In the so called emerging “Silicon Valley of Europe” or the “New Berlin”, a set of top Cluj software development companies are among the most active entities in fighting the virus and constantly addressing existing and potential issues.  The IT sector is one of the best in following the confinement and self-isolation, naturally due to the intrinsic characteristics of the sector. Cloud based development and infrastructure are the new normal, consequently software developers and technical support teams cope in an effective manner with remote work.

What are Cluj top software companies actually doing to tackle the virus in our region?

During March and April 2020 we started monitoring more closely what our Cluj software community was doing in order to be on top the pandemic wave and navigate this unforeseen storm. By the end of April we summed up a few distinctive actions and approaches.

#1 Quick Response to Help Public Health Solidarity Call and Initiatives  

By the end of March 2020 the local CSR and civil organization groups were reaching out for help to prevent the upcoming epidemic, based on the tight connections between Cluj-Napoca and Western Europe (namely Italy, France and Germany). SOFTECH along with fellow top software development companies joined the ranks to provide sponsorship for the Un Singur Cluj project – a massive cooperation between Public Authorities, Private Companies and NGO’s to procure protection equipment and medical machinery and devices for the First Line teams against COVID19. The common effort already proves its effectiveness as the public pandemic data shows it.

#2 Rapid Shift to Work From Home Procedures

In line with the declaration of the state of emergency in March 16, 2020, most software development companies from Cluj-Napoca shifted to the work from home model. SOFTECH was ahead of this, and agreed with our team to gradually start working from home about a week before, based on the assumption that it is better to prevent than to cure illness.

#3 Prompt Adjustment to Global IT Customers Requests

In parallel, software development companies engaged with global customers started to analyze and adjust to the new requests coming from Western Europe, Asia, Middle East, North and South America. As the lock-downs and economic blockages started to roll across the globe in the first quarter of 2020, the software development and IT providers from Cluj-Napoca, from Romania and other locations began adjusting their service delivery to the new requests: some were accelerating launch of new web products and solutions, some were pausing certain developments, others had to shift to new business models powered by digital technologies.

#4 Better Cohesion Within The Local and Regional IT and R&D Communities

In Cluj-Napoca, it was impressive to see how the local IT and software associations – namely ARIES and Transilvania IT Cluster – started to tighten cooperation on all aspects with Academic Institutions – Babeș-Bolyai University, The Technical University from Cluj-Napoca, Iuliu Hatieganu Medicine and Pharmacy University, the Public Administration Bodies (Municipality of Cluj-Napoca), the EU Regional Development Centers and Private Companies. Webinars, Online meetings, hackathons and shared knowledge platforms took over the local scene of meetings and events.

#5 Constant Communication with Strategic Policy Makers in the Prevention of Covid19 Effect

Through the national professional associations – ARIES and ANIS, the local IT and software development companies were able to provide input in the legislative aspect that were put into operation during the state of emergency and under the frame of setting new sanitary standards for the working force in Romania. Constant communication among private and public parties is essential, even if it still has some lacunary aspects.

#6 Higher Engagement in Supporting non-IT Communities

Since IT and software community is largely interacting and servicing other society and economic communities, it was equally important to provide know-how and technical support to non-IT communities. We mainly refer to health professionals, education institutions and essential services. An important aspect in Cluj-Napoca was to engage with art and creative communities, as they can and were open to support the general public to have a much easier confinement pass time.

#7 Promotion of Technologies and Tools that can Serve the General Public

In general, many experts and specialists from the IT and software development sector provided training and guidance to help the general public understand what, when and how to use certain technologies in their new daily life. It is still an intense educative effort, but everyone is onboard and it is important to understand that we will go through this #together.

From SOFTECH’s perspective, our team is ready to provide software development services especially for industries that now, more than before, need to consider automation, remote operation and control, cloud based solutions, rapid software prototyping  and complex industrial software solutions. Feel free to contact our software development team.