After three years in the Bandwidth Barn, Consequent, a consulting and software development company, has moved into its own premises with a lucrative international development deal and a rapidly growing staff complement.
Established five years ago, Consequent moved out of MD Adrian van Stolk`s home into the Cape IT networked business hub, the Bandwidth Barn, with only two staff members. Since then the management consulting side of the business grew exponentially and now includes Old Mutual, New Clicks and Woolworths as some of its clients.
Moreover, the company^1s software division also landed an outsourced development deal from Dutch company, Yellowtail, which sees it developing bespoke software specifically tailored for clients in the travel, financial and local government markets.
"We have experienced amazing growth over the past two years. Although we now have seven permanent staff in the development side of the business, we are gearing up to employ 40 people by 2008. Add to this the more than 20 part-time staff working on the consulting division, and our growth path is clear," explains Van Stolk.
"Government should take note of what Consequent has achieved. With the right support, IT entrepreneurs can make a significant difference to both our foreign income and our high-end job creation. Consequent is the perfect example of money well invested," comments Odette Potter, general manager of the Bandwidth Barn.
Looking at the IT landscape in both Cape Town and South Africa, Van Stolk reckons things are looking up for the local economy, and says South Africa still has a lot to offer, especially to English-speaking countries.
"The concept of nearshoring (as opposed to offshoring) is taking off and the fact that we can deliver good quality code, quickly and professionally, makes us a natural outsource destination. Because our time zone is so close to Europe`s also makes for a logical fit," he comments.
Although still firmly headquartered in Cape Town, the increase in business has necessitated a Johannesburg branch, but Van Stolk says this is largely because so many of its blue chip clients are based there.
Looking at the kick-start the Bandwidth Barn afforded the company, Van Stolk says both the infrastructure and support from the incubator were perfect for the company in its early stages.
"Working from the Bandwidth Barn was perfect for us. We had enough space to allow part-time consultants to come and go as we needed them, but we had the full-time support and infrastructure that the Barn provides. It is one of the best offices I`ve ever worked in," concludes Van Stolk.
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Supported by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Bandwidth Barn, which is situated in Cape Town, was established in 2000. The Barn is a unique IT incubator of 64 tenants, providing infrastructure and business support to small and medium businesses in the Western Cape.
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