SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, January 21, 2010 - Today Cisco® announced the creation of the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute in Costa Rica to help small and medium business entrepreneurs improve their business skills and learn how to use information and collaboration technologies.

The first training centers will be ITS InfoCom and Parque Tec, which during the first year will offer Cisco Entrepreneur Institute's training courses to 500 Costa Rican entrepreneurs.

ITS  InfoCom is a provider of integrated IT services which creates  high tech solutions based on the convergence of information technology and telecommunications.

Asociación Incubadora Parque Tec is a non-profit organization founded in 2004. It has become a center for the incubation of businesses in Costa Rica and acts as an enabler for technology companies in the country. Its main purpose is to promote the entrepreneurial spirit generated by innovative ideas in the technological sector.

Highlights:

• The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute is the result of the agreement entered into by Cisco, ITS InfoCom and Parque Tec. The initiative's goal is to contribute to the development of small and medium businesses through the use of ICTs, improve broadband penetration and transfer business and Information Technologies knowledge.
• In its first phase, the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute will train 500 entrepreneurs from the city of San Jose. In a second phase, the Institute will offer courses in other provinces of the country.
• The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute plans to open its doors next February 15th. Its courses will be delivered through a combination of e-learning, in-person classes and audio visual materials.
• The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute's students will have access to Web 2.0 technologies and advanced and open architecture tools such as Moodle, as well as to collaboration technologies such as Cisco WebEx® for a more complete learning experience.
• The Institute's courses are based on the experiences of successful entrepreneurs and important business leaders, combined with the practical knowledge acquired in more than 22 years of business experience.
• The Institute uses world-class learning resources with course content derived from sources such as Stanford and Cornell Universities, and from My Own Business Inc., a non-profit organization with more than 15 years of experience helping create successful businesses.
• The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute is present in Mexico, Chile and Colombia, and has government support in each of these countries.

Supporting Quotes

• Ravi Lingam, general manager, Cisco Costa Rica and Panama

"Entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic growth and job creation in the country. Cisco wants to be a strategic ally to drive innovation, technological development and productivity among Costa Rican entrepreneurs. The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute will bring all the potential and value of ICT to strengthen the entrepreneurs' skills and make them more competitive".

• Armando Vargas, director of corporate relations, ITS InfoCom

"Since its beginnings, ITS InfoCom's Corporate Citizenship has been an initiative inherent to our business nature. We have participated in the Digital Cities initiative and other projects that foster the development of the information and knowledge society. The opportunity to foster innovative entrepreneurship in SMBs is very important to us. We are pleased to expand our collaboration with Cisco in this strategic area. "

• Marcelo Lebendiker, president, Parque Tec

"The launch of the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute in Costa Rica reinforces our commitment to promote an entrepreneurial culture in the country and aid in  the development of new projects that boost national development".

"We know Costa Ricans have the talent and vision to do business, but we need more initiatives like The Cisco Entrepreneur Institute, which provides support and training for entrepreneurs, to strengthen their knowledge and to develop their successful ideas. "

About Parque Tec

Asociación Incubadora Parque Tec (Incubator Association Parque Tec) is a non-profit organization founded in 2004. It has become the first business incubator and driver of technology companies in Costa Rica.  Its main goal is to promote innovative ideas in the technology sector that generate an entrepreneurial culture, therefore fostering the creation of companies  in an innovative and challenging environment and establishing an economic, social, and sustainable development model based on entrepreneurship. For more information visit: www.parquetec.org

About ITS InfoCom

ITS InfoCom is a provider of integrated IT services which creates high tech solutions based on the convergence of information technology and telecommunications. ITS InfoCom guarantees  operational continuity and security of their technological platforms, allow its customers to focus on their core business activities.

ITS InfoCom was established in 1998 by a group of Costa Rican investors who were convinced of the need to respond to the outsourcing demand from telecommunications operators, government bodies and leading Latin American companies.

ITS InfoCom has achieved a unique market position as  result of a strategy based on anticipating the clients' needs and  thanks to the strong commitment of its more than  800 employees.

ITS InfoCom is a Cisco Silver Partner. For  more information visit: www.its.com.cr.