CLOUD computing has lowered the barriers of entry for start-ups by enabling access to lower cost and readily available IT infrastructure. But global software company Progress Software is taking things a notch up with a cloud-based platform that makes it easy and quick, even for those without programming knowledge, to build and deploy applications.

Progress Pacific is an application platform-as-a-service (aPaaS) that is free for use until deployment. Progress also provides free consulting services to help users price and commercialise their applications, taking a cut of the revenue upon commercialisation, said Stephen McNulty, its Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) managing director.

The platform allows for rapid cloud-based application development and deployment with minimal coding required, data access and integration. It also supports business process management, mobile application development and decision logic. There are even templates for customer relationship management (CRM) and other applications to help developers speed up the building process. The application can then be deployed to any cloud or in-house infrastructure.