25 February 2013

Belarus IT industry and the Hi-Tech Park in particular are titbits for big foreign investors. Alexander Martinkevich, Deputy Director of the HTP Administration, and Roman Osipov, Head of investment company Uniter, reached this view during the press conference on February 21 in Minsk.

Discussing the advantages of the national IT industry from the point of view of foreign investors, Roman Osipov stressed the fact that Belarus is geographically and mentally close to the investors from Western Europe and the USA. Comparing Belarusian IT specialists with their colleagues from India and other Asian countries, one can’t help but notice their industriousness, discipline and responsible attitude to work. The expert also drew attention to such an advantage as strong Belarusian educational system with roots going back to the USSR times.

In his opinion, another advantage of Belarus is a stable tax system favorable for investors. “Let’s consider the HTP example: the Park was established in 2005 and there have been no changes in the conditions for the resident-companies so far”. In his turn Alexander Martinkevich assured that the environment created for the residents is going to change only for the better.

He added that the availability of highly qualified professionals is even more important than the nature of tax system. In Belarus there are enough specialists on the labor market that enables business development. Thus, in 2012 more than 2.5 thousand of new workplaces were created in the HTP.

The HTP Administration is not afraid of predicted decrease in the number of graduates in 2-3 years, because HTP residents take active part in organizing retraining programs. “We are aware of this problem. In 2016 it is going to be solved by means of implementing retraining and skills conversion programs and making them available for everybody who is interested in working in the IT sphere”, -he said.

“Today big foreign investors come to the HTP to establish their development centers. And we are not going to stop facilitating this process”, - said Alexander Martinkevich.

He also drew attention to the fact that in the course of international cooperation Belarusian specialists get access to global technologies. It’s interesting that more and more young people who have already gained some experience consider having their own startups and the HTP is going to support them with this.

It’s evident that product not custom programming will determine the development of Belarusian IT industry in the near future: thanks to this model there are a dozen companies in the HTP that make 300% profit.

At present Belarus IT industry is reaching a new level of its development and the prospects are very promising.