NZ | Technology + Innovation + Agriculture

[SYDNEY]

2degrees’ New Zealand’s Fastest Growing Technology Company

For the second year in a row, 2degree’s has taken the title of ‘New Zealand’s number one fastest growing technology company’ in the Deloitte Fast50 awards. The awards, which were announced last night, also saw 2degrees place 6th in the overall annual list of fastest growing companies with growth of 536% over the past three years. 2degrees CEO Eric Hertz says the company is delighted with the result. “It’s great for the team to be recognised once again for the phenomenal growth we have achieved. Thanks to our entrepreneurial attitude and disruptive innovation, we have created value-based mobile services at market leading prices for kiwis. Our entry in to the market showed New Zealanders were ready for a better deal with over one million kiwis voting with their feet and already joining 2degrees.” Looking ahead, Mr Hertz says the company is focused on maintaining momentum. “We will continue to invest in our network and grow the business further through smart, customer-centric products and services for our prepay and pay monthly customers, coupled with even more focus on the business market.”

About 2degrees:

Launched in August 2009, 2degrees Mobile has significantly lowered the cost of making mobile phone calls and texts for Kiwis. 2degrees now has 35 retail stores, 97% network coverage across the country and the team has grown to over 750, with a mix of over 40 different nationalities. The company has committed over $450 million to building New Zealand’s third mobile phone network. Company shareholders include US-based mobile communications specialists, Trilogy International Partners, the Hautaki Trust, Communication Venture Partners and KLR Holdings. The combined shareholders bring a wealth of international experience and knowledge which is of huge benefit to New Zealand mobile users. More information at: www.2degreesmobile.co.nz

[SYDNEY]

Tech top 100

Out now, the TIN100 report lists our biggest tech companies. Anthony Doesburg looks at how the sector is faring, while Skye Wishart profiles some of the businesses on the list - and one heading that way. As the high kiwi dollar eats into many exporters' sales, a new technology sector report shows companies that do business in Australia are bucking the trend. The 2012 TIN100 survey of leading technology companies, out now, records a 7 per cent increase in sales to Australia, at the same time as the value of exports to North America has fallen by 5 per cent. Sales to Europe were down by 3.5 per cent, offset by a similar size rise in exports to Asia. "One of the simplest takeways is that the US dollar and the euro are moving adversely from an export position against the New Zealand dollar, but that's not the case with the Australian dollar," says Greg Shanahan, who has compiled the TIN100 report for the past eight years. Overall, exports by the 100 companies in the report rose more than 2 per cent to $5.2 billion - fractionally less than the meat industry and more than four times as much as wine sales overseas. Their total revenue increased by the same proportion to $7.3 billion. Shanahan says dollar's rise is "muting" the sector's potential. "It is not causing a decline, it is just creating an environment that is more pressurised. There is less room for error, there is more pressure on margins." ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Kiwi wine hopes high for China

Wine exports to China have the potential to rise in value from a current $25 million a year to $150m in just eight years. New Zealand Winegrowers says the target is aspirational, but consistent with the rise in wine exports to Asia generally in the last few years. Wine exports have risen five-fold from $20m in 2005 to nearly $100m this year. The growing importance of China to Kiwi winemakers is why New Zealand Winegrowers is opening its first Asian office next week, based in Hong Kong. Asian marketing manager Monty James said the move had been desirable for some time, but the clincher was a recent industry review by PwC, which highlighted the need to be present in growth markets. "Coupled with that, China has gone from being a small player in New Zealand wine to the number one [in Asia] by some margin and continues to grow. It grew over 50 per cent in the last financial year." New Zealand Winegrowers already has offices in London, New York, San Francisco and Melbourne, and the Asian office is expected to service other markets in the region. But there's little doubt China is its main focus, a market which till now has been forged by the efforts of individual winemakers or through big-label parent firms. Experts in the field have stressed the need for Kiwi wineries to take a less fragmented approach and James says the Hong Kong office is the beginning of that broader effort. It is being assisted by a $1.5m contribution from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise next year towards building the Kiwi wine brand in China and mainland Europe. Hopes are even higher for Europe. The New Zealand Winegrowers-NZTE growth target for wine exports to Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands is $225m by 2020, well up from its present $45m. James said the Government's involvement in marketing New Zealand wine was critical, "because our competitors . . . are going into China with significantly more and government-driven money".

