The beautiful thing about software is that it’s highly transportable — assuming you’re not breaking any export laws, of course. Gaining access to a new market doesn’t require a huge capital investment in terms of factories or materials. All you need is someone willing to move, and an understanding of what you’re getting into. I can’t help with the former, but hopefully this article sheds some light on the latter.
Even in the current climate, there are plenty of reasons for a tech company to expand internationally. For one, as long as your software isn’t U.S.-specific, it’s never a bad idea to proactively go after new markets. Or it’s possible that you recently got some international customers and need to support them during local hours. Or maybe you want access to highly trained but less expensive Eastern European talent (I hear Spain is also great for this).
Whatever your reason is, I recommend that you go for it. It’s an exciting move to make, assuming you’re doing it for the right business reasons and not just because you want to — because it’s not a slam dunk, and it’s not cheap.
My company is working through the process right now. Read about the cautions and tips we’ve picked up along the way in my full article on Forbes Technology Council.