Why nearsource?
As the name implies, nearsourcing is exporting your software, design, engineering, and/or testing to someplace “near”. So where is near? In the case of Agave Lab, it's Guadalajara, Mexico.
What's so special about Guadalajara? Well, in turns out, a lot of things:
Surplus of Talented Engineers
Known as the “Silicon Valley of Mexico”, Guadalajara's universities turn out more than 15,000 new IT graduates per year. These programmers are trained in the most modern programming technologies and techniques.
Time Zone
Modern programming and project management techniques require realtime collaboration. Outsourcing in Asia or Eastern Europe puts you more than 10 time-zones away. Realtime, back-and-fourth, communication just isn't possible. At Agave Lab, we share the central US time zone, so when you're at your desk – so are we.
Cultural and Language Affinity
Mexican software developers are fluent in English and, more importantly, we share the same cultural background and expectations – “Yes” means Yes, “No” means No, and “Tomorrow” means Tomorrow. If you've ever managed an outsourced project in India, you'll recognize how important this is.
Strong IP Protection Laws
Mexico signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)NAFTA on December 17, 1992. This accord contains the most comprehensive multilateral intellectual property agreement ever concluded.
Prevailing Low Wages
Although Guadalajara generates an abundance of developer talent, the indigenous market for software projects is limited. Political pressure brought on by illegal immigration plus tighter post 9-11 security restrictions have made H1 visas for the US extremely difficult to get. With supply well exceeding demand, talented engineers are eager to work for wages that are fraction of those in the US, and well below other outsource markets.
Proximity
Every so often, an in-person meeting between stakeholders is a must. Guadalajara is a short flight from the US - about three hours from Los Angeles, and four hours from both the SF Bay area and Chicago. You can board a flight in morning, have a tasty lunch in Guadalajara, spend the afternoon meeting with the development team, and then hit the airport for the evening flight. You’re back in your office the next morning. Compare that with the 24 hour flight to Bangalore!
As the name implies, nearsourcing is exporting your software, design, engineering, and/or testing to someplace “near”. So where is near? In the case of Agave Lab, it's Guadalajara, Mexico.
What's so special about Guadalajara? Well, in turns out, a lot of things:
Surplus of Talented Engineers
Known as the “Silicon Valley of Mexico”, Guadalajara's universities turn out more than 15,000 new IT graduates per year. These programmers are trained in the most modern programming technologies and techniques.
Time Zone
Modern programming and project management techniques require realtime collaboration. Outsourcing in Asia or Eastern Europe puts you more than 10 time-zones away. Realtime, back-and-fourth, communication just isn't possible. At Agave Lab, we share the central US time zone, so when you're at your desk – so are we.
Cultural and Language Affinity
Mexican software developers are fluent in English and, more importantly, we share the same cultural background and expectations – “Yes” means Yes, “No” means No, and “Tomorrow” means Tomorrow. If you've ever managed an outsourced project in India, you'll recognize how important this is.
Strong IP Protection Laws
Mexico signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)NAFTA on December 17, 1992. This accord contains the most comprehensive multilateral intellectual property agreement ever concluded.
Prevailing Low Wages
Although Guadalajara generates an abundance of developer talent, the indigenous market for software projects is limited. Political pressure brought on by illegal immigration plus tighter post 9-11 security restrictions have made H1 visas for the US extremely difficult to get. With supply well exceeding demand, talented engineers are eager to work for wages that are fraction of those in the US, and well below other outsource markets.
Proximity
Every so often, an in-person meeting between stakeholders is a must. Guadalajara is a short flight from the US - about three hours from Los Angeles, and four hours from both the SF Bay area and Chicago. You can board a flight in morning, have a tasty lunch in Guadalajara, spend the afternoon meeting with the development team, and then hit the airport for the evening flight. You’re back in your office the next morning. Compare that with the 24 hour flight to Bangalore!