Interview: Santiago Siri - Part 1
 | We started a new section within the tecnoloco: "Interviews". To whom?, People who I personally admire people who show us "the way", those who already made the effort, which changed its stars! (one of the memorable phrases of "Corazón de Caballero"), those who did something that changed their lives and why not, the lives of others. |
Without further ado, I begin the first part of the interview we did to Santiago Siri, beginning with questions regarding his past:
 | ElTecnoloco (ET): How long it took to make Soccer Deluxe?, Why do you say octopus? Santiago Siri (SS): Soccer Deluxe was a project that took about 3 years. Since its inception as an idea, until the international publication was a long process and much learning. The nickname came about when doing demos colleagues from ADVA and explained that both the art such as the Code or the music I had made and baptized under my man band as "Octopus" |
ET: No Soccer Deluxe, do we think that Popego exist?
SS: I really never thought of it. Without doubt I believe that having a previous experience was something considered taking something positive for my current partners who invested in Popego. There is much value in having tried to start something, but to be successful or not (as was the case of FD where although not recover the investment made is far from being a success). In our culture we should stop being so successful and value the learning that arises when things go wrong.
ET: How much that influenced pensas to speak English in your endeavors?
SS: This is something that I owe my father fully instilled in me from very young to speak English. Honestly, I think today is a fundamental tool to speak more than one language. Of course English has the virtue of being the common language to talk with anyone in the world .. and if you want to grow both professionally and personally and culturally able to speak a language like English opens all doors in the world. I think learning a second language should be compulsory in all schools in the country, today only speak a language is a serious symptom which cancels many possibilities as it was several decades ago illiteracy.
ET: How was the experience of TC50? (What the hell is TechCrunch?), I imagine a lot of feelings together.
SS: It's been the best professional experiences of my career. The mere fact that the selection process was very challenging and we face more than 1000 companies is somewhat impressive to me. So I m proud muchisimo see the effort we put everyone in Popego to achieve this milestone. When making the presentation, although he had some nerves before going on stage Emiliano my partner told me I had a feeling of celebration .. and could not have been better defined.
ET: What you can count on the experience of having lived a month in Silicon Valley?, Will you start a company there?
SS: Popego was conceived as a company poised to grow in a global context .. and that demand has a strong presence in the U.S. which is where this market. Our goal is to assemble a team of business development there and maintain the excellent team here we have development.
Being in Silicon Valley certainly is very helpful to understand how the gears of the world of technology. In Argentina is very far from having a clear idea about how things happen there and I learned a lot in my stay. Undoubtedly there is an abysmal difference of capital to do things .. but I think it is worth noting that here, contrary to what you see there is everything to be done and that any entrepreneur in Argentina should be seen as a great opportunity.
ET the Popego development time until today is over 2 years, almost as much as "Soccer Deluxe, persistence is a quality that every entrepreneur should have, then how did all this time to motivate (both you and the team) to continue development?
SS: I personally like large projects, and the fascination of the Web in particular (which is not well in big games) is that large projects are projects besides "live" that can renew and readjust to new realities. A simple analogy is that I like to write novels but short stories .. and so I feel comfortable doing this work knowing that demand a lot of patience. With Popego is very comforting to know that you work with an excellent team that constantly brings new ideas, ensuring that we never tire of the project .. keep that fire alive is critical.
ET: How is the infrastructure of Popego?
SS: The development is done in python on the backend and the frontend has the classic components of javascript and html. So in that sense is not no big deal! The major challenge in terms of architecture, is able to climb which requires a lot of algorithms that optimize use and simplify as much as possible the different pieces of the "machinery". Actually as we progress we're realizing just how ambitious the project .. which requires us to constantly be reading papers and learning how to solve new problems. It's a fun job 
ET: How do you see the future of Argentina with doing?
SS: In Argentina we have an excellent track taking software? There was a very good first generation in Internet companies and now there's a new wave of entrepreneurs who want to continue to demonstrate that there is room for new ideas emerging in the country. Now, in international terms, we still have much to learn and go .. make sound investment practices that exist in the U.S., have a culture more akin to that undertaken where it is based both on the success or failure .. and eliminate some negative notions that arise when one speaks of "entrepreneurs" in Argentina. Our country badly beaten by our politicians and corruption .. and this is seen most clearly when one is out: it is very unfair that we lose all the time arguing among ourselves Argentines by basic questions that have not been resolved. That greatly affects entrepreneurs .. but I think with good examples, leading to mark a way forward and demonstrate that we can do great things here, things will be getting better. I learned a lot from my partners in this regard.
ET: How do you see in the future? (if any fucking question!)
Continued ...
UPDATE: Continuous: http://www.eltecnoloco.com/2008/12/entrevista-santiago-siri-parte2/
For hanging not knowing what is Popego, here's a review.:)
The fact that the kid is a genius this! Popego the idea is excellent and what I saw works fine!. He deserves re how well he is doing and it is bound to grow much more!.
Good and crazy brother just finished book covers 5 thousand hand drawn .. jaja ... ay a gene for creativity Syria is ...
Crazy good story, we want the 2nd part soon!
A great James, another example that there is no excuse to get something done, and a good one, on the one hand account that did Futbol Deluxe 85%! attempts have failed, say that if there is no other team to do it alone, especially when you did not show anything and yet another point to the fact the United States as a starting point.
Crystian, Founders At Work is 32 interviews, to subjugate, to at the 64!
Greetings!
PS: I hope the continuation
Very good note. Hopefully many more to see here!
Exitos.
Very good note, I like this interviews!
Forward!
Ugh! in the last answer I realize that it is very clear!
When he says he likes large projects understand that what he says is that it can endure as long as necessary without losing sight of the goal. That is not easy at all especially in technology projects.
Really very good note ... there comes the second part!! very clear how to explain it all .... seems so simple!!
I liked the phrase "keep the fire alive is fundamental"
Greetings!