Tauranga ICT Expo Presentation

Photos can be so cruel.....

Brett Roberts from Microsoft NZ spoke to a full house yesterday at the Pingar Sponsored 'Looking into the Future' workshop at the Tauranga ICT Cluster Expo yesterday. It was standing room only.

Not that the photograph above shows that. Believe me. I'm a journalist. It was!

Tauranga ICT Expo - Wednesday 27th May

It's that time of the year again.

This year, Pingar is sponsoring a workshop entitled 'Looking into the Future'.

Brett Roberts, Microsoft New Zealand’s National Technology Officer, will talk about Microsoft’s vision for the future and how this will impact on every business in the Bay of Plenty.

I get to speak for about five minutes. It will go something like this.

'Hi. My name is Peter. And this is Brett. Good afternoon.'

It is a sign of the strength of the local Western Bay of Plenty ICT sector that the stands and the workshops for the Expo sold out in record time this year. Last year was the first Tauranga ICT Expo and it probably exceeded expectations. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of 'new business' was signed up. This year, the exhibitors are perhaps better prepared and more focused. This really will become an annual event.

As last year, entry to local businesses is free. For more details, check out the WBOP ICT Cluster website.

Be there......

On the long and windy road.....

This is probably an apt description of life at Pingar at present.

A number of milestones have been set. All it requires now is for their successful execution. That means meetings and more meetings; with partners, suppliers and customers. Not forgetting of course the lawyers and the accountants.

Whilst the technology platform excites, it is the background business grunt that has to be put into place. That's 'the long and windy road'. In New Zealand, over the next few days, it takes in Taranaki, Auckland and Tauranga. In the UK, it traverses between Norfolk, London and Swansea. There appears to be no end to this particular road. Or the meetings.

Today, it included the BOP ICT Cluster Steering Committee. Tonight, it's an NZTE sponsored dinner. And then about 800 kms down that long and windy road before returning to Tauranga on Thursday.

Whilst it normally takes me 3 - 4 days to fully recover from jet lag following a lengthy offshore trip, it normally takes me 2 - 3 weeks to adjust back to my NZ way of life. 3 weeks have now passed since my last trip. I am therefore adjusted.

Taranaki, Auckland and Tauranga, beware.

TGIF - Again

Where do the week's go?

It's about 7.50 right now and I am contemplating the next few hours. Apart from a meeting at 10.30am of the WBOP ICT Cluster Steering Committee in town, it's a wrap up on documentation and preparation for the Accountants on Monday. And a meeting with WaikatoLink in Hamilton same day. Plus the bank. Oops and getting a handle on the multi-currency bit in MYOB Premier edition.

TGIF - just one full week to go....

The Xmas Season begins

Santa arrived early this year in the shape of Allan Bollard, Chairman of the NZ Reserve Bank, as he reduced the OCR by 1.5% a few minutes ago. His timing is bang on.

Later today, the BOP ICT Cluster Steering Group is hosting its annual Xmas drinks party. I will be there.

The rate cut though says a lot about the state of the world economy. And the weather. Confused? If you are reading this in the UK or the US, let me explain. The NIWA summer forecast for NZ is for below average rainfall and above average temperatures. This means a drought could be on the way. Not great when your major exporters are agricultural based.

So for those Northern hemisphere readers, I strongly recommend NZ spring lamb for your New Year festivities. Santa this year will come in many forms.

It's BOP Time

From my recent postings about all things global, tomorrow the focus turns firmly back to the Bay of Plenty.

I have the honour of being a Member of the Western Bay of Plenty ICT Cluster Steering Committee. Not that I have contributed too much just yet. I missed the first two meetings and plan to ensure it is not 'third time' unlucky.

Annie from Priority One has sent out an agenda. The theme seems to be; 'ICT Cluster Strategy Development'. So it will be thinking caps on all round as we discuss our purpose, our vision and our raison d'etre. At 5.30pm, the same group, plus members, will meet up at the Usual Suspects on the Strand for an ICT Cluster informal networking event.

The relief will be temporary. Tomorrow night will be another round of offshore calls and direct engagement. But hopefully tackled from a more local perspective.

Tauranga ICT Expo

Date: Wednesday 21st May
Location: Baycourt, Tauranga
Time: 12.30 - 18.30

All day, check out the Pingar stand in the main Exhibition Area and view the online demos.

At 15.00, check out the Waikatolink presentation in the Speaker presentation hall. And at 17.30, check out the free nibbles, cash bar and meet the team.

