Mysore IT firms sniff opportunity in S Africa

The visit of a 28-member team of IT firms from Ivory Coast to Mysore a couple of days back is likely to open up a window for the city-based IT firms to South Africa.

The delegates from 21 IT companies led by their IT association president interacted with Mysore IT Forum companies during their one-day visit. The visit was organised by the Electronics & Computer Software Export Promotion Council.

The delegates had come to Mysore with the objective of establishing linkages with Mysore firms, both in hardware and software. The host made a presentation on the strengths and capabilities of the Mysore IT companies. The software group visited RiiiT and Excel Soft Technologies, while the software team went around Kaynes Technology and WeP Peripherals Ltd, four major IT companies of Mysore.

"The interaction was so business-like the team members even cancelled their sightseeing and stayed back for serious buyer-seller meeting. The delegates, whose country was under the French till 1960, clearly understood the Indian IT scenario and in particular the one prevailing in Mysore."

"I feel the Indian companies have sold their concept and the delegates have understood it well as they had come with the intention of tying up technology partnerships with Indian companies. They found the Indian companies more comfortable to operate with and they invited us to Ivory Coast," CEO & MD of Raman International Institute of Information Technology (RiiiT) S V Venkatesh told Business Standard.

"Now we have an African gateway with the team's visit providing us an opportunity," he remarked.

Mysore IT forum president and Kaynes Technology technical director K R Sripathy said the visitors' basic interest in the areas of IT education for schools, e-learning and security systems, apart from software and hardware.

"They have evinced a lot of interest, looking at the business potential. They saw Mysore as a key centre of technology transfer. As they have exchanged a lot of business ideas, we can look forward to potential tie-ups," he said.

Sripathy added, the IT leaders of Ivory Coast will consolidate their discussions after their return and come up with a list of potential areas where future tie-ups can be worked out.