[SYDNEY]

Vodafone’s massive plan for business: one terabyte of data

Forget kilobytes and gigabytes, Vodafone has launched its biggest data allowance yet – a massive one terabyte of data – for only $20 extra a month. Business Broadband Daytime gives business customers one terabyte of data between 8am and 6pm, 7 days a week, and 10GB outside these hours. Business owners, previously challenged by data caps, no longer need to worry about sending large files, using the internet and making frequent downloads. General Manager of Business Marketing, Becky Lloyd, says this is Vodafone’s best business broadband deal yet. “With such a huge allowance, business owners can simply get on with running their company. We know businesses need to capture, store and transfer data which means they need a big data cap. Cloud-based services are becoming increasingly attractive as businesses look for solutions to cut costs and improve security. A massive one terabyte of data makes using the cloud a simple solution, at a truly affordable price.” Customers on Vodafone’s Business Broadband 2 plan pay an additional $20 per month to receive a terabyte of data delivered with maximum upload and download speeds, a free wireless modem, 10 e-mail addresses, 30MB of free web space and spam and virus protection.

[SYDNEY]

Further details ....

NZ tech sector boosts R&D spend and shines bright

New Zealand’s high tech firms boosted investment in research and development (R&D) and staff numbers and many posted strong revenue growth despite difficult business conditions, according to a comprehensive survey of the $8 billion sector. The eighth annual TIN100 Report, an analysis of the performance of the top New Zealand-founded high-tech companies published in association with Industrial Research Ltd, reveals an impressive range of increasingly R&D-focused companies who achieved strong revenue growth despite a sluggish economy and currency headwinds. “In addition to solid overall growth of 2.2%, this year’s TIN100 Report features a wide range of R&D focused companies, from high-tech manufacturing to ICT and biotech, who achieved phenomenal revenue growth,” says Shaun Coffey, Chief Executive of Industrial Research Ltd, the TIN100 Report’s major sponsor. Major tech sector success stories over the year included a diverse array of IRL research partners and clients, both large and small, past and present. “What this year’s data shows is that the companies featuring in the TIN Report, which include many of our industry partners and clients, accept now more than ever the importance of business investment in innovation and R&D as a strategy for achieving economic gain in both the short and the long term,” Coffey says. “Far from succumbing to difficult business conditions, many of these companies met the economic challenges head-on, increasing investment in R&D by 8% overall to stay ahead in the highly competitive technology game.” ... MORE

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by SYDNEY

Vodafone’s massive plan for business: one terabyte of data

Forget kilobytes and gigabytes, Vodafone has launched its biggest data allowance yet – a massive one terabyte of data – for only $20 extra a month. Business Broadband Daytime gives business customers one terabyte of data between 8am and 6pm, 7 days a week, and 10GB outside these hours. Business owners, previously challenged by data caps, no longer need to worry about sending large files, using the internet and making frequent downloads. General Manager of Business Marketing, Becky Lloyd, says this is Vodafone’s best business broadband deal yet. “With such a huge allowance, business owners can simply get on with running their company. We know businesses need to capture, store and transfer data which means they need a big data cap. Cloud-based services are becoming increasingly attractive as businesses look for solutions to cut costs and improve security. A massive one terabyte of data makes using the cloud a simple solution, at a truly affordable price.” Customers on Vodafone’s Business Broadband 2 plan pay an additional $20 per month to receive a terabyte of data delivered with maximum upload and download speeds, a free wireless modem, 10 e-mail addresses, 30MB of free web space and spam and virus protection.