The Tauranga 'Technology for Smarter Business' Expo has finally arrived.

See you tomorrow.

Wednesday 21st May

The battle for ratings.....

At the recent Bay of Plenty Regional Economic Development Forum, the focus was on long-term inter sub-region and inter-agency cooperation, engagement and love. Fast forward to Wednesday 21st May.

Inter-agency cooperation in action? I think not.

Lining up at 7.00am in the morning is the Export NZ Bay of Plenty and NZ Trade and Enterprise sponsored NZ New Thinking Export Breakfast at the Sebel Hotel in Tauranga. (Cost: NZ$25, to include breakfast) There is absolutely nothing wrong with the agenda. Jon Mayson – Chair of NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) will be speaking about ‘Beyond Export Year – What do we have to DO to achieve export Growth?’ Jon will also provide a personal view on what we need to do here in the Bay of Plenty to build strong export growth.

The session is scheduled to close at 9.30am. This provides enough time for delegates to get to their offices, open the post and then prepare for the next 'Event of the Day'.

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce have organised their 'Meet the New CEO' lunch at Mills Reef from 11.30am - 2.00pm. (Cost: NZ$45 members, $NZ65 non-members, to include lunch). Greg Bold, the new CEO will talk of his journey to becoming CEO and where he sees the Chamber both now and into the future. Greg will also talk about his role of tutoring and some helpful hints on Problem Solving and Decision Making.

Tummies full, it is now time for delegates to return to the office to ensure staff are still working and time to sign off the day's inventory before setting off to the next 'Event of the Day'.

Priority One and the WBOP ICT Cluster have organised the well advertised “Technology for Smart Business” Expo at Baycourt (Cost: Free, with complimentary canopes after 5.30pm). This runs from 12.30pm - 6.30pm at Baycourt. The tradeshow is being held to provide an opportunity for local ICT companies to showcase their products and services to businesses in Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty.

So there we have it. Three significant business events on one day. Inter-agency cooperation in action.

For the record, I will be at the Sebel for the breakfast session and then its off to Baycourt to set up the Pingar stand for the “Technology for Smart Business” Expo. Sorry Greg, but I reckon 2 out of 3 is as much as I can manage in one day.

Tauranga ICT Expo 'Noise'

In the past few days, the 'noise' around the Tauranga ICT “Technology for Smart Business” Expo, organised by the WBoP ICT Cluster, has grown.

I have received a number of emails including a list of the 25 local ICT Cluster member exhibitors who will be attending the Show. It is great to see such enthusism from the local ICT community and it will be great to see engagement with the wider Bay of Plenty business community.

The Pingar stand will be demonstrating the basic publishing platform created by WaikatoLink, Global Graphics and FAST. More about the detail as it becomes available.

Wake Up Bay Of Plenty!

It's getting bigger...

I have just spent 48 hours in Raglan. The bach had no Sky, no internet access. It was a weekend of firsts.

It was the first time I had read the Waikato Times. An article on the front page of the 'Business' section caught my eye. Headed Extra Innovation, the article said that the Waikato Innovation Park will triple in size over the next three years thanks to NZ$8 million in grants.

According to the article, the Economic Development Ministry has stumped up with $NZ4 million from the Enterprise Partnership Funds, NZ$2.4 million has been provided by Hamilton City Council and the remaining NZ$1.6 million has come from Innovation Waikato Limited. The investment will be used to build and develop a new building, provide infrastructure to attract more multi-national companies and to expand the Innovation Park's business development services.

I have spent a lot of time in Hamilton in recent months and have blogged about the benefits that such a Park can have in terms of both adding value to the private sector and assisting accelerate regional economic development.

The drive and ambition in Hamilton stands in stark contrast to the current status quo on my side of the Kaimais. The fact that Hamilton is home to the University of Waikato is clearly a major factor in the positioning of the Waikato Innovation Park. It is the status quo though the Bay Of Plenty needs to address.

Last week, I attended the Bay of Plenty Regional Economic Development Forum in Rotorua. The Forum was presented with a series of questions designed to map a 10-year strategy for boosting regional economic development. Ten years? Call me a sceptic but I guess that the economic landscape will have changed a tad by then. In the larger central north island macro-economic region, the expansion of the Waikato Innovation Park will surely generate some of this change. With its focus on fostering collaborative R&D between the tertiary and the private sectors, Hamilton will continue to attract high value businesses.

Realistically, the Bay of Plenty is NOT going to secure its own University any time soon. It is therefore important that the Bay Of Plenty's key business, local government and Iwi stakeholders engage directly with external research institutes such as the University of Waikato to attract their active presence in the greater Bay.

