Imteeaz has come a long way before becoming CEO of iFox Code. After his secondary education at the Collège du Saint Esprit in Quatre-Bornes in 1995, he left for Bordeaux to study Electronics and Industrial Computing. He then joined a large communication group as a Web developer trainee.
Afterwards, he started working on different projects with prestigious clients. Eager to learn, he took the opportunity to complete Microsoft (.Net, SQL Server), ITIL, and PMP certifications. With his technical and managerial knowledge, he joined his current partner, Madhav Ramlugun, to develop IFox Code, an agency specialized in mobile and web development.
Can you explain to our readers what services iFox Code offers to its customers?
We have positioned iFox Code on 2 main axes:
- Mobile Development
- Web development.
At the mobile level, depending on the customer’s needs, we will offer hybrid or native (iOS and Android). Some examples of the type of applications we have made: iOS and Android applications for a gambling company; an Android application for booking, check-in and check-out by in-store salespeople (France); mobile e-commerce applications (Dubai).
On the web side, we can do simple showcase sites to very complex applications with CMS, large data processing, online payment etc. through event sites, CRM/lead generation applications, corporate sites etc. Technically speaking, we can start with custom, Frameworks or packaged solutions. Everything will depend on the client’s needs and our role is to recommend the best solution. This is also our strength.
In terms of customers, at the beginning we mainly targeted the French market. We quickly realized that our services were also of interest to other markets that contacted us and today we have clients in Mauritius, Dubai and South Africa.
And more precisely, what does your job really consist of?
With my partner Madhav, we have split our roles and responsibilities well but also with a common role on everything strategic for iFox Code. Madhav is our CTO and thus responsible for all things technology as well as project and production.
For my part, I take care of the administrative and commercial aspects. So on the one hand I have to take care of everything contractual, legal, HR, financial, accounting etc. and on the other hand everything that is commercial prospecting, partnerships, business development etc. Finally, I must admit that as soon as the opportunity arises, I touch on development a little. I’m passionate about it and I think it’s my duty to keep in touch with our core competency.
A short while ago, the French tech arrived in Mauritius and you are involved in it, what do you expect from this grouping?
Based on the definitions, “French Tech” refers to all those who work in or for French start-ups in France or abroad. The mission of the “French Tech Hubs” is to bring together all French entrepreneurs and startups abroad to accelerate their activity and give them visibility. As iFox Code is rather a new player in this space, today our customer base is mainly based on our network. To effectively manage our growth, we need to grow this network. This is what we expect from French Tech Mauritius: to help us accelerate our activity and give us more visibility.
Do you think this will change and move things forward in the world of new technologies?
Definitely. It is the start-ups that have made this world of new technologies. Today, the French government is betting a lot on start-ups and is positioning France as the other country of start-ups. French Tech works to help start-ups and the dynamics of French Tech Mauritius should help accelerate the development of start-ups and innovative projects.
Mauritius is still trying to position itself as a cyber island and the French Tech label would be a plus for the attractiveness of the country at the international level. It would be a real shame for us to miss out. I am therefore convinced that French Tech Mauritius will advance the ICT field in Mauritius but it will not be alone. Institutions and members will have to participate and play their roles.
What future projects would you like to tell us about?
In the short term, in addition to the projects we are developing for our clients, there are two products we are currently working on that should be released before the end of the year: a social network and a game.
Social networks are now a major part of our lives and continue to grow. The disadvantage is that they reduce interaction and physical communication. With a partner we are working on a digital platform that will allow the user to have all the facilities of a social network but will also help to keep in touch with people physically through events.
With another partner, we plan to launch a mobile game, Android and iOS before the end of this year. It’s a game that mixes ‘Action’, ‘Beat-them-up’ and ‘Running Game’ genres. It is in 2D+ format (that is, 2D graphics on a 3D plane) and it is a very addictive game with a certain complexity to progress in the story. If you are interested, the game is in OPEN Beta here:
- iOS: http: //forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=309248
- Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.outboxgames.golemrage&hl=en
We are also working on IOT but more on the medium term. We take care of the software and hardware ourselves. In the longer term, we are looking at opportunities in Blockchain and AI. In short, we remain open and attentive to the full potential of new technologies.
I think that to take full advantage of this, we need to attract the talent of tomorrow now. In Mauritius, we have brilliant young people coming out of school who need to be convinced to join the ICT sector. We can thus imagine that Mauritius will become the other country of start-ups.