Got one better for you, Syd. Try Orcon and their fibre packages (where fibre is installed). Even to homes they finally offer unmetered fibre packages, plus of course it's Kiwi-owned rather than British like Vodafone. True the speeds aren't quite there regarding international speeds, but they're getting much better.

[SYDNEY]

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

Got one better for you, Syd. Try Orcon and their fibre packages (where fibre is installed). Even to homes they finally offer unmetered fibre packages, plus of course it's Kiwi-owned rather than British like Vodafone. True the speeds aren't quite there regarding international speeds, but they're getting much better.

Thanks Svarty, they are busy installing ultra fast broadband here by us at the moment so I will take a look at it when all is done - quite exciting, we need it with all our photographs

[SYDNEY]

Xbox Music takes on iTunes, Spotify

As the music and technology industries invent more ways to fight internet piracy, Microsoft has released the first device that both streams and downloads songs. From yesterday Xbox Music became available in New Zealand - touted as a hybrid between Spotify, which lets you stream music, and iTunes, where you buy it. "You can't stream songs on iTunes, you can just listen to a preview to see if you want to buy it. And on Spotify you can stream the songs and it lets you save them on your devices so you can listen later, but the main thing is streaming, whereas the Xbox is a mixture of the two," said technology commentator Ben Gracewood. Microsoft's device is not just for the Xbox console. It can also be used on computers, televisions and other mobile devices. Mr Gracewood said Xbox Music would likely become the "default" music choice for those with Windows 8 and was a good option for those with android phones which didn't support iTunes. Xbox is promising a catalogue of 30 million songs as well as internet radio and subscription services. Mr Gracewood said a drawback seemed to be that after six months users had to start paying $12.99 a month for the service or drop down to limited access ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Open fridge design wins silver at international awards

Third-year industrial design student Ben de la Roche’s open wall refrigerator design has been placed second at the international Electrolux Design Lab 2012 Awards. The 21-year-old, from Dunedin, who studies at Massey’s College of Creative Arts, was one of ten finalists selected from more than 1200 entries from 50 countries globally. The competition, which held its final in Milan, Italy, overnight, challenged undergraduate and graduate industrial design students to ‘present innovative ideas for household appliances of the future.’ Mr de la Roche’s design is of a refrigeration wall that holds food and drinks out in the open rather than behind closed doors. It was described by competition judges, as “a visual experience that is energy saving and simplifies the users life.” The judges based their assessments on intuitive design, innovation, aesthetic qualities and consumer insight. The refrigeration wall does not refrigerate when it is empty and uses less power when fewer items are pressed into it. Mr de la Roche, who had to give a presentation in person before the final competition judging, wins 3000 Euros (about NZ $4,700). A revolutionary air cleaning and filtering system developed by a young Polish designer was declared the winner. Mr de la Roche’s design uses a motor in its back to act like a piston to send vibrations that resonate through the inner chamber to create cold air. His concept is modelled on the children’s toy pin art where a boxed surface made of an array of pins slide in and out independently of each other ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Akarua Winery scores top honours

A Central Otago Pinot Noir has come out on top at a major international wine competition. Akarua Winery's 2010 Pinot Noir has won the much sought after Red Wine of Show and Pinot Noir Trophy at the Five Nations Challenge in Sydney. The Red Wine of Show award recognises the 2010 vintage as one of the best in the world. Akarua Winery winemaker Matt Connell says 2010 was a good vintage for Central Otago without climatic extreme. He says that the wines have beautiful balance and vibrancy while still retaining power and structure.

