Information and communication technologies (ICT) sector has become an essential part of the world economy due to spread of internet and other modern technologies that can facilitate and speed up production. ICT plays an important role in the Slovak economy as well.  As the average monthly wage in the ICT sector exceeded EUR 1,700 in 2012, it is not surprising that an ICT employee pays approximately two times higher taxes as an average employee in Slovakia. The ICT sector, employing more than 40 000 people and with a significant share of social, health and tax payments, as well as the growth of productivity, is therefore an important pillar of the economy. The period during which the new EU members gained ground by means of low labour cost is coming to an end. If they want to expand dynamically in the future, they have to increase productivity and ICT plays a significant role in this area. It has a great potential for economic growth and post-crisis economy recovery.
European strategy called Digital Agenda 2020 accredits 50% share of economic growth of the EU in the course of the last 15 years to ICT, and regards the sector as the main engine of the post-crisis convalescence. Slovakia is becoming a hub for Shared Services Centres in the field of ICT and financial services. This is important not only due to increased employment in the jobs with above-average value added, but also as a potential of innovation development. IBM and T-Systems, for instance, started in Slovakia with establishment of SSCs but nowadays they are developing top software solutions. The latter has since its establishment in 2006 managed to employ more than 2000 people in Kosice that offer services to clients in more than 20 countries. T-Systems has also contributed to creation of several IT labs at universities and Kosice IT Valley that benefits both the company and the community and creates potential for future growth. Hewlett-Packard, another large SSC actor, has been active in Czechoslovakia since 1967 but established its European IT Operation Centre in Bratislava only in 2004. With its main expertise on SAP solutions, application management, software development and localisation services, it is currently employing around 1700 people. In the years ahead it will strive to achieve leadership in value added services, especially cloud computing. As these success stories demonstrate, SSCs are a recent phenomenon and their close connection to research and academia creates prospects for future growth in this area. (Source: SARIO)

What does Slovakia offer business through its strong ICT sector?
Slovakia is a country with a long-term and strong tradition in industry, mostly in engineering and electrical engineering. The fact that big international corporations (including the well-known car manufacturers and automotive contractors) have built their factories here, proves that Slovakia has not only a strategic location within the Central Europe but also a stable environment and qualified labor that proves the quality also in research and development processes. And it is the research, development and the following implementation of innovative solutions for needs of industrial practice in particular that is the domain of CEIT.  We are a reliable partner for strong industrial players in an implementation of technical and process innovations. As an example, our mobile robotic systems have generated a progressive automation of internal logistics in modern factories. We also specialize in Digital Factories technologies as digitalization forms a basis of future smart manufacturing systems. We help other companies in streamlining and simplifying the processes, we cooperate with them in their own products development and we constantly develop new technologies and practices that contribute to a sustainable growth of the industry.

Within an industrial environment the term Industry 4.0 is now being frequently talked about. It is coming from abroad and that brings up a number of questions. Industrial manufacturers operating in Slovakia are looking for a way to join this trend. CEIT develops its own approach to the concept of Industry 4.0, and brings very specific solutions for streamlining the production and logistics processes; how to collect and process data; how to optimize, digitize and automate. We have become a sought-after and stable partner for innovation and innovative solutions reflecting current and future trends. (Source: CEIT)

Companies in Slovakia are able to provide full range of IT services from value added innovative tailor made products to basic customer support and maintenance. Ness Digital Engineering offers digital transformation services and development of tailor-made software products to companies building and developing digital platforms that will enable them to enter new markets, expand their business and achieve greater economic and operative efficiency. Our global team helps clients keep their competitiveness while growing in today’s digital economy, a result of our in-depth knowledge of experience engineering, product and platform development, and analysis and processing of data.

One strength of Ness Digital Engineering is its ability to provide top-quality services in creative design and experienced engineering together with a hands-on approach to development of digital platforms and data analysis. Product design and engineering is the main focus of our company. Thanks to the Ness Connected company framework, we help our clients quickly define and develop the right digital products and services for them to support their activities on the market. The company bases its services on intensive and transparent cooperation with clients who can concentrate on their business strategies and, with the help of Ness Digital Engineering, build technological platforms enabling them to achieve their goals.

Ness Digital Engineering actively uses Agile tools which have become an essential part of today’s digital world. Our clients appreciate our innovativeness, high quality of work and ability to keep to agreed deadlines and budgets. This is reflected in our good long-term business relationships and ever-growing teams at Ness Digital Engineering. (Source: NESS KDC)

Why the Slovak market might be a strong partner in Europe?
Slovak market is recognisably well known for its high quality IT services. In Kosice, it has grown from 0 to 10,000 job within 10 years and there are still thousands of job opportunities in Slovakia, which need to be filled. Slovak programmers and IT specialists are valued because of their entrepreneurial spirit, innovative thinking, reliability, and high performance. The industry possesses significant support from national as well as regional government institutions, universities and high-schools. (Source: NESS KDC)

A unique position right in the heart of Europe, a stable economic and political environment, creativity, expertise and diligence of local people, economic growth, huge investment and business potential, innovation potential – all these are the factors which speak in favor of Slovak market in multinational context. (Source: CEIT)

Areas of ICT growth

  • Automotive – digital maps for navigation
  • Big Data – solutions for collecting, processing and interpreting big data in banking and mining industry
  • Finance – solutions preventing anti money laundering for large global banks • Gaming – daily play fantasy football • Internet of things – web, mobile and desktop applications for prestigious client and its customers
  • Digital marketing – we participate in digital marketing campaigns for global companies
  • Media – digital platform for online streaming and broadcasting for global client •
  • Telematics and fleet management – development and testing of key components; coming up with innovations and improvement ideas
  • Transportation – innovative applications for mass transportation in large European cities

(Source: NESS KDC)