Interview: Santiago Siri - Part 1
 | We started a new section within the techies: "Interviews." To whom?, People who I personally admire, people who show "the way" to 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 start the first part of the interview we did to Santiago Siri , beginning with questions related to 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 three 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 , stating that both art, as the code or the music he had done me and baptized my under-man band as "Octopus" |
ET: No Soccer Deluxe, did you think Popego exist?
SS: I really never thought of it. Without doubt I believe that having a previous experience was something considered launching 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 the investment is recovered, is far from a success story.) In our culture we should stop being such a success and value the learning that arise when things go wrong.
ET: How much influence would you say to speak English in your endeavors?
SS: This is something I owe to my father fully instilled in me from very young to speak English. I sincerely believe that 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? ), many feelings together I guess.
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 it is a bit impressive. M so proud lot see the effort we put everyone in Popego to achieve this milestone. When making the presentation, although he had some nerves before getting on stage Emiliano my partner told me I had a feeling of celebration .. and could not have been better defined.
ET: What can you tell about 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 the 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 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 in any entrepreneur in Argentina should be seen as a great opportunity.
ET: The Popego development time, to this day is over two 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 fascinating thing about the web in particular (which is not so big games) is that large projects are also projects "live" that can renew and readjust to new realities. A simple analogy is that I like to write novels more 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 get tired of the project .. keep that fire alive is critical.
ET: How is Popego infrastructure?
SS: The development is done in python in 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 much optimization algorithms that use and simplify as much as possible the different parts of the "machinery." Actually as we move forward we realize the ambitious 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 record undertaking software! There was a very good within the first generation Internet companies and now there is 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 good investment practices that exist in the U.S., have a culture more akin to that undertaken where it is supported by both the success and the failure .. and eradicate negative notions that arise when one speaks of "entrepreneurs" in Argentina. We are a country badly beaten by our politicians and corruption .. and it shows very clearly when one is out: it is very unfair that we lose all the time the Argentines arguing with us for basic issues that have not yet been resolved. And that greatly affects entrepreneurs .. but I think with good examples, leading to mark a way forward and show that you can do great things here, things are going to 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 do not know what is Popego, here is a review .:)
The truth is that the kid is a genius this! Popego the idea is great and what I saw works fine!. It deserves re how well he is doing and it is bound to grow much more!.
Good and crazy brother just finished book covers 5000 hand drawn .. haha ... ay a creativity Gen Syria is ...
Crazy good story, we want the 2nd part soon!
A great Santiago, another example that there is no excuse to do something, and one good, one side has made in Soccer Deluxe 85%! say that if you can not get a team no choice but to do it alone, especially when you showed nothing and yet another point to the fact the United States as a starting point.
Crystian, Founders At Work is 32 interviews, to bow down, go for 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!
Adelante!
Ugh! in the last response I realize that is very clear!
When he says he likes large projects understand that what he says is that it can take 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 way that explains everything .... seem so simple!!
I liked the phrase "keep the fire alive is fundamental"
Greetings!