[SYDNEY]

NZers among the most savvy social networkers worldwide

Less than 10% of New Zealanders are likely to criticise their workplace online, AVG Technologies’ latest Digital Diaries study reveals. This is lucky, considering the study also found that nearly one quarter of these 18-25 year olds are ‘Facebook friends’ with their boss. Digital Baggage, the sixth instalment of AVG’s Digital Diaries study, features responses from over four thousand 18-25 year olds to AVG’s questions on how they manage their social network profiles. Of the 11 countries surveyed, New Zealanders had the highest percentage of young adults who know better than to post angry or critical comments about their workplace online, while Italians are the most likely. AVG’s research also finds that two thirds of 18-25 year olds who are ‘Facebook friends’ with their colleagues do not restrict the content co-workers are able to access. The survey highlights how this age group is likely to share personal content in an open forum that includes work colleagues, which could have long-term impact on their future career prospects. Specifically, 13 percent of respondents globally did admit to posting abusive content online about their boss or company after a bad day at work. Tony Anscombe, AVG’s Senior Security Evangelist, said: “AVG’s latest research clearly shows young people today have a comfort with using online social networks that is leading to blurring between their professional and private lives. It seems obvious that posting abusive content about a boss or workplace is not very sensible, but it’s important to understand that not only could it damage a person’s existing career, it could also negatively impact on future opportunities too. Our research findings indicate that today’s 18- 25 year old digital natives need to be more aware of their ‘online brand’ as something employers and recruiters are increasingly investigating.” ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Vodafone gets green light for $840m TelstraClear takeover

The TelstraClear brand is due to be phased out in the next 18 months following the Commerce Commission approving Vodafone's takeover the company. The commission gave the green light to Vodafone's $840 million takeover of TelstraClear yesterday morning. Although the sale was announced in July it needed permission from the regulator before it could go ahead. While the two operations will remain separate for half a year, they will be brought together under the Vodafone brand within the next 18 months. Vodafone New Zealand chief executive Russell Stanners will lead the larger company, while existing TelstraClear head Allan Freeth is stepping down and will have his last day tomorrow. Freeth, whose departure was announced yesterday, has been chief executive of TelstraClear since 2005. TelstraClear chairman Gordon Ballantyne said the company had grown from a fledgling challenger to a major profitable player under Freeth's leadership ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

NZ the World's 5th best Country Brand

Switzerland tops the list as the best country brand globally, according to the Country Brand Index, out today from global brand consultancy FutureBrand. As a symbol of economic, cultural and social stability in our tumultuous world, Switzerland “shows that the cultivation of freedom, tolerance, transparency and environmentalism can put a country’s brand ahead—even in difficult economic times,” says FutureBrand Global Chairman Chris Nurko. “On a human level, Switzerland is also a country geared around its people and their needs.” As a result, the country supplanted two-time leader Canada by scoring high marks in CBI’s Value System dimension, including impressive scores it the political freedom, environmental friendliness and stable legal environment attributes ... MORE

1st: Switzerland
2nd: Canada
3rd: Japan
4th: Sweden
5th: New Zealand
6th Australia
7th Germany
8th: the US
9th: Finland
10th: Norway

[SYDNEY]

Innovative Work Space Launched to Support Entrepreneurs

An innovative new work space has opened in Tauranga’s city centre to support early-stage entrepreneurs. Established by Priority One, Ignition aims to foster innovation by providing a co-working space to encourage collaboration and promote commercialisation. The space particularly suits people that are self-employed, freelance or from out of town. The concept of co-working is becoming crucial to the future of work in the 21st century. Co-working spaces, both internationally and in New Zealand, have given rise to increased innovation and productivity by bringing together people with different thought processes, experiences, and talents. Businesses and individual users benefit through lower overhead costs and increased collaborative opportunities, while local communities benefit by retaining skilled talent and growing new businesses. Each co-working space is different and can be tailored to best meet the needs of the local community. Michelle McCarthy, Priority One’s Project Analyst, managed the establishment of Ignition. “We saw a need to support Tauranga’s co-working community and, in doing so, to foster the innovation and commercial potential of local entrepreneurs,” she says. Ignition has been launched with an enthusiastic co-working community comprising a diverse range of professionals. These range from IT entrepreneurs to graphic designers and strategy development experts, and include business analysts and marketing/communications specialists. The majority of co-workers are self-employed and were attracted to the co-working model for its networking and collaborative opportunities, central location, access to meeting rooms and ultra-fast broadband ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Local app firm sets sights on Windows 8

A New Zealand software developer - whose popular iPhone app makes video appear like it was shot on super 8mm film - is hoping to get the edge on its competitors through an early launch on Microsoft's Windows 8 platform. MEA Mobile has released over 70 apps in the last year for the iPhone, iPad and Android-based devices and is now making a play on the new version of Windows. The company launched its iSuper8 app on Windows 8 when the software was released to the market last week. The app, which has been download by millions of iPhone users and been compared to photo-sharing platform Instagram, offers users the ability to adjust the grain of video footage to give it a vintage feel. The Windows version of the iSuper8 can be used on either personal computers, tablets or mobile devices that run the new software. MEA Mobile co-founder Rod Mac-farlane said Windows 8 presented an "exciting opportunity" that had open-ed up the playing field for developers ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Bucky Box software helps farmers deliver the goods

Kiwi software company Bucky Box today globally launched software aimed at helping to level the playing field between small farmers supplying directly to consumers and large supermarket chains. The web-based application was launched with local vegetable box schemes in New Zealand, Australia and Mexico. Food-box schemes act as a go-between for farmers, by delivering boxes of fruit, vegetables or meat directly to consumers' doors. Bucky Box helps food-box delivery companies to take care of the IT, administration and the operational side of things, including subscriptions, packaging and delivery logistics, plus billing and invoicing. Bucky Box founder Will Lau said the software was simple, easy to use and received great feedback from schemes within New Zealand and internationally. "The local food movement is already in full flight around the world especially in the countries where food has become highly industrialised." ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

NZ has best education system

New Zealand has the best education system in the world, according to a new study. The annual Legatum Prosperity Index has ranked New Zealand as the fifth most prosperous country in the world overall, and first in the education category. It was ranked second for its governance; second for personal freedom; fourth for social capital; 13th for entrepreneurship and opportunity, 13th for safety and security; 20th for health; and 27th for economy. Norway topped the rankings, followed by Denmark and Sweden Australia just out-ranked New Zealand in fourth position. The United States dropped out of the top 10 for the first time to 12th position.

[master_klon]

Dotcom's broadband plan

Kim Dotcom is proposing free broadband to all New Zealanders as he tries to resurrect the ill-fated Pacific Fibre cable connecting New Zealand to the United States.

Dotcom last night revealed his ambitious plans to build the $400m cable - which would double New Zealand's bandwidth - set up his new Me.ga company, creating jobs and a data centre to service the rest of the world. He would provide New Zealand internet service providers such as Telecom and Vodafone with free access for individual customers and charge a fee to business and central government. Kiwis would still be charged a fee by the internet companies, but it would be as low as one-fifth of current bandwidth plans and three to five times faster with no transfer limits.

The $400m would be partly funded by Me.ga, raising additional funds from investors. He added he could fund the project by suing Hollywood studios and the US Government for their "unlawful and political destruction of my business". Pacific Fibre, the company headed by Trade Me founder Sam Morgan, ceased operations in August after failing to raise enough capital for the project. Pacific Fibre hoped to build a 12,950km fibre cable between Auckland, Sydney and Los Angeles. Dotcom said Pacific Fibre was important for the future of New Zealand to ensure its competitiveness in the online world. "You have clean and cheap energy here. Power is becoming the biggest cost factor for data centres around the world. With its own cable, cheap power and connectivity New Zealand could attract foreign internet business. Unfortunately the current Government wants to invest into more tarmac roads. In 10-15 years most people will work and shop from home. You don't need tarmac, you need fibre!"

Me.ga is the follow-up to Megaupload, which was shut down in January this year when police swooped on the Dotcoms' Coatesville mansion outside Auckland to seize computers and other evidence. Dotcom, a German national who holds New Zealand residency, faces an extradition hearing in March even though a New Zealand court ruled that the January raid and seizure were unlawful, while the nation's spy agency was found to have illegally spied on Dotcom.

Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand Paul Brislen said the proposal would be a huge boost for New Zealand. "If anyone can put together a deal like this, then it would be Kim Dotcom." Brislen said Google executives had expressed an interest in setting up business in New Zealand.

Labour's Communications and IT spokesperson Clare Curran said Dotcom's proposal to back a second cable required more analysis, but was worth consideration. "The sentiment is right. Kiwi businesses, particularly in the technology sector, have been calling for a second cable for some time now. Their concerns need to be taken seriously." She said the Government's ultrafast broadband scheme was flawed because it ignored the need for a second fibre cable. "Providing affordable international broadband will see usage increase substantially, with companies using the technology to improve their businesses and increase exports. As Kim Dotcom has pointed out the Government is quite happy to invest billions in highways of dubious significance while at the same time neglecting the international fibre highway connections that will help our economy flourish," Curran said.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10844971

[SYDNEY]

Bannock Brae pinot beats world's best

Crawford Brown - once a master brewer with Lion Nathan - can now claim to be a master vintner. Last month the Bannock Brae Barrel Selection Pinot Noir - the flagship wine for the vineyard founded by Brown and his wife, Catherine, 10 years ago - not only won champion pinot noir at the 2012 New Zealand International Wine Show, it was also crowned champion wine of show. This wine show is the country's biggest. With Bannock Brae scooping 22 gold medals and 15 five-star awards in its time, the Browns are not unaccustomed to success, but being named best from a range of 2122 wines from 13 countries was something else. "We were amazed and happy to be named top pinot, and sat back down to enjoy the rest of the evening," Crawford said. "We knew the champion wine award was going to go to a chardonnay - it almost always does - and when they announced it was Bannock Brae pinot you could have knocked us over with a feather." Crawford - whose day job had been to make Speight's - decided on a career change in the early 1990s. He loved brewing beer, but was being promoted to roles where he spent more time budgeting than brewing. "Catherine and I are both Dunedin-born and bred. We love Central Otago and know it well and thought it would be nice to live there," he said. "It was the next phase of our lives, what were we going to do? I was still fascinated with beverages, and it was increasingly obvious Central Otago had massive potential as a wine region." The couple found a "rabbit paddock" near Cromwell, and bought the land that is now Bannock Brae. It was planted in 1998, and Bannock Brae's first commercial vintage came in 2001 ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Rich dose of innovation will improve prosperity

Kiwi expat Sean Gourley, the founder of a $20 million high-tech business in California's Silicon Valley, believes Auckland is well placed to become an innovation hub. "You have great talent coming out of the universities, creative, hardworking software developers on a par with anyone anywhere in the world," says Gourley, a former Rhodes scholar, originally from Christchurch. These talented people would stay in Auckland and others including Americans would move here if they had the right (working) environment, sayd Gourley. The lifestyle, recreation, safety, cheaper living and good schooling are all attractions. "In terms of developing high-tech innovation, you've just got to play your cards right - by making strong connections with the West Coast of United States (Silicon Valley), getting density and vibrancy in downtown Auckland, and keep telling the stories about why you are developing new technology." He says 20 talented graduates could start six high-tech companies in Auckland every year. Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (Ateed) is determined to create a culture of innovation that drives long term economic growth. Online high-tech innovation has strong export potential, adding diversity, creating new jobs, and acting as a buffer to traditional commodity-based exports. Gourley says Auckland's appeal would rise if it builds high density living in the city centre with creative outlets where entrepreneurs can meet, chat and spark ideas - similar to the environment in Silicon Valley. He says it is important to strengthen connections with Los Angeles and San Francisco for promotion and investment opportunities. "Auckland is only a direct 12-hour flight to San Francisco - a lot of Americans don't realise that - and we are close culturally and on time zones if New Zealand businesses were prepared to work Tuesday to Saturday." ... MORE