Currently, computers and digital tools are essential elements in companies of any sector. However, a quarter of a century ago, not even large companies had started this process known as digital transformation. The IT solutions company i3e was born with the objective of accompanying them in this immersion into the digital world. A company, based in l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, which after 25 years of experience, has managed to exceed 35 million euros in turnover and 175 employees.
In this quarter century of history, the digital world with which the Catalan company works has radically transformed, but so have the groups and teams they accompany in this digital transformation. "A few years ago, for companies, investing in IT was like investing in the dentist, that is, they only went if they felt discomfort in a tooth, but, on the other hand, they did not comply with periodic check-ups or carry out proper monitoring and maintenance," argues Sergio García, the company's manager. Thus, groups resorted to and invested in IT services only when faced with a specific need or problem.
In contrast, currently, and as a consequence of a generational and social change, companies are increasingly opting to invest in their digitalization and continuous updating of their technologies, with a clear current commitment to artificial intelligence. In this quarter century, therefore, digital technologies and tools have evolved very rapidly, but i3e's purpose has remained unalterable. A purpose that its founder, Francisco García, defines as "offering a comprehensive IT solution and service: executing, analyzing, and improving systems according to the needs of each client."
In reality, the company was born in 2000 with a very different purpose, related to the trajectory of its founder Francisco García, closely linked to personnel search companies. Thus, as if it were a human resources management or talent management company, i3e connected temporary IT workers with companies that needed to outsource certain services. However, and adapting to a digital environment that was already beginning to transform rapidly at that time, they decided to evolve towards project management, to provide IT services to different companies, automating and digitizing certain tasks.
Very varied IT services, ranging from cabling and LAN infrastructure to integration with Microsoft Azure, with the aim of offering comprehensive, 360-degree solutions to its clients. In recent times, also adapting to prevailing trends, the company has also managed to specialize in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
In the field of cybersecurity, in the last month they have managed to handle more than 90,000 attacks, filtering more than a million data per day. In addition, they also focus on "teaching and educating company users so that they know how to protect their accounts, as they are the ones who, due to lack of knowledge, open the doors to these malicious attacks," remarks García. They also assist in this training task regarding artificial intelligence, teaching them how to use these tools to optimize their time.
They have done so with a staff of more than 175 workers distributed between its headquarters in l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, in addition to offices in Barcelona and Madrid, and a total of four specialized laboratories in repair and replacement of hardware and software, located in l'Hospitalet, Mataró and Girona. A workforce that, however, would be prepared to increase by almost 100 new workers if it were not for "the difficulty of finding and retaining digital talent," laments García.
With this workforce, they have managed to support and execute more than a thousand projects for 310 clients worldwide —although Catalan companies or multinationals with headquarters in Catalonia are their main client— and from any sector. Among these clients, large companies such as T-Systems, Telefónica, Toyota, Panasonic, Fujitsu, DHL or Grifols stand out. Likewise, they have also carried out projects for public administrations, taking charge of IT services for Catalan educational centers. They have done so, moreover, solely with their own capital, contributed at its beginnings by Francisco García and sustained by the company's profitability in subsequent years, without the need to bring in any fund or investment partner.
Despite the fact that its business model has focused until now on working with large integrators and communications operators, which have represented up to 80% of its projects, i3e has been opening up to a new type of client for some years now: small and medium-sized Catalan companies. For this type of client, they are offering a first completely free audit so that these companies can detect and see what their digital weaknesses are and how they could improve them.
Focused on this new type of client, without neglecting the provision of services for large integrators, they predict "continued growth but in a contained way", in the words of their CEO, Francisco García. Especially considering that in just five years they have managed to triple their turnover, going from 10 million euros in 2021 to an expectation of 35 million euros for this year. An expectation that, even months before closing 2025, they have already far exceeded. This exponential increase in turnover responds to the projects of large integrators that they have undertaken.
Now also focused on SMEs, which involve smaller projects, they expect "more moderate growth, especially so as not to lose sight of our work philosophy or our responsibility". A philosophy and vision of the company in which its social responsibility and solidarity also play an essential part, participating in projects such as the creation of a computer room in an orphanage in Madagascar or contributing annually to the Sant Joan de Déu foundation.