Press Releases
United States, Croatia to Help Develop Local Technology Sector
For Immediate Release
May 19, 2005
Zagreb, Croatia, May 19, 2005 - U.S. Ambassador Ralph Frank, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, and Mr. Jean-Philippe Courtois, CEO for Microsoft Europe, the Middle East and Africa, today announced establishment of an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Development Center in Croatia. The announcement took place at Banski Dvori this morning.
The United States and Microsoft Croatia share the goal of stimulating development of Croatia's Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry, which should lead to growth and job creation in that sector. The U.S. Government, through USAID, will donate $500,000 to support the Center, which will have a budget of more than $2 million over three years.
The proposed Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Development Center will provide the infrastructure and resources to help software developers (in both small, new companies and larger, established companies) create innovative new products and services, bring those products and services to market, and build well-managed businesses around those innovative products and services. The Center will be located in Varazdin and will permanently employ four people. Large numbers of Croatian and international IT (information technology) and software development experts will be brought in to work directly with Croatian software developers and companies.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the primary foreign assistance organization of the United States Government. Since 1992, the United States has provided over $407 million to Croatia to strengthen democratic institutions and assist in postwar reconstruction and the return of refugees, to support de-mining and economic development, and to provide educational and training opportunities. The U.S. has also provided guidance and support to the Croatian judicial and military sectors to further Croatia's integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions.