best premium wordpress themes

Playdom Bets Big On Buenos Aires Social Gaming Company

On March 18, 2010, In arts & entertainment, creative class, foreign investment, technology, us companies, by InvestBA
Playdom MetroGames Buenos Aires

Game On: Mountain View-based social gamer Playdom is investing $5 million in BA-based MetroGames.com.

When Gamasutra last reported from Buenos Aires, it was on the heels of November’s Argentina Video Game Expo where the gaming industry news source described the dramatic qualitative game industry growth on full display in Buenos Aires.” Well, apparently someone in Mountain View took notice.

Gamasutra is reporting that California-based social gaming giant Playdom is investing $5 million in BA-based MetroGames. Playdom, the self-described “best kept secret in social gaming,” has been making strategic acquisitions since raising $43 million last November.

Here in Argentina, MetroGames has been busy developing more than 30 games for Facebook including Typing Maniac, Archer Piglets and Aquaball. Creator of online games like Mobsters and Sorority Life, “Playdom describes the Argentinian developer as ‘promising’ and expects ‘explosive growth’ from the company,”  Gamasutra reports, “MetroGames intends to use this Series A investment to expand its pipeline of games and to continue work on its Metrogames.com social gaming platform.”

With the announcement, MetroGames CEO Damian Harburger expressed optimism and appreciation, “We are very confident MetroGames will become one of the world leaders in social gaming. We are pleased Playdom has recognized our potential and chosen to invest in us.” Given the combined talent and cost advantages of game development in Argentina, more BA game studios will likely be the beneficiaries of future foreign investment.

For more information about Buenos Aires’ Creative Class, visit our archives and download the new issue of InvestBA Privada.

1 Comments
Leave A Response

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
 

Initial Pampa Offering? El Tejar Weighs Options

On March 11, 2010, In energy & agriculture, foreign investment, us companies, by InvestBA
Buenos Aires grain & meat giant El Tejar is backed by Capital Group Companies & Altima Partners

Buenos Aires grain & meat giant El Tejar is backed by Capital Group Companies & Altima Partners

More Buenos Aires IPO news this week on the heels of yesterday’s post regarding TGLT’s public offering ambitions. Bloomberg BusinessWeek is reporting that BA-based El Tejar is weighing an IPO in New York and taking the necessary steps to be in compliance whenever the mood strikes over the next three years.

El Tejar CEO Oscar Alvarado told BBW, “We are preparing ourselves so that Brazil is not our only option, and the option exists of doing it in New York. We are preparing the company so as to be able to make the decision to go public whenever we decide.”

With operations in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, El Tejar designs and manages grain and meat production systems with an emphasis on risk management and environmental sustainability. (Org Chart) El Tejar’s annual production of grains and oilseeds  is roughly 3 million tons according to Bloomberg, and the company should benefit from record corn and soybean crops this year in both Argentina and Brazil.

While the company describes its focus and community involvement activities as “multilocal,” the company’s appeal to investors is definitely multinational. The two investment funds with the largest stakes in El Tejar are The Capital Group Companies and London-based Altima Partners LLP. (Bloomberg BusinessWeek article)

For more information about investment opportunities in Buenos Aires, download IncomeBA and the new issue of InvestBA Privada.

0 Comments
Leave A Response

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
 

IDEA: Argentine Executives Searching for Answers on Global Copmetitiveness

On November 3, 2009, In competitiveness, foreign investment, visionaries, by InvestBA
Attendees of the 45th Annual IDEA Conference in Mar del Plata seek answers on global competitiveness

Attendees of the 45th Annual IDEA Conference seek answers on global competitiveness

One of Argentina’s most prestigious and probing private sector gatherings took place last week at the 45th Annual IDEA Conference in Mar del Plata.

Over 800 Argentine executives met in the coastal resort town to ponder one giant question: Why is Argentina not more competitive on the global stage? Electronic voting commenced on the Conference’s Opening Day…hands on buzzers…top five answers are on the board.

And in a pro-capitalist blast across the bow of the ruling administration, an overwhelming 60% of those in attendance said “Public policies that take the life out of macroeconomic gains” were the primary obstacles hampering Argentina’s global competitiveness. According to La Nacion, another 30% of respondents shared the blame with their political rivals and chose, “The Inability of Politicians and Businessmen to Adapt to the International Environment.”

The IDEA debate and self-criticism comes on the heels of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2009-10 which ranked Argentina 85th out of 133 countries surveyed. According to the Report, the primary negative hurting Argentina’s overall ranking is the lack of confidence in the ethical standards of many of the country’s politicians. Julian Rooney, VP of Public Affairs at Minera Alumbrera offered a positive spin at IDEA ’09, “Argentina has incredible opportunities to keep growing. But we need to maintain clear (i.e., political) rules of the game in the long-term.”

For more information on investment opportunities in Argentina, download the new issue of InvestBA Privada.

1 Comments
Leave A Response

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • •
 

EXPO COMM Starts Today in Palermo

On September 22, 2009, In buenos aires events, creative class, technology, by InvestBA

expo commEXPO COMM Argentina (ECA), one of South America’s largest and most important IT networking events, kicks off today at La Rural Convention Center in Palermo. The 17th annual edition of ECA, which usually draws over 25,000 IT professionals, promises to be more than just the typical computer trade show. According to InfoNews, event organizers are actually orchestrating 20-minute meetings between event attendees wherever potential matches and partner synergies can be identified. Of the 150 Exhibitors in attendance at this year’s ECA, the largest footprints with abundant eye candy in the Exhibition Hall will be made by Nextel, Multiradio, MasNet, Claro, SoulutionBox and DirecTV Argentina. For a full list of exhibitors and detailed contact information, click here for the EXPO COMM 2009 PDF. There’s also an informal facebook group of attendees.

0 Comments
Leave A Response

Tagged with: • • • • • • •
 
 

Bariloche

Mendoza

Uruguay

© 2011 InvestBA.com