At the age of 23, Camilo Nova started the software development company Axiacore in Colombia, South America.
But Nova taught himself to program in Python at the young age of 14. He said he was lucky to have internet access and a computer in a country where those resources were not readily available.
“I grew up in the right place, in the right neighborhood,” Nova said.
He went on to study engineering and spent time at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He has also worked in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Miami.
Through her travels, Nova realized that most small businesses do not have access to software development companies. Therefore, in his 2007 he founded Axiacore. The company’s Austin His office is located in Galvanize, in downtown’s Second His Street district.
“Most companies fail because they try to wear other people’s shoes,” says Nova. Axiacore can create custom he-build technology solutions for small businesses, he said. So businesses can get custom-made shoes, he said.
Most businesses think they’ve solved all their technical needs by buying software online or signing up for a software subscription service, says Nova. But one-size-fits-all solutions often don’t work, he said.
Axiacore consults, designs, and engineers digital products that solve specific problems, said Nova. The company also works with nonprofits such as St. He’s Lewis House, which was founded in Austin 21 years ago, to help homeless mothers and children.
Axiacore created custom forms and online software for Saint Louise House in Spanish and English to enable staff to communicate with customers in Spanish, said Robin Kamperman, director of operations at Saint Louise House. .
“This allows residents to communicate more easily,” says Kamperman.
The St. Louis House operates two apartment buildings, and residents have had to request maintenance due to problems such as clogged plumbing and garbage disposals, she said. Online forms give them that ability, she said.
“The biggest advantage of this software is its simplicity,” says Kamperman. “Easy to use.”
Axiacore was able to design and build software that helped Saint Louise better serve the people it serves, said Nova.
“If you put the time and effort into understanding the business, you can build something just for them,” he said.
Companies that can’t afford to invest in technology see much lower growth rates, says Nova. The same applies to countries, he said. Colombia is known for agricultural exports of bananas, coffee, sugar cane and cotton, Nova said. But it is difficult to remain competitive just by exporting food, he said. That’s why he’s focused on creating software for his enterprise projects, using his workers’ knowledge of Columbia, he said.
“Companies are better off when they embrace diversity. It’s not about racial diversity, it’s about diversity of thought,” says Nova.
Axiacore is a remote-first company with two employees in Austin and another 30 employees in Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Honduras and Costa Rica.
“You can hire people from almost anywhere,” says Nova.
Entrepreneur Steve Ward, who runs two businesses in Austin, including yacht charter company SailATX, hired Axiacore to support his business. He then joined the staff as Chief Business Development Officer.
“Axiacore has an incredible depth and knowledge of software development,” said Ward.
“The biggest value I think I get from Axiacore is really peace of mind. It’s like trust in the people I work with.”
Axiacore also provides tangible benefits to clients, such as saving time, increasing efficiency and making them more effective.
“It’s hard to put that in dollars,” Ward said.
