chance. The apprehensions and anxieties were mostly because I had come to a world that was quite unfamiliar. With fewer than 5% of the population in South America conversant in English, I wasn't sure how easily I would be able to get around with 'no hablo español'. I also didn't know what to expect. I only had a few leads to follow.
My initial impressions of Santiago were that it seemed to be a serious, quiet, professional and modern city. The landscape at times looked like I was somewhere in Southern California, in one of the LA suburbs. It didn't quite look like the Third-World that I had been used to. I was quite impressed.
With Paolo's help, I had arranged to stay in an aparthotel near BlueCompany offices in a relatively modern and nice neighborhood of Santiago called Las Condes. I spent the rest of the weekend getting settled and mostly working on the pitch for Monday.
I was finally beginning to get really excited about the possibilities for zAgile in Chile and was preparing to evangelize to any and all the vision that I had brought with me. zAgile -- mi nueva aventura empresarial -- was starting to build momentum.
Santiago sunset, Las Condes district
Preparing the zAgile pitch for Monday
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