Interview of Guy De Smet by Solutions-magazine

Small amongst the greater, DS Improve uses its difference to grow

IT infrastructure management, specific tailored development, internet communication, outsourcing of consultants ... and R & D. Today, very few SMEs in the sector (40 employees, 2 million EUR in 2008) can afford to develop an R & D business. DS Improve makes it a point of honor.

This year again, the Brussels company will invest 20% of his income in R & D! Its
favorite domains ? 3D environments in real time is clearly favourite. And to exploit the Serious Games, these techniques using all video games tricks to  specific learning in the company. A 3D realization is being developed for real estate sector - allowing to stroll through a neighborhood, visiting buildings, apartments. Target audience: professionals of the sector : promoters, architects, entrepreneurs ...

"The R & D projects are not all 'on the edge", precises Guy De Smet, CEO. Some are directly linked to our daily activities, and are allowing us to develop products or generic services. This is how we can lauch the commercialization of a virtualization service in SaaS mode. "

Using its expertise in Citrix environments, Datacore, Microsoft and VMware,
DS Improve offers virtualization as a service charged per user. "Many companies have realized the added value they would have to virtualize, but are not ready to go: choose the solution, financing it, technical constraints ... are heavy! With our offer, we simplify the approach as it is a rental service completed with an SLA." Our first customer is Neos, a recruitment and IT Consultants outsourcing company.

Initially, the DS Improve expertise in virtualization, either via the management of parks
or tailored development. Over the time, the company of Guy De Smet and Tor Holden multiplied references. Most recent ones: the partial consolidation of three data centers of Belnet, a market won with ACOServices, Louvain-La-Neuve. Height: EUR 340,000 over four years ...

For Guy De Smet, these partnerships are very important. The CEO maintains its network either with companies highly specialized or players like Siemens IT Solutions & Services or Fabricom-GTI, .
Idem with the academic environment and particularly the ULB where he studied. "One may be a service provider and still have scientific interests. " For recruitment, in particular,
it allows to identify and attract young talents.

Shortly, a different approach, which makes sense in a financial environment that has shown its limits.
So far financed from own funds, DS Improve intends to preserve its independence ... even if it will now use the support of banks to realize its growth objectives. Guy De Smet
tends to EUR 3.5 million at the end of 2009, twice as much as in 2007. "This is a realistic projection : we have invested heavily in 2008, we must make profits during this year ... "