I recently had the opportunity to spend some time in Cali, Colombia, attending an event organized by ProColombia and a series of meetings set up for our by Invest Pacific. These meetings were all focused on the benefits of establishing nearshore BPO and KPO operations in the region. While Cali is sometimes overshadowed by larger Colombian cities like Bogotá and Medellín, this trip convinced me that Cali deserves a serious look from any company considering expansion into Latin America.
My video about the trip is below, but keep reading past the video for the full details of the trip and links to additional information!
A Full Day of Discovery in Cali
Our agenda, expertly curated by Valery Sanclemente from Invest Pacific, took us on a tour of some of Cali’s most compelling business infrastructure. We started the day at Telecenter, a BPO call center that has been built by a group who provided BPO services to DirectTV, and also leases turn-key BPO space to other firms. We observed a healthcare support BPO whose operations are located in their space, as well as touring other spaces which are available for lease and come with many services and utilities already included. Angelica Guzmán and her team gave us an excellent tour and the Telecenter spaces they showed us were modern and scalable. We got to see firsthand the kind of bilingual talent that powers these operations. Additional spaces in the facility are available for rent, which could be an ideal entry point for companies new to Colombia.
We also met with local economic development officials from Cali, who shared valuable insights about tax incentives, bilingual education and the legal benefits of operating within one of Cali’s free trade zones. It’s clear that the city is committed to attracting international business, with a focus on creating public-private partnerships that drive economic growth.
The Infrastructure and Talent Are Ready
One of the highlights of the day was a visit to Universidad ICESI, one of Colombia’s top universities. ICESI produces graduates in fields like engineering, healthcare, finance, and business—and every student is required to complete a six-month internship before graduating. Combine that with a strong emphasis on English language proficiency (at least B1 level for all students), and you get a pool of bilingual professionals who are ready to contribute on day one.
Manolo Constain Villa is the Talent Hub Director at ICESI, and he led the tour and explained the many ways that ICESI can work with private companies investing in Cali to help further develop a workforce that is well suited to their needs. He also shared an interesting story with me about the rejuvenation of Colombia, which I posted about on LinkedIn.
We also toured one of Colombia’s only two Tier 4 Data Centers, located in Cali’s Zonamerica free trade zone. The Cotel Wave data center boasts 100% uptime to date and benefits from the city’s superior internet connectivity, thanks to submarine cables that land on the nearby Pacific coast. This gives Cali some of the best digital infrastructure in the country, a key factor for tech-enabled BPO and KPO operations. Cali also boasts more reliable energy and water supplies than other parts of Colombia, which is a boost to digital infrastructure and business operations.
Zonamerica: Colombia’s Next Big Tech Hub?
The final stop on our tour was a deep dive into Zonamerica Colombia, a free trade zone in Cali with bold ambitions. Modeled after the successful Zonamerica Uruguay (which now supports over 10,000 employees across 350 companies), the Colombian version is smaller for now—three buildings—but the vision is clear: 18 buildings, a thriving community, and a full-service ecosystem for tech companies and BPO providers.
Companies in Zonamerica benefit from significant tax advantages, including nearly 50% reductions on several corporate taxes. There are also benefits on import duties for computer equipment which can be a big help in lowering operational costs. Beyond that, they get access to a community built around growth, talent, and collaboration—all within a city that offers lower living and operational costs than Colombia’s more well-known business centers.
So Why Cali?
In short:
- Lower costs than Bogotá and Medellín
- Exceptional digital infrastructure, powered by submarine cables and Tier IV data centers
- Strong bilingual education and top-tier universities
- Powerful public-private partnerships driving innovation and workforce development
- Free trade zones like Zonamerica offering impressive incentives
Cali may not be on everyone’s radar yet—but I think that’s going to change quickly. The infrastructure, the talent, and the incentives are all there. And if you’re looking to grow your nearshore technical or customer support teams, this is a location worth exploring now, before it becomes the next big thing.
At AgilityFeat, we specialize in helping tech companies build nearshore teams across Latin America—including in emerging hubs like Cali. Whether you’re looking to set up a BPO operation, hire technical talent, or even establish your own Colombian subsidiary, we’re here to help. Contact us today!
