Integration Software from Madeira to the World
40 employees, 12 languages, 9 nationalities, 4 offices, 2 continents and the International Business Center of Madeira (Zona Franca of Madeira) are what propels Connecting Software and its status as a rising star in the world of B2B software, through integration and synchronization solutions. Thomas Berndorfer, CEO of the company, started this journey back in 2004 in Austria and Slovakia, and 18 years later Connecting Software counts with more than 350.000 active users of their products across the world. The search from companies worldwide for the integration solutions made available by Connecting Software makes the company a success case, being a market leader with some of its products. In fact, the rolodex of Connecting Software keeps expanding, comprising entities that range from the governmental organization of New Zealand or Canada, and several universities like Michigan State University, to private companies like Otis, Evonik, or Securitas. We asked the CEO, Thomas Berndorfer, for the secret to all the success, “Throughout the years companies have invested in several software to try to address problems and improve their processes. They are left with a pile of applications, ranging from well-known software such as Microsoft solutions or Salesforce, to small, custom solutions. However, this software is not able to communicate with each other, and that is where we step in – Connecting Software! In 2017 and with an expanding company, Berndorfer travelled to the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands with the expectation of basing a new station for development, however, quickly changed perspective when he became aware of Zona Franca of Madeira. Being highly attractive to new companies, since every registered entity benefits from tax incentives, Madeira’s Zona Franca acts like a booster for the Autonomous Region of Madeira, through the strong contribution to the growth of the local economy.
Once in Madeira Island, Berndorfer started the search for local talents in software development. The University of Madeira was the immediate focal point, and it matched his expectations. The quality of the professionals from this university turned out to be the key to the settlement of the company in the Portuguese island. In time, professionals from other parts of Portugal and abroad also jumped onboard, and now the Madeiran office counts with 23 professionals that contribute to the growing success of the company, having vacancies available to the ones who wish to integrate this international team in areas other than software development. The same can be said for the other offices, scattered through Europe, in Austria and Slovakia, and in North America, in the city of Denver. Remote work is also a possibility, despite the preference for team collaboration in an office environment.
Apart from their employees, behind the success of Connecting Software is the platform Connect Bridge. This platform is the basis for all B2B products of Connecting Software. It enables the communication between existing commercial software in a company, easing business processes and productivity in general. Through this platform, products like CB Exchange Server Sync, CB Dynamics 365 to SharePoint Permissions Replicator and CB Dynamics 365 Seamless Attachment Extractor are generated, being the most popular among the companies who invest on Microsoft’s software, namely Exchange Server, SharePoint, and Dynamics 365. The most recent bet of Connecting Software for this market is the Dynamics 365 + SharePoint Document Management Suite, which incorporates four solutions in a single package, developed specifically for companies using Microsoft SharePoint and Dynamics 365 simultaneously. Another important market for Connecting Software are the companies that use the Salesforce CRM. For this specific market, the flagship product is Document Extractor, which allows companies to free up storage space in Salesforce. “The system administrators love systems like ours, which solve their problems, in this case being the storage cost, however, without the customers knowing it exists. It’s a backstage job, but it’s crucial for the positive performance of systems and employees”, reveals Thomas Berndorfer. Additionally, the Blockchain technology, which is increasingly becoming known for its exceptional security level, is also an area of specialization of the company, having developed and commercialized several products based on the modern technology, focusing on the proof of authenticity of digital documents.
As a result of all this effort, the Madeiran branch has been a true success that is recognized by local government entities. Miguel Albuquerque, current President of the Regional Government of Madeira, and Pedro Calado, recently nominated President of the City Hall of Funchal and former Vice President of the Regional Government, have visited the Madeiran installations of the company, and have complimented the perfect fit of consolidated projects like this one, in the regional economy. These projects demonstrate the technological potential of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, given the ease of communication and development processes, able to be reached remotely.