Around the world, tech export associations have helped software firms access new markets, influence policy, share knowledge, and compete globally. We are joined by Clark Russel and Franco Diaz, from the Curaçao Tech Export Association, also known as SIMIA, to discuss the journey and impact to date. Some of the areas our conversation covered include: what inspired the founding of SIMIA in 2020; how to foster collaboration among competing software companies; how SIMIA’s work has contributed to growing Curaçao’s net export GDP; and the top three lessons from Curaçao’s tech export journey that other Caribbean countries could adopt.

 

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.

As digital transformation accelerates worldwide, software development companies are increasingly finding opportunities beyond their domestic markets. For many firms, however, expanding internationally can be challenging due to limited resources, market access barriers, and a lack of coordinated support. One solution that has proven effective in many countries is the formation of a technology export association.

A tech export association brings together software development firms and other digital service providers to collectively promote their capabilities, advocate for supportive policies, and pursue opportunities in international markets. Moreover, by speaking with a unified voice, member companies can strengthen their visibility and competitiveness on the global stage.

Perhaps one of the most widely recognised examples is NASSCOM in India. Over several decades, the association has helped establish India as a global leader in IT services and software exports by supporting industry development, international promotion, skills training, and policy advocacy. India’s technology sector now generates hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue and employs millions of professionals, demonstrating the transformative potential of coordinated industry action.

Closer to home, in the Americas, the Chamber of the Information Technologies Industry (CUTI) in Uruguay has played a major role in positioning the country as a regional technology hub, contributing to the growth of software and IT services exports. In Colombia, Fedesoft has supported the internationalisation of Colombian software firms and helped strengthen the country’s digital economy, whilst Chiletec, in Chile, has promoted innovation and export growth among technology companies while fostering collaboration across the sector.

In the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)/Caribbean region, there is the Curaçao Tech Export Association, more commonly known as SIMIA. Founded in 2020, SIMIA has been leading the charge in helping local software development companies to become export-ready whilst also increasing that industry’s contribution to Curaçao’s economy.  

 

Introducing our guests

Clark Russel

Clark Russel is a visionary leader and fintech pioneer, serving as the CEO of IBIS Management Associates Inc., a trailblazing fintech firm headquartered in Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean. With over three decades of experience in banking operations and technology, Clark has positioned IBIS as a key player in the financial technology landscape, serving 50+ banks across the Caribbean and the Americas and driving process digitisation and operational efficiency across the region.

A Curaçao native, Clark is deeply invested in the growth and development of the local business community. He is a founding member and current Chairman of SIMIA (Curaçao Tech Export Association) and a founding member of the Curaçao Fintech Association (CFA), both of which are instrumental in fostering innovation and collaboration within the tech sector. His leadership in these organisations reflects his passion for nurturing entrepreneurship and enhancing the regional business environment.

With a forward-thinking mindset and a heart for community development, Clark Russel is not just shaping the future of fintech — he is inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs in Curaçao and beyond.

Franco Diaz

Franco Diaz, MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management (University of Twente, The Netherlands), is Secretary of the SIMIA – Software Industry Making Impact Abroad, where he has been actively involved since the inception of the association of tech exporting companies in Curaçao.

In his daily work, Franco is Transformation Lead at Blyce, where he drives the company’s Blyce 2030 strategy, focusing on embedding sustainable change across culture, governance, and operations. With over 33 years at the organisation—spanning KPMG, BearingPoint Caribbean, and Blyce—and 16 years as a shareholder and member of the management team, he brings deep institutional knowledge combined with a forward-looking leadership perspective. At Blyce, he contributes to digitalising and transforming government institutions across the Caribbean and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Pacific.

Franco is passionate about turning strategy into real impact, with a leadership approach centred on clarity, accountability, and connection—ensuring transformation becomes part of everyday behaviour and delivers lasting results.

 

Insights into our conversation

When I first heard about SIMIA, I was surprised it existed, as I was unaware of any others in the Caribbean region. However, upon further reflection, I was reminded of all the benefits that could be realised when we stop trying to compete against each other, and remind ourselves that there is greater strength in numbers, and that there is a considerably bigger global pie that we can pursue when we collaborate and stop fighting among ourselves.

Chatting with Clark and Franco about SIMIA’s journey to date, and more importantly, the lessons learned, was particularly insightful. Moreover, other Caribbean countries, especially those that have expressed a desire to develop their tech industry, should be taking a leaf from the SIMIA playbook, which is not focused on the local market—and the attendant micro-aggressions and competition that can occur—but on supporting its members to reach beyond the horizon and expand their international footprint.

Below are key questions that drove the conversation with Clark and Franco.

  1. What inspired the founding of SIMIA in 2020, and why was it critical for Curaçao to have a dedicated tech export association?
  2. How do you foster collaboration among competing software companies, and why is a “collaborative entrepreneurial environment” essential for export success?
  3. What are SIMIA’s most significant wins so far in helping local software companies export internationally?
  4. How has SIMIA’s work contributed to growing Curaçao’s net export GDP, and are there specific metrics or success stories you’re most proud of?
  5. What are the top three lessons from Curaçao’s tech export journey that other Caribbean countries could adopt immediately?
  6. What misconceptions might other Caribbean countries have about building a tech export ecosystem, and what would you correct?
  7. What has been SIMIA’s biggest obstacle in growing Curaçao’s tech export sector, and how did you overcome it?
  8. Looking ahead, what are SIMIA’s top priorities for the next 3–5 years?
  9. If another Caribbean country wanted to replicate SIMIA’s model, what’s the first step you’d recommend they take?

 

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Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

 

 

Images credit:  C Russel;  F Diaz;  Freepik;  SIMIA; 8photo (Freepik)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez