Corporation News
SAFE Group Chairman Steven Chang Interviewed by Wen Hui News
"Next few years will be the critical years to Chinese software industry. Companies with fewer than 50 people will have a tough time surviving." As a Chairman of a software company with revenue exceeding 100 million yuans, Steven Chang still keeps his eyes on the industry's basic level.
Actually only three years ago, Chang's own company is still in the "50 people" stage, so he fully understands their situation, and therefore feels the responsibility for it. "In the next few years, International software companies will come to China; lots of small local companies will have to close." He hopes to have the opportunity to help these small businesses survive.
Three years ago, Chang and several good friends invested 160 thousand yuans to form SAFE Software. Today, SAFE Group asset has rapidly grown to 400 million yuans - 250 times their initial investment. Employee number has also grown from the initial 15 people to near 1,200 at the end of 2005. In 2003, SAFE revenue just exceeds 10 million yuans; yet this year it will be over 200 million yuans. Last month, Chang was selected as the "Top 10 Leaders in Chinese Software Industry" by the China Electronic Information Industry Development Research Yuan.
In 1990, soon after Chang got his double major degrees in computer science and business management, he went to Japan to work in the software industry. Worked for several large companies, Chang accumulated the necessary experiences for starting his own venture, and by 2003, SAFE was born. That was the time when SARS brought the exporting businesses to a low level, and business development was tough. SAFE therefore focused on internal training, and developed products which are proved to fit the market needs when SARS is over. Soon, SAFE broke into the top player list of China-to-Japan software exporters. Besides taking orders from Japanese large companies like Hitachi, SONY and Sumitomo, SAFE was also developing their own software products with intellectual property rights and high technology know-how. "Although the export situation is good for the time being, we have to prepare for the next 5 and 10 years."
Talking about competition, Chang has a strong sense of crisis: "Indian software giants have already been coming to China, starting their acquisition of small companies. Acquiring a small company with 50 people only takes one million yuans, yet these small companies are exactly the corner stones of Chinese software industry.
"To win the coming competition, SAFE partners with various small and medium-sized software companies in different ways." We do not have to have controlling interest in the company; we simply want to provide a platform for the software industry and people, to jointly grow the software industry."
Undoubtedly, SAFE is constantly challenging the development speed of the software industry. Yet Chang is not satisfied. "Before the International giants 'invade', I must run even faster."
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