Sibers

Sibers is an information-technology outsourcing and software-development company associated with Akademgorodok, the research and technology district of Novosibirsk, Russia. The company traces its origins to 1998, when a group of mathematics graduates from Novosibirsk State University formed a small software-development team. The initial group consisted of five developers working from one Akademgorodok office. Rather than beginning with a broad commercial portfolio, the team first operated through work supplied by Interactive Web Concepts (IWC), an American company, and became known as IWC’s Russian division. During the late-1990s dot-com period, 3Com acquired IWC and its Russian division. The Russian developers consequently worked as contract personnel for 3Com for a period. In spring 2001, the group became independent and adopted the name Key-Soft Ltd. The company then began pursuing work directly, including through the Elance online marketplace, where it established a provider profile and sought independent software contracts. In 2005, Key-Soft launched HireRussians, a virtual service outlet intended to connect clients with Russian software-development capabilities. The business used the HireRussians name alongside its corporate development activities and reported work across a broad set of sectors, including retail, oil and gas, security, financial services, real estate, healthcare, education, and entertainment. Its delivery processes were described as following ISO and Capability Maturity Model standards. At this stage, the United States was the company’s principal market. Key-Soft was renamed Sibers in 2006. The new name referred to the company’s Siberian location and was intended to distinguish it from the many software businesses using names ending in “-soft.” Around the time of the renaming, the company had approximately 70 developers and managers. It continued to obtain work through Elance and other online and offline marketplaces, while broadening its geographic reach beyond the United States to Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Scandinavia. The company reported earning its first million dollars through Elance in 2006 and becoming one of the platform’s leading providers. Sibers’ trademark for outsourcing and software-development services was registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 2008, according to the referenced company history. In November 2008, it entered the German information-technology market with a regional website and solutions associated with green information technology. The company’s listed development locations included Akademgorodok, Novosibirsk, Barnaul, and Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, with representatives in Australia, Germany, and the United States. A referenced 2010 description identified a workforce of approximately 120 employees. The available reference material does not establish the company’s current ownership, leadership, operating status, financial performance, or website, so those fields remain unconfirmed.

Sibers developed from a small software team founded in 1998 by mathematics graduates of Novosibirsk State University. The original five-person group was based in Akademgorodok and initially completed software projects supplied by Interactive Web Concepts, an American client. This arrangement formed the company’s first operating identity as the IWC Russian Division. The team’s corporate circumstances changed during the late-1990s dot-com boom, when 3Com acquired IWC and its Russian division. The developers then became official contract workers of 3Com. In spring 2001, the Russian group separated from that arrangement and established itself as the independent offshore software-development company Key-Soft Ltd. It registered on Elance during the same year and used the platform to seek contracts beyond its original single-client relationship. Key-Soft expanded its service model in 2005 by creating HireRussians, a virtual service outlet for Russian software developers. The company described its processes as aligned with ISO and CMM standards and delivered projects for clients in retail, oil and gas, security, finance, real estate, healthcare, education, and entertainment. The United States was initially its main market. In 2006, Key-Soft adopted the Sibers name. The change reflected its Siberian location and separated the company from the large number of businesses using “-soft” names. At that time, the workforce included about 70 developers and managers. Sibers increased its visibility on Elance and other marketplaces, reported its first million dollars in Elance revenue in 2006, and expanded its target markets to Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Scandinavia. The company’s outsourcing trademark was registered with the USPTO in 2008, according to the available reference. Later that year, in November, Sibers entered the German IT market with a regional website and offerings connected with green IT. Its reported development footprint included Akademgorodok, Novosibirsk, Barnaul, and Bishkek, while representatives were located in Australia, Germany, and the United States. A 2010 account described the company as having approximately 120 employees and as one of Russia’s larger IT-outsourcing companies. The available material does not provide sufficiently current information to verify Sibers’ present operations, ownership, leadership, or financial condition.

• 2010

  Reported workforce reached approximately 120 employees

  [1]Sibersen.wikipedia.org

  A contemporary description identified development offices in Russia and Kyrgyzstan and a total workforce of about 120 employees.

• 2008

  Outsourcing trademark registered

  [1]Sibersen.wikipedia.org

  The Sibers trademark was registered in the United States for software-development outsourcing services, according to the referenced company history.

• 2008

  German market entry and green IT expansion

  [1]Sibersen.wikipedia.org

  Sibers entered the German IT market and introduced a regional presence connected with green information-technology solutions.

• 2006

  Key-Soft renamed Sibers

  [1]Sibersen.wikipedia.org

  The company adopted the Sibers name and broadened its international market focus beyond the United States.

• 2005

  HireRussians service outlet launched

  [1]Sibersen.wikipedia.org

  Key-Soft created HireRussians as a virtual outlet for Russian software-development services.

• 2001

  Key-Soft became independent

  [1]Sibersen.wikipedia.org

  The Russian development group separated from its earlier client-linked structure and began operating independently as Key-Soft Ltd.

• 1998

  Software team established in Akademgorodok

  [1]Sibersen.wikipedia.org

  Novosibirsk State University mathematics graduates formed a five-person software-development team in Akademgorodok.

A Siberia-based software-development and IT-outsourcing provider serving international clients through distributed development teams and marketplace-based contracting.

• Software engineering services · 1998

  Custom software development

  Sibers’ core activity was the delivery of software projects for external clients. The company originated as a small developer team and later served organizations in sectors including retail, energy, finance, healthcare, real estate, security, education, and entertainment. The available material does not identify specific proprietary software products.

• Information-technology outsourcing · 2001

  IT outsourcing

  The Sibers business model centered on outsourced development performed by Russian and regional engineering teams for international customers. Its market presence developed through direct relationships, online marketplaces such as Elance, and representatives in several foreign markets.

• Developer-services marketplace and service outlet · 2005

  HireRussians

  HireRussians was created as a virtual service outlet associated with Key-Soft and later Sibers. It presented Russian software-development capacity to overseas clients and operated under a registered trademark associated with outsourcing and software-development services.

• Sustainable information technology · 2008

  Green IT solutions

  In 2008, Sibers established a German-market presence that included solutions described as green IT. The available reference does not provide enough detail to identify the specific technologies, products, or customer implementations involved.

• 2008

  Expansion into Germany and green ITStrategy

  Background

  After building an initial United States-centered business, Sibers was expanding into additional European markets.

  Action taken

  The company created a German regional presence and offered solutions associated with green information technology.

  Aftermath

  The move added Germany to Sibers’ international market footprint, although detailed commercial results are not available.

  Source

• 2006

  Corporate rebranding from Key-Soft to SibersStrategy

  Background

  The company sought a name reflecting its Siberian base and a clearer distinction from the many software businesses using “-soft” names.

  Action taken

  Key-Soft Ltd. adopted Sibers as its principal corporate brand while continuing to operate the HireRussians service identity.

  Aftermath

  The rebrand accompanied broader international-market development and continued growth through Elance and other contracting channels.

  Source

1. 1Sibersen.wikipedia.org