High Level Gathering of Technology Sector Leaders from Across the Americas
Dear Technology Leader,
It is my great honor to invite you to The Americas IT Business & Investors Forum taking place in Austin, TX on March 10,2011. This forum represents a tremendous opportunity for technology leaders like you to meet and explore business opportunities with other companies and organizations in the Americas.
The Americas is truly the most dynamic technology region of the world: it is the largest market in Information Communication Technology (ICT) spending, representing just over 1/3 of global ICT spending and more than 43% of global software spending and includes some of the fastest growing IT markets in the world. This sets the stage for technology leaders from the region to come together to learn about market opportunities, and to create business relationships to drive mutually beneficial growth & success.
The Americas IT Forum will connect you with other high-level business leaders and show you how to do business throughout the Americas. During this forum, you'll learn the following:
• • • •
What It Takes for Latin American Companies to Compete in the US IT Market Why Latin America Can and Will Become the Highest Growth Market for US IT Firms Nearshore Outsourcing in Latin America: Are You Missing the Boat? Online Marketing as an Affordable Option for Entering New International Markets
I believe you’ll find Austin, TX to be a great venue for this event. Not only is it a wonderful city to visit (and to live in), but also a great place to do business. Austin is a recognized hub for technology innovation and entrepreneurship, and has many close ties to Latin America. In addition, Austin is within a few hours drive of three of the largest metropolitan areas in the US (Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio), and is a six hours drive from Monterrey, Mexico, one of the largest Latin American cities. These cities offer great business opportunities in technology as well as other industry sectors, making Texas an ideal gateway for all types of IT firms wishing to conduct business between the US and Latin America. I look forward to getting together with you, sharing information, and most importantly, to identifying ways for us to ensure a bright future for the technology industry of this great region.
Hope Andrade
One Event: Four Important Themes
MODERATOR: TOM EVANS! What It Takes for Latin American Companies to Compete in the US IT Market: ! o Identifying Best Market Opportunities. o Strategies/approaches to enter into the US IT market. o Accelerators as viable entry mechanisms. o Making your product globally competitive. o Successful case studies.
MODERATOR: ESTUARDO ROBLES! Why Latin America Can and Will Become the Highest Growth Market for US IT Firms o Overview of the 22-nation Latin American market. o Taking advantage of multi regional brands. o Where to start? Where and how to expand? o Definite no-no's. o The acceleration phenomenon now in Latin America.
One Event: Four Important Themes
MODERATOR: FERNANDO LABASTIDA! Nearshore Outsourcing in Latin America: Are You Missing the Boat? o Overview of the region: technology hotspots. o When you want more than just low rates: the multiple advantages of outsourcing to Latin America. o Large company vs. boutique firm: how to choose the firm that's right for you. o Case Studies: Outsourcing to Latin America
MODERATOR: RICARDO GUERRERO Online Marketing as an Affordable Option for Entering New International Markets o Applying online marketing to find leads, grow brand awareness, and achieve sales. o How online marketing is different from traditional marketing. o Guidelines for when to use online marketing as your primary strategy.! (& when not too) o Case studies.
Event Agenda SCHEDULE
DESCRIPTION
8:00 – 9:00 am
Registration, Continental Breakfast & Networking
9:00 – 10:00 am
Welcome Remarks & Opening Keynote
10:00 - 11:00 am Session 1: What It Takes for Latin American Companies to Compete in the US IT Market 11:00 - 11:30 am Coffee Break/Networking Session 2: Why Latin America can and will become the highest growth market for US IT Firms 12:30 - 2:00 pm Lunch & Keynote
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Session 3: Nearshore Outsourcing in Latin America: Are You Missing the Boat?
