Why Portugal Should Be Your Next Software Development Destination

When we talk about offshore, no-shore and remote software development, we often associate it with Asian countries such as China, India or freelance developers working from incubation hubs and cafes in Thailand or Malaysia. However, a rising star in the south western borders of Europe sits a seemingly quiet little country known as Portugal.

With the allure of fine wine, beaches and a rich history, Portugal is a rapidly growing economy with a labor force that still sits under the radar on the exchange rate, a smaller time zone gap and good English skills — the last being something that can help determine project requirements comprehension and quality of delivery. 

Educated Tech Workers

Apart from being a great tourist destination, it also hosts the Web Summit — the latest tech conference in the world. Yet Portugal continues to fly under the radar as a software development hub for those looking to hire offshore. 

According to the SEP Monitor Report, Portugal’s tech industry is growing twice as fast as the European average. In part, this is driven by the growing number of external companies looking to Portugal for it’s software development and platform integrations. 

The OECD Indicators reports that approximately 100,000 students graduate each year from the eight Universities available in the country, with up to 21% opting for study areas in science, engineering and mathematics related fields. This in turn fuels the growth of the country’s young and highly qualified talent pool. 

Right in the Middle 

The country’s geographical location is also fueling the tech industry’s growth for offshore work. In contrast to alternative offshore hubs in Asia, Portugal’s physical location makes it ideal for businesses to hire developers outside of the United States. 

Sitting in the same time zone as London, Portugal is an hour behind Central European Time and only five hours ahead of New York — making it convenient for communication and online conference calls.

While Portuguese is the official language of Portugal, English ranks second as the major language, especially in tourist areas such as Lisbon and Porto. English is also taught in schools as a second language and is gaining in popularity among youths. 

Same Quality for Less

In conjunction with the massive pool of software engineering talent available, Portugal’s tech scene is starting to catch the attention of startups as well as larger established companies who are looking to increase the efficiency of how their budgets are being spent.

Five and a half years ago, Sursumcorda Resource Group (SRG)  was one of the first US based companies to recognize the benefits of an external development team. As a result, we became one of the first people to establish as a no-shore software development company, helping businesses connect with the local Portuguese talent. 

With an established network of quality developers and energetic talent, SRG is thriving with a Portuguese tech team. By specializing in areas such as healthcare platform development and integration, they are able to effectively provide clients with quality solutions. 

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Portugal is fast becoming a desirable alternative in the offshore software development scene due to their reliability in product quality. Costs, time zones and communication proficiency also add to the list of additional desirable qualities. Beautiful beaches, good wine and a wide range of foods are perks as well!

With SRG being an established no-shore, out of house company means that we are skilled in our ability to coordinate and communicate efficiently, making the noshore experience feel seamless and borderless. Effective agile delivery thus becomes possible due to team members being familiar with each other and working like a well oiled machine.

For these reasons, startups and businesses should look beyond their local hires and popular overseas markets. Perhaps it’s time to look somewhere outside but a little bit closer to home. 

Co-authored by:

Dave Wesley ~ President, SRG
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Aphinya Dechalert ~ Marketing Communications, SRG
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