NZ To Stamp Innovation Brand On World Tech Leaders

MEDIA RELEASE

NZ To Stamp Innovation Brand On World Tech Leaders

Auckland, February 20, 2002 -- Technology companies spanning health IT software, 3D innovation and enterprise network equipment will showcase their skills under the New Zealand brand of innovation at the World Congress on IT 2002 in Adelaide, Australia, next week.

New Zealand government and industry bodies have joined to support a delegation of New Zealand companies exhibiting at WCIT – Jade Software Corporation (enterprise software), Baycorp Advantage (credit management software), Endace Measurement Systems (network intelligence), Telecom Advanced Solutions (networks and data management), Deep Video Imaging (multi-dimensional display technology) and INTAZ (health and safety software). These companies demonstrate the creativity and quality that are putting New Zealand on the world innovation map.

Fran Wilde, CEO of Trade New Zealand, which is coordinating New Zealand’s presence at the congress, says technology is one of New Zealand’s fastest growing export sectors, bringing in $1.5 billion in foreign exchange last year. WCIT 2002 gives New Zealand a chance to put its innovation on the technology map.

“New Zealand is known offshore for its tourism and agricultural industries but so far is only known in small pockets around the world as a technology destination. But our reputation is rising in some very important niche markets and we are building on this with export networks of companies to key trade shows and clusters that are bringing together New Zealand’s strengths.

“WCIT gives us a major opportunity to show world technology leaders that if they think ‘future innovation’ they should think ‘New Zealand’.”

WCIT is being attended by some of the world’s acknowledged technology leaders, who meet at the biennial congress to assess the future of technology. Speakers include the number one or two leaders from Fujitsu, Nokia, the NASDAQ, IBM, Telstra, Infosys, Silicon Graphics and Sybase. Futurist Don Tapscott will anchor the first day’s discussion on life after the dotcom crash, and former US president Bill Clinton will open the congress.

“The timing is perfect, because WCIT brings these world technology leaders to our backyard,” says Ms Wilde. “A key objective of our work at WCIT is to encourage these leaders to check out New Zealand innovation more closely, and we are hoping that as a result they will visit in the future to look at investment opportunities. Next year’s America’s Cup, which is attracting many technology-focused syndicates such as One World and Oracle, is a perfect opportunity to capitalise further on this.”

Trade New Zealand is working with its investment promotion agency, Investment New Zealand, and the IT Association of New Zealand (ITANZ), to ensure the effort gains maximum exposure. New Zealand is hosting the Day One conference lunch at which our participating companies will showcase their innovations; a New Zealand stand in the exhibition hall at the Adelaide Convention & Exhibition Centre; and a smaller The Lord Of The Rings-inspired business breakfast session focusing on new media talents.
Jim O'Neill, ITANZ executive director, says New Zealanders have a reputation for 'can do' forged on small country shoestring budgets that have placed an emphasis on creativity to achieve. The result is a vibrant industry that offers global players a source of fresh ideas and development expertise second to none.
"The Kiwi dollar is not one of the world's strongest when placed alongside the US and European currencies. But the rewards from investment in the country's creative resource can be enormous, as typified by the success of The Lord of the Rings,” Mr O’Neill says.
Fast facts about New Zealand innovation:

 At 10.2%, New Zealand has the world's highest ICT spending as a percentage of GDP - ahead of the United States at 9%.

 New Zealand's software sector has grown 66% in the past four years to nearly $NZ400 million, and the electronics sector has grown from $NZ600 million in 1998 to $NZ800 million in 2001.

 Our rate of increase in patent applications in 2000 was second only to Finland.

 New Zealand has one of the highest rates of personal computer ownership per capita in the world. More than 50% of New Zealanders are connected to the Internet and 68% of all New Zealand firms use the Internet.

NEW ZEALAND’S PRESENCE AT WCIT

New Zealand is hosting the Day One lunch at the World Congress on IT 2002. Government agencies Trade New Zealand and Investment New Zealand and IT industry body ITANZ are teaming up as joint sponsors and supporting a delegation of New Zealand companies, a stand and business events.

