HTP Resident-Companies: A Look Back at the Year 2013 (Part 1)

19 December 2013

What was the outgoing year like for the HTP resident-companies? What projects have been implemented and what achievements have been accomplished? What do the HTP residents expect in 2014?

Companies executives share their impressions of the outgoing year and plans for the future:

Victor Novochadov, Game Stream: "...The year 2013 has become really busy for our company, flying by, without exaggeration, like a lightning bolt, bringing a dazzling number of important victories, prestigious awards, and records (including a Guinness World Record). There was a special one-hour episode on the National Geographic Channel, the second Golden Joystick Award in a row, and many other memorable moments. With the support of the Hi-Tech Park, we have managed to successfully complete a number of housing programs for our employees, continue the construction of offices, jointly implement socially important sponsorship projects. And above all, despite the twofold personnel increase, we have kept our unique microclimate, the atmosphere of a creative laboratory, the irrepressible thirst for experimenting, searching, and self-improvement, what each of us lives and breathes, what has long been our trademark and outlook – DO BETTER OR DO NOT DO AT ALL!

In the outgoing year, the company has paved the way for further victories and production success, which allows us to see the New Year 2014 in with calmness and optimism, and expect... incredible, almost impossible, and even fantastic achievements, which have long been associated particularly with us, which we have transferred from the category of mythical and unattainable to that of real, intermediate, and even common..."

Sergei Levteev, IBA Group: "In 2013 IBA Group has celebrated its 20th anniversary. Like the majority of Belarusian IT companies, IBA Group development centers in Belarus remained focused on the external markets. Business dynamics of IBA Group has been consistently positive. According to preliminary estimates, the volume of services provided by the Belarusian development centers has grown significantly this year – by approximately 25%. I also want to emphasize that in 2013 our companies in Belarus have completed a sufficient number of large-scale and interesting projects for Belarusian enterprises, as well.

It is good to know that the Hi-Tech Park has become an effective platform for the development of information technology in Belarus. Measures at national level to support the development and promotion of the IT industry in Belarus as well as reasonable steps by the HTP Administration in this direction have significantly affected the dynamics of the IT market in general. I believe the HTP history is a success story, and I hope that, in addition to increasing sales volumes, its resident-companies will be able to implement some infrastructure projects we need so desperately.

The recipe for success of any project is simple: you have to work hard and try to do your job as well as possible. I wish us all energy, strength, and courage to create new ideas as well as innovative solutions to implement them in the coming year. Let the year 2014 reward us for our hard work, be successful for the development and financial stability of our companies, send us a flood of joyful events, raise our positive mood, and bring warmth and good to our families..."

Sergei Divin, EPAM Systems: "...EPAM Systems is one of the fastest growing companies. Currently, we have a staff of over 9,000 technical professionals: developers, support engineers, analysts, consultants, and testers working on different projects in 12 countries. Our company is often named to the top of popular ratings not only in our country but also abroad. And yet our people are our most valuable asset. As for our achievements of the year here in Belarus, we have opened the Innovative Developments Studio in Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, the countrys first laboratory in a non-technical higher education institution – Minsk State Linguistic University, and a branch of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Programming Technologies based at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, Brest State University named after A. Pushkin. In May, our cooperation with two leading technical universities in the country – BSU and BSUIR – reached a new level and we opened branches of 6 departments of these universities. All the events were preceded by a huge work, resulting in new opportunities to be offered to students early in their career.

In short, this year has become really exceptional for us. In December, our company celebrates the 20th anniversary. This is not just a round figure in our history, it is a reason to be proud. We are looking to the future and creating new plans. After all, the fun has just begun! Congratulations to all EPAM employees on the anniversary of the company and a Happy New Year. Let happiness come to your doors! I wish health to you and your families!"

Galina Kosarevskaya, MAPSOFT: "Summing up the outgoing year, we can say that it has been very busy and productive. We have managed to achieve our goals by implementing a number of important projects in the key segments. In 2013, our company has paid great attention to developments in the healthcare sector, with our software products being improved and new ones being launched. This year, the upgraded serviceTALON.BAY – Belarus Online Medical Registration has become available. Today, TALON.BAY helps hundreds of thousands of Belarusians set an appointment with a doctor via the Internet, as well as ask for a house call. The project received a special diploma of the Internet Prize TIBO 2013 in the category Healthcare and Medicine. We has also developed a Web version of the program for monitoring food supply in preschool institutions thereby enabling organizations to work much more efficiently and easier. We have rebranded this year – we have changed our logo and corporate style. In December, MAPSOFT once again has become the laureate of the prestigious national contest Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 in the category Information Technology which is good news for us.

The success of the company is the professionalism of the staff and a great teamwork. We are confident that the New Year 2014 will be even brighter and more eventful. I wish you all health, happiness, and professional achievements in the coming year!"

Jury Lopatin, SoftClub: "...Every year brings something new to the company. The companys anniversary has become the most important event of the outgoing year. In 2013 SoftClub has celebrated its 20th birthday. Due to the longstanding experience of cooperation with the Belarusian banking sector, the constant search for new software solutions, and the ability to promptly determine the current trends in the sphere of Information Technology – it has been 20 years of success in the IT field in Belarus.

In 2013, we have again confirmed our leading position in developing new directions for the improvement of software products, once again hitting the list of 500 largest software companies in the world published by SoftWareMagazine.

We see the year 2014 in with confidence in our abilities and desire to implement a great number of interesting and challenging tasks. I would like to wish all our friends, partners, and other HTP residents lots of energy, enviable optimism, and the desire to perform at 150 percent. I would like to believe that in the Year of the Horse our diligence, patience and the ability to achieve goals will help all of us conquer new heights!"

To be continued...