This engagement will lead to the fostering of a new awareness of value added R&D and assist promote the Bay as a destination for inward investment. Both are necessary if the mission of the Bay of Plenty Regional Economic Development Forum is to be achieved.

Introducing Waikatolink

I spent yesterday in Hamilton with the team at Waikatolink. They are based in the Waikato Innovation Park.

I have blogged before about Pingar's relationship with the team at Waikatolink. So yesterday, Tania, Carl, Nick, Paul and others were at the meetings to discuss both the current stuff and the long-term stuff. The long-term discussion threw up some interesting opportunities.

When you engage the commercial arm of a University to work on a research & development project, it is easy to focus on the technical skills that are on offer. Yesterday's meeting however introduced a new 'play' into these discussions. This focused on the potential longer term involvement of the Waikato Management School.

Early days yet, but the Management School clearly has a totally different, yet complimentary set of skills. These relate of course to issues such as business analysis, business process. These ARE relevant to the Pingar experience. It's a slightly different tack, but one I think we might just follow.

On May 21st, the WBOP ICT Cluster is organising a Technology for Smarter Business Expo in Tauranga. I raised the opportunity of attending the Expo with the team in Hamilton yesterday. I understand the benefit, direct engagement with the University could offer other Western Bay businesses. I think they were keen. I hope they are there.

WBOP-ICT Live

The Western Bay of Plenty ICT Cluster website has just gone 'live'.

As I prepare to pack my bags in London, my thoughts are beginning to focus on 'things' back home. The upcoming '“Technology for Smarter Business” Tradeshow' in Tauranga is one such 'thing'.

Scheduled for Wednesday 21st May at Baycourt, the purpose of the expo is to provide an opportunity for local ICT companies to showcase their products and services to businesses in Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty. In particular, it is to encourage large companies that currently access ICT goods and services from outside the region to give local suppliers a chance to provide the same. The support of the region’s larger businesses will increase the opportunities for local ICT businesses to grow.

It is a cool concept and I will be there. The Stay in the Bay portal was developed two years ago by The WH Consultancy, in association with Priority One. It provides an e-marketplace for local Bay companies to trade together. It was launched at Baycourt. It will be demonstrated again at Baycourt on the 21st.

Tauranga Technology Roadshow

Home to the BOP ICT Cluster

I received an email last night from Priority One, the local Western Bay of Plenty economic development agency outlining plans for a Tauranga Technology Tradeshow scheduled for 21st May. It reminded me of some of the great ICT businesses that have chosen Tauranga as their base.

Vision Software produce total commercial property management and corporate real estate management solutions. Not only successful in NZ, Vision also engage with clients in Australia via direct representation across the Tasman. Another local software development company doing great things offshore (UK) are Origen Enterprise Software with their powerful suite of local government software solutions.

Cucumber Software deliver solutions in the secure online solution space deploying their own proprietary software. Radford Software are leaders in bespoke and off the shelf solutions for the horticulture, avocado and pip fruit sectors.

If I was to identify all the great innovative businesses here, this would be a very long post. And with only 48 hours before my own departure for the UK, I am running out of time myself. As soon as I get more information about the planned Technology Roadshow, I will post to the blog.

The Week in Review

Auckland - Host to Thursday and Friday's meetings

As week's go, last week was a belter.

The news from London published in the previous posting only partially covers off Pingar's market entry moves in the UK. That has become a huge priority right now and a number of simultaneous activities are underway to consolidate this process.

Back in New Zealand, meetings in Auckland on Thursday and Friday set up two very specific NZ-focused opportunities. I would expect these to become more 'public' next month.

And in Tauranga, a meeting with Jodie Tipping of Cucumber Software means I will be playing a more active role in the Bay of Plenty ICT Cluster. I hope to be able to contribute.

Commercialising a start-up from New Zealand means that a whole host of variables need to be managed. Development, recruitment, funding, marketing and partnering. Throw into the mix, the fact that perhaps 30% of the next twelve months will be spent offshore and even the most effective time planning comes under some pressure.

Today provides some respite and an opportunity to plan. Monday and it starts all over again.

Tauranga ICT Innovation Centre

What a Tauranga ICT Innovation Centre could look like...

Since I returned to New Zealand three days ago, I have heard from more than one person about the prospects of an ICT Innovation Centre in Tauranga. Members of the BOP ICT Cluster are being surveyed on their views and a number of local agencies appear to have bought into the potential. So here is my quick take.