3:00 - 3:30 pm
Coffee Break/Networking
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Session 4: Online Marketing as an Affordable Option for Entering New International Markets
4:30 - 5:00 pm
Closing Remarks and Wrap-up
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Closing Happy Hour
SXSW PERSPECTIVE o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
SXSW is the ideal Launch Pad for all Technology Initiatives. The South by Southwest annual festival is becoming one of the World’s most important gatherings in each of its contributing areas: Music, Film and Interactive Technologies. Each year the event brings together over 40,000 people and contributes $100 Million to Austin. SXSW is definitely an ideal place to launch any technology venture or initiative, including debuting existing products in Latin America into the US market. Even if you could only make one trip to the US for business in 2011, SXSW is definitely the right place, the right time, for ANY Technology company… Other “Facts” about SXSW: SXSW 2007 is regarded by Twitter as the “trigger” that made them big. SXSW 2008 was the splash moment for FourSquare. SXSW 2009 led Qrank to debut and spike past 200,000 users. Over 36,000 people total attend the festival’s three components. $99 Million are spent by visitors alone in a 10 day period. SXSW purchased its very own permanent 3-story building in Downtown Austin. The SXSW Accelerator has funded over 24 ventures for over $85 Million. 1/3 of Accelerator ventures were acquired, some by Google and Apple. 600+ programming sessions scheduled for SXSW Interactive 2011. 200+ parties, VIP receptions, and networking events occur outside of SXSW. 100+ exhibitor booths at the SXSW Trade Show. Past Keynotes: Guy Kawasaki, Mark Zuckerberg, founders of Twitter & Zappos. Structured business meetings exist: Core Conversations, Salons, SXSW Clicks. SXSW will include its first Latin America focused programming in 2011!!
VENUE PERSPECTIVE AUSTIN IS THE IDEAL GATEWAY TO THE U.S. TECHNOLOGY MARKET The Silicon Hills There is good reason that Austin has become known as "The Silicon Hills": excellent quality of life, great business climate and the booming technology industry. Although the high-tech industry is the fastest growing and most visible part of the economy, Austin is very diversified with a strong government, education and financial base. In fact, Austin has been named one of the best cities in the United States for business by Forbes and FORTUNE Magazine. One of the country’s top technology cities, Austin is headquarters for Dell Computer Corporation and major operations for IBM, Samsung, Freescale and Advanced Micro Devices. Austin is also a center for other emerging technologies, including: Clean Energy, Digital Media, Wireless, Biotechnology and Life Sciences. In May 2006, Austin hosted the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT 2006), bringing together over 2000 delegates from around the world, including global business, government and education leaders to discuss IT policy, the future of technology, and social and economic development. Quality of Life The city is famous for its thriving business community, natural beauty and plentiful lakes, diverse sports teams, incredible outdoor activities and amazing live music. Austin features that rare combination of small-town charm with big-city entertainment, dining and culture. For quality of life, many people believe Austin is simply unmatched. LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD® On any given night, live music plays at any of the nearly 200 venues throughout the city. Austin is also home to such famed personalities as The Dixie Chicks, Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Spoon, Ghostland Observatory, Okkervil River and more. FILM CAPITAL Austin is the top location in Texas for movie making. Grindhouse, The Alamo, Spy Kids, Sin City, The Rookie, Miss Congeniality, Hope Floats and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as well as many others were filmed in Austin. A LITTLE BATTY Austin is home to North America’s largest urban bat population, with up to 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats roosting under the Congress Avenue Bridge from April through November.
VENUE PERSPECTIVE Education More than 100,000 students attend the area's seven colleges and universities. The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities (with nearly 50,000 students) in the United States and is recognized for some of the top-ranked academic programs in the country. These include UT's Schools for Law, Computer Sciences, Education, Business, Engineering and Public Affairs. Top Ranked City For Business, Technology, Quality of Life, Education o Austin is #2 Best Big City in “Best Places to live” (Money Magazine 2006) o Austin was voted # 1 College Town (Travel Channel) o Austin is one of the safest large U.S. cities. o 39% of the population over 25 years of age have a bachelor’s degree. (vs. 27% of the rest of the country)
o Austin is #1 America’s Fastest Growing Metros. (Forbes, 1/30/08 o Austin is #3 among Best Cities for Jobs in 2008. (Forbes, 1/10/08) o Austin is #1 among Cities Where Business Opportunity is Greatest for Growing Companies. (Expansion Management, 8/07)
o Austin named a "Startup Hub" among world's 30 Fastest Cities. (Fast Company, 7/07) o Austin is the # 10 fittest city.(Forbes, 6/01/10) o Austin is #1 for Business Vitality. (Moody’s Economy.com/Austin Business Journal, 8/6/07) o Austin ranked among Top 10 New "Silicon Valleys" of the clean technology sector worldwide. (Clint Wilder & Ron Pernick, The Clean Tech Revolution, 5/07) o Austin ranked in Top 10 US Cities for Renewable Energy. (SustainLane.us, 4/07) o UT-Austin ranked one of the Top 10 Universities that Drive Economic Development. (Southern Business & Development, Winter 2007) o Austin #6 “Best Cities to Live and Work.” ( Kiplinger.com, 5/08) o Austin is one of "America's Favorite Cities." (Travel + Leisure, 11/07) o Austin is America’s Best City for Hispanics. (Hispanic, 8/07) o Austin named one of the 10 Greenest Cities in America. (MSN City Guides
WHY
LATIN AMERICA?
