Rootstack is a Panama-founded software development company that has grown from a small university startup into an international technology partner serving clients across the Americas.
Founded in 2011 by Alejandro Oses, Diego Tejera, and Juan Daniel Flórez after meeting at the Technological University of Panama (UTP), the company was built around a simple idea: use technology to help businesses solve real problems and grow sustainably.
The founders began working from a small room in a family house before moving to an office in City of Knowledge, in Panama City. Early projects with both local and international clients pushed the team to improve quickly and adopt stronger processes, communication standards, and project management practices. Over time, Rootstack expanded its operations into the United States and Colombia while delivering hundreds of software projects across industries including banking, healthcare, government, education, hospitality, and insurance.
Today, Rootstack provides services such as IT staff augmentation, managed teams, managed services, and solution discovery. The company is recognised for combining senior engineering talent, bilingual communication, and structured delivery with ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certifications focused on quality and security.
Throughout its growth, Rootstack has remained focused on adaptability, continuous learning, and strong internal culture. The company also invests in emerging talent through initiatives designed to help junior professionals gain hands-on experience and build long-term careers in technology.
Q&A With Rootstack Panama
Q: How did Rootstack first begin?
A:
Rootstack started while we were students at the Technological University of Panama. The three founders, Alejandro Oses, Diego Tejera, and Juan Daniel Flórez, wanted to build something of our own instead of following traditional career paths.
At first, it was very simple. We worked from home and took on small web and mobile projects. Later, we moved into a room at a family house so we could work together more efficiently.
One of the founders always talked about building a company that combined technology, software, and services. That idea became the foundation for Rootstack.
Q: What were the biggest challenges during the early years?
A:
One of the biggest challenges was learning how to scale without losing control of quality.
In the early days, a small team can solve problems quickly because everyone talks constantly. Once the team grows, that stops working. We realised this during one project where different developers were handling similar tasks without clear coordination. We ended up redoing part of the work because processes were not clearly defined yet.
That experience forced us to improve communication and create stronger workflows.
We also faced the challenge of competing with larger international companies while operating from Panama. That pushed us to improve our standards very early.
Q: How did working with international clients shape the company?
A:
It changed the way we approached everything.
International clients expected clear communication, faster delivery, and more structured processes. That forced us to become more organised much earlier than we expected.
We remember working with one client that required weekly progress reporting with very detailed updates. At the time, we did not have a formal reporting structure. We had to create one quickly because we understood that trust depended on consistency.
That experience helped us improve project management across the company.
Q: What helped Rootstack grow internationally?
A:
Adaptability played a major role.
Technology changes constantly, so we understood early that learning could never stop. We encouraged our teams to stay curious, experiment with new tools, and improve continuously.
Another important factor was communication. Clients want technical expertise, but they also want reliability and clarity. We focused heavily on responsiveness and transparency.
Over time, that helped us build long-term relationships with companies across industries like banking, healthcare, education, and government.
Q: What lessons did you learn about growing a technology company?
A:
One major lesson was that what works for a small team does not always work for a larger one.
At one stage, we were growing quickly and realised our internal systems were falling behind. Tasks were being duplicated and communication gaps were appearing between teams.
Instead of ignoring the problem, we paused and restructured our processes. We standardised workflows, improved documentation, and clarified responsibilities across teams.
That period was stressful, but it helped us become a more resilient company.
Q: How do you maintain company culture while scaling?
A:
Culture has to be intentional.
As companies grow, it becomes easier for people to feel disconnected. We try to avoid that by creating opportunities for collaboration and recognition.
We organise monthly activities, celebrate employee milestones, and recognise strong performance regularly. Some employees who reached ten years with the company were rewarded with special trips because we wanted to acknowledge their contribution in a meaningful way.
We believe people perform better when they feel supported and connected to the company’s mission.
Q: What qualities matter most in the technology industry today?
A:
Adaptability is probably the most important.
Technical skills matter, but the ability to learn quickly matters even more because the industry changes so fast.
We also value communication, teamwork, and proactivity. Some of the best contributors in technology are people who solve problems before they become larger issues.
One thing we often tell junior professionals is that growth comes from staying curious and being willing to improve continuously.
Q: What motivates Rootstack today?
A:
Helping companies grow through technology is still a major motivation for us, but so is creating opportunities for people.
We are currently developing initiatives like RootLab and our First Work Experience programme, called “Your First Commit” because we want emerging talent to gain practical experience and stronger foundations in the industry.
Looking back, we started as students trying to build something meaningful. Supporting the next generation feels like a natural extension of that story.
Read more:
Rootstack Panama: From University Startup to International Tech Partner