If the idea is to build a modern facility with a large pipe and pack it with a spectrum of local IT related businesses, it probably will not work. That is not what ICT Innovation Centres do. To understand this, you could do better than to visit the Waikato Innovation Park in Hamilton. I am actually there on Monday. Now that in my view is what an Innovation Centre is all about.

Waikato Innovation Park is New Zealand’s growth hub for Ag-Biotech businesses. This is where leading primary sector science, technology and research meets the catalyst of entrepreneurship in the form of the Park's 50 resident companies. Its proximity to the University of Waikato campus provides the scientific and academic input into the Park's available research pool.

It is a model that the architects behind the Tauranga ICT Innovation Centre should consider. They need to identify vertical sectors within the ICT space and map those against available academic research partners. By providing a research hub of this type, a Tauranga ICT Innovation Centre could become a Centre of Excellence attracting companies, researchers and investment from outside the region.

That's my quick take. No doubt, more detail later.

Tertiary Courses in the Bay

In advance of Helen Clark's visit to Tauranga on 30th October for the Regional Economic Forum meeting, I received an email from Jodie Topping at Cucumber Software.

The Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and University of Waikato will be presenting an inter-institutional proposal for expanded tertiary education in the Bay. University degree level ICT provision is a very important part of the case being made.

The University of Waikato’s School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences is working to scope possible expansion of ICT degree-level teaching and research in Tauranga. This would involve the development and delivery of high-quality courses which are relevant to the present and anticipated needs of the Western Bay of Plenty ICT Cluster.

Skill shortages in the ICT sector are real. I have blogged before about the need to develop the tertiary education sector in the Bay of Plenty, one of New Zealand's fastest growing regions. The initiative above is a hugely positive one. Let's hope that the Ministers joining Helen Clark on this visit understand that.

KEA Comes to Tauranga

KEA brings together expats and 'friends of New Zealand' to create a powerful global knowledge network for the benefit of New Zealand.

I joined KEA as an individual member about six months ago. In truth, I have not really understood or exploited some of the opportunities it provides. So it is good that the BOP ICT Cluster has organised a presentation from KEA in Tauranga tonight. The concept behind it is compelling. What I hope to learn at first hand is the opportunity it actually offers.

BOP Polytechnic BCS Project Presentations

The Bay of Plenty Polytechnic's third year Bachelor of Computing Systems degree students will be making presentations on their final projects this Thursday in Tauranga. I had hoped to attend.

It is a great opportunity for members of the BOP ICT Cluster to support these students; to identify potential employees and analyse their take on new web-based technologies. All the projects seemed to have that theme.

Instead, I will be in Auckland for two separate business meetings. I wish them all the best for their important day.

BOP ICT Cluster - Wayne Hudson

With Air New Zealand now taking the strain on Friday morning (see previous blog), I can join Wayne Hudson and others at the BOP ICT Cluster meeting here in Tauranga on Thursday.

Wayne is NZ Software Association Chairperson and a partner in Bell Gully. He is scheduled to give an overview of legal agreements and issues such as IP ownership, contractual obligations and company structure.

Attendances at recent BOP ICT Cluster events seem to be growing. This reflects well on the growth of the ICT sector in 'The Bay' and provides a great forum for people working in this space to meet.

BOP ICT Cluster Tonight

I am joining other ICT companies in Tauranga / BOP for a BOP ICT Cluster meeting tonight.

Mike Dennehy, CEO of Vision Software, will share his experiences of setting up an office in Australia. Mike will also provide practical advice on making funding applications to FRST and NZTE.

Although Tauranga is often seen by Kiwis living outside the Bay as being a retirement and beach destination, there is in fact a thriving ICT sector in the region.

The BOP ICT Cluster has approximately 130 member companies and a number are creating great software applications. Companies I have got to know a little here include Jodie Tipping's Cucumber Software which produce a feature rich suite of products including LawSuite, HealthSuite and GlobalSuite. Roy Simpson and Ray Hunter own Origen, an enterprise solutions company which provides quality software systems to Local Government throughout New Zealand. Radford Software has developed a range of software solutions for the Avocado and Pipfruit industries managing the orchard to coldstore path and beyond.

Having a vibrant regional ICT Cluster (supported by Priority One, the local Western BOP Enterprise Agency) provides a great opportunity for local companies working in this space to network and discuss issues of common interest. Sure - living in the Bay does offer a lifestyle that many might envy. My own belief is that it actually enhances the working environment and certainly provides no barrier to creating really innovative and export-potential ICT businesses.