The six companies that will be showcased on the New Zealand are:

Baycorp Advantage - www.baycorpadvantage.com
Baycorp Advantage provides core technology for consumer and commercial credit reporting, software that links the core credit database to customers, application processing software, credit scoring, consulting and receivables management. Baycorp Advantage is a market leader in customised credit bureau and receivables management solutions in the Asia Pacific region, and it has operations in London, Malaysia and Singapore.

Contact: Veronica Ruddenklau, Communications Manager, Baycorp Advantage, Tel: 09 356 5914 Email: veronicar@baycorp.co.nz

Telecom Advanced Solutions - www.telecom.co.nz
Telecom New Zealand sells global bandwidth and infrastructure solutions in the rapidly converging telecommunications and IT industries. It offers a comprehensive range of Internet, network, e-commerce, data and telecommunications (mobile and fixed line) solutions for corporate, business and residential customers. Telecom Advanced Solutions specialises in the provision of international network security management, remote data recovery services and fully-serviced remote contact centre solutions.

Contact: Grant Simpson, Telecom NZ Ltd - Advanced Solutions, Tel: 04 382 5684,
email: grant.simpson@advancedsolutions.co.nz

Jade Software Corporation - www.discoverjade.com
Jade Software Corporation has been simplifying the task of building computer systems for large companies for 23 years. It produces application development tools and enterprise systems for niche markets such as healthcare, higher education and shipping.

Contact: Greg Williamson, Communications Manager, Jade Software Corporation,
Tel: 03 365 2500 Email: gwilliamson@jade.co.nz

INTAZ - www.intaz.com
INTAZ is dedicated to creating software for safer people and better business. Its experts, people, software and processes address the significant issue of how to keep people safe at work. The INTAZ-Safety software is uniquely designed to be comprehensive, flexible and fast. It results in significant cost savings in health and safety system implementation, and improves organisational productivity.

Contact Nigel Foster, Chief Executive – tel 04 473 4222,, email: nigel.foster@intaz.com or Michael Holland, National Sales and Marketing – tel 07 838 3371, email: michael.Holland@intaz.com

Endace Measurement Systems - www.endace.com
Endace provides “auditable network intelligence" to network operators, Internet service providers and corporates through detailed analysis of high-speed (OC3 to OC192, 10/100Mbps to 10GigE) network traffic via Endace's Digital Acquisition (DAG) cards.
In addition to standard products, Endace is currently developing specialist products for three key market segments - national security (lawful monitoring and intercept), network security (network, ISPs and corporate intrusion detection and monitoring) and billing (network, ISP and corporate monitoring, policy enforcement and billing management).

Contact: Selwyn Pellett, Endace Measurement Systems, tel 09 6223497, cell 021 757001, email: sales@endace.com

Deep Video Imaging - www.actualdepth.com
ActualDepth™ breaks through the traditional two-dimensional barrier to provide dual plane imagery with depth. ActualDepth™ technology is a cost effective and scalable breakthrough in visualisation, which has been proven to increase productivity. It provides the proven benefits of simultaneous multi-layer application support without visual restrictions, for the majority of office, visualisation, process control, and presentation software under all major operating systems.

Contact: Keith Phillips, Deep Video Imaging Ltd, phone: 07 843 2560, cell: 027 220 9041, email: keith.phillips@deepvideo.com

For more information please contact:

Lisa Hinton, Technology and Services Manager, Trade New Zealand, Ph 09 915 4221, Email lisa.hinton@tradenz.govt.nz

Paul Gestro, IT Investment Manager, Investment New Zealand, Ph 09 915 4303 Email paul.gestro@tradenz.govt.nz

Jim O’Neill, Executive Director, ITANZ, Ph 04 472 2731 Email jim.oneill@itanz.org.nz

Distributed by Aimee McClinchy, Trade New Zealand Communications, Ph 09-915 5628, Email aimee.mcclinchy@tradenz.govt.nz

For more press information on the New Zealand delegation (including company profiles) and showcase at the World Congress contact: Aimee McClinchy, Trade New Zealand Communications, Ph 09 915 5628, Mobile 021 502 372; email aimee.mcclinchy@tradenz.govt.nz

© Scoop Media