Historically left out from the global scene, Latin America is starting to define its role in the world economy. During the Global Financial Crisis, and for the first time ever, the region’s banks and governments were the best prepared and least leveraged in the World. The region is right now one of the highest growth markets in IT and largest attractors of Foreign Direct Investment. IT companies who prioritize Latin America reap the benefits from effectively serving a single-language market (plus Brazil) and achieving high ROI. Most importantly, US companies usually find it by far the easiest region to do business in.
OTHER “FACTS” ABOUT LATIN AMERICA: o o o o o o o o o o
Latin America: 560 Million person market (190M Brazilians 370M Latins). Combined GDP exceeds $5 Trillion. Recently Brazil, Peru, DR, Panama, Costa Rica growing at 7% per year. Brazil is set to pass Italy in 2011 as World’s 7th largest economy. Powerful traditional sectors (construction, steel, cement, agriculture). Forward thinking: several women and indigenous presidents fairly elected. Highest mobile density in the World. Connectivity: Emergia cable is one of world’s largest and most advanced. Highest urban density in the developing World. Some of the largest cities in the World (Mexico City, São Paulo,Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Lima,Bogota, Santiago).
SPONSORSHIP OPTIONS BENEFITS TO SPONSORS: The opportunity to have your brand promoted to tens of thousands of IT leaders through out the Americas. This will include promotional efforts done by the Americas IT Forum and via our promotional partners. SPONSOR LEVEL PREMIERE
PRICE
$10,000
DESCRIPTION AND BENEFITS
MAIN EVENT SPONSOR. o 30 minute keynote o Display table during the day o Logo on Forum Bags or Lanyards o Handout to all participants o Logo placement on: sponsor slide shown before/after all keynotes/ panels, event website, all marketing materials, promotional emails. o Two promotional emails sent to all participants (sent on your behalf by the Americas IT Forum team). o 7 Passes to event
PLATINUM
$5,000
PLATINUM SPONSOR. o 10 minute opening/closing remarks o Display table during the day o Handout to all participants o Logo placement on: sponsor slide shown before/after all keynotes/ panels, event website, all marketing materials, promotional emails. o One promotional email sent to all participants (sent on your behalf by the Americas IT Forum team). o 5 Passes to event
GOLD
$3,000
GOLD SPONSOR. o Opportunity to participate in one of the panels as a moderator or participant o 1 Page handout to all participants o Logo placement on: sponsor slide shown before/after all keynotes/ panels, event website, all marketing materials, promotional emails. o 3 Passes to event
SILVER
$1,000
SILVER SPONSOR. o Logo placement on: sponsor slide shown before/after all keynotes/ panels, event website, all marketing materials, promotional emails. o 1 Passes to event.
DIRECT SPONSOR LINK: http://www.americasitforum.com/sponsors Or email sponsors@americasitforum.com
REGISTRATION TO REGISTER PLEASE VISTI:
Registration (US dollars)
www.americasitforum.com/registration
Prior to Jan. 10 *
Prior to Feb. 10*
$199
$249
Prior to Mar. 9 Walk-up Mar. 10 $299
$399
o Register before January 14 and receive a discounted rate to attend South-by-Southwest (SXSW) Interactive conference for $450 (normally priced at $600 up to that date - a $150 savings!) o Significant group registration discounts are available upon request. Contact us for more information.
PARTNERS MEDIA PARTNERS
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
CONTACT US
Phone: +1-512-366-3936 info@americasitforum.com We speak English, Spanish and Portuguese