Stefanini Group doubles down on technology investments in Chile

Two years ago, the South American group opened a hub in Santiago where 100 Chilean and Brazilian employees develop software for export to countries including China. The firm is now focusing on Artificial Intelligence to serve the Andean and Southern Cone markets «from Chile to the world.» 

«In Chile, the investment will go toward acquisitions and a new capability center promoting Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Andean and Southern Cone countries. Chile is a very stable country, and the region has a robust startup structure with very interesting solutions. This year, the goal is to continue penetrating heavy industry—particularly mining, steel and cellulose, » explained Rodrigo Stefanini, Country Manager for the Stefanini Group, regarding the Brazilian firm’s plan to invest US$50 million in innovation startups over the coming months. 

In a conversation with the Pulso newspaper, the executive highlighted local expertise in producing with sights on foreign markets as well as the extensive supporting network of Free Trade Agreements, which powers a competitive, stable and innovative ecosystem. 

«From Chile to the world,» declared the Brazilian executive and member of the Stefanini Group’s founding family. Created in 1987, the technology solutions conglomerate expects a global revenue of US$1.75 billion this year. 

According to Mr. Stefanini, the new acquisitions will strengthen the Santiago hub, which began operating two years ago. With offices in Providencia and Las Condes, the unit develops software for export to markets including Ireland, Italy, the United States, Germany and even China. 

The unit’s 100 employees—mainly Chileans and Brazilians—serve 50 clients, focusing on airlines, banking and retail. 

«We have tripled business in Chile in the last two years and expect organic growth of 40% to 50% this year. The group intends to add another 15% to 20% in acquisitions alone. This investment aims to expand upon this growth,» he explained, referring to the US$50 million the group has earmarked. 

The Stefanini Group already has cybersecurity centers in Peru and Brazil. It plans to strengthen its presence in Chile to make it a global hub. «We have already acquired companies in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, and recently in Italy and the United States,» he shared. 

Purchasing Startups 

Mr. Stefanini explained that the growth of the Chilean operation, a much more robust structure and the country’s economic stability make it possible to look at new business opportunities, including additional acquisitions. The group prioritized Brazil for over a decade before expanding globally, beginning in neighboring Argentina.  

«This is an overall strategy of international growth and expanding our offerings with emerging technology, like AI. We are bringing the international acquisition experience gleaned in the United States, Italy, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and other countries to Chile,» he explained. 

Which firms are you in talks with?  

«We have a few companies on the radar. The idea is to invest in the first later this year and two more in 2025. The investment includes marketing, cybersecurity, manufacturing, cloud and AI firms.»  

All of this is supported by Artificial Intelligence technology the company has been working with for twelve years. 

«Artificial Intelligence is our main focus. Investment in this technology is not new. In fact, we started developing AI when there was still not much talk about it. The emergence of generative models has made AI more popular, democratizing corporate access to technology,» the executive explained. 

The company also intends to create an AI solution that focuses intensely on the region. 

AI Projects 

Stefanini is currently involved in implementing 320 artificial intelligence projects for different clients—particularly in the banking, retail, and healthcare sectors—and offers 27 products with integrated AI. 

After the explosion of generative AI following the late 2022 launch of ChatGPT, the Stefanini Group began building a platform that integrates proprietary technology with large language model (LLM) capabilities. 

«The platform instantly creates texts, images, videos and codes,» says Mr. Stefanini, who is also the Country Manager for Argentina. 

With 36 years in the technological business, the Stefanini Group operates in 41 countries and has over 38,000 employees. 

The firm is known in the market for buying operations and recruiting the founders. «Founders value what they have done and are hungry to grow. That is positive; it breathes life into the projects and helps us train new leaders,» he says. 

The group’s innovation branch, Stefanini Ventures, has acquired approximately 30 companies in different industries worldwide. The US$50 million earmarked for the purchases in Chile will come from Stefanini Chile and the group’s global structure.