La Silicon Valley argentina

Surely the comparison is exaggerated, but, if we're going to dream, let's do it big. Once, and we have explained it in  this note ,  Mendoza sought to be Argentina's California for its film productions. With the production company “Film Andes” at the head , it managed to position itself as a benchmark in the sector during the 1960s. It currently has the same goal, only that its resemblance to California is no longer for film production, but for  supporting the growth of knowledge industries, as is the case in Silicon Valley. And actually,  Mendoza  and California have a lot in common, because to this we have to add  wine production andiacute; tail . It will be that the geographical and climatic characteristics of both locations are conducive to the aforementioned industries.

 Technological pole 

But let's not go through the branches. What is important today is the impulse to the knowledge industries that is taking place in Mendoza.  For years there has been the   ICT Pole , a large property located in Goody Cruz where buildings, offices and large rooms operate where ideas are exchanged and technological and computer projects are developed.  

However, the data shows that a single pole has become small. The industry pushes and grows as technology itself does. According to official estimates, Mendoza exports more than $130 million per year in knowledge-based services ( SBC).According to a report by the Federal Investment Council (IFC), the SBC contributed 9% to the gross value of Mendoza production.In addition, in the province, more than 114,652 jobs were generated, and out of every 100 new posts created, 25 came from the SBC.In this way,  the sector showed a growing trend over the last five years, adding 1.7 points to Mendoza's Gross Value of Production (from 7.3% in 2009 to 9% in 2019). Meanwhile, the direct and indirect contribution of the SBC to the Mendoza production matrix would approximate 20% of provincial employment. 

 New legislation 

Aiming to become the National Capital of the sector, the real Argentine Silicon Valley, the government  will invest some 450 million pesos , distributed in the implementation of three laws that have already entered the local Legislature. This is the  Law of Entrepreneurs Development  seeks to create new technology-based ventures allowing Mendoza to compete in better conditions in the world of Start-Up with funds for 1,500,000 dollars and 3.330,000 pesos.

The  Law on Creation Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation  aims to redefine the strategy of scientific and  technological development, with guidelines generated with the academic, business and productive environment, restructuring the institutional design of existing Institutes and  allocating an amount of $1,500,000. 

The  Law on Knowledge Economics  seeks to promote the development of software, computer and audiovisual services, among others considered “orange economy”, promoting the creation of new Knowledge Based Services companies and enhancing existing ones.  Funding of $1,400,000 and 95,000,000 pesos will be made available.