Canterbury Software Cluster Newsletter

Canterbury Software Cluster Newsletter

In This Issue
May geeks and suits event
2009 PwC Hi-Tech Awards Gala Dinner
Join CSi

May Geeks and Suits event 

 
When: Tuesday 5 May, 5.15pm
Where: XO Club, above Liquidity on The Strip
Cost: Free for members, $10 on the door for non-members
 
Register: Choose either the Geeks or Suits presentation, then register your attendance here.

Geeks: Cloud Services in the Enterprise - making sense of XaaS, Ben Reid - Memia Limited
How can today's IT organisations leverage Cloud services now and in the future, and what does this mean for the wider software industry?

This presentation will examine what the "Cloud" that we keep hearing so much about actually is, covering the various taxonomies of Cloud services - Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service(SaaS) right up to "Everything as a service" (XaaS). Who are the main players and how do they compare? What are some of the obstacles which could prevent wholesale uptake of Cloud services? What might the software industry look like in future if all application vendors are forced to adopt the Cloud-centric sales and distribution model?

Ben Reid is a software and enterprise architect based in Christchurch, New Zealand with 14 years of professional software development experience. Originally from the UK he moved with his family to NZ in 2004 where he joined HP Consulting as a software architect working on projects for customers throughout New Zealand and worldwide. In 2008 he left HP and founded Memia Ltd, a startup company providing Cloud Services Strategy and Architecture tools and consulting services to IT organisations and software companies who want to leverage the power and flexibility of the Cloud within their own software and services.

Suits: Providing expertise and investment to Canterbury start-ups, Dr Stephen Hampson - powerHouse Ventures    
 
Stephen Hampson is the Chief Executive of powerHouse Ventures Limited. powerHouse manages the Canterbury Innovation Incubators at University of Canterbury, Lincoln University and the city, as well as the powerHouse Ventures Investment Fund.
 
At our next CSI event he will give an update on the latest developments at powerHouse and the many technology start-ups it is supporting.
 
Since 2001, Dr Hampson and his team have contributed towards the growth of over 50 Canterbury technology ventures. Their aim is to provide seed and start-up venture capital and business development expertise to early stage technology companies with high value innovation and strong export market potential.
 
powerHouse assists start-ups with day-to-day business counsel, governance, networking and on-demand strategic advice as necessary at their stage of development. The management team and board have considerable experience in these areas and have a track record of raising early stage investment and working with young high growth companies.  Dedicated resource is applied to analysing and assessing deals using entrepreneurial staff with a background in start-ups themselves.
 
Dr Hampson has substantial hands-on experience leading companies in both Europe and New Zealand. He currently spends half his time at the innovation incubator, and the rest on location at powerHouse's satellite facilities at the University of Canterbury and Lincoln University.
  
Choose either presentation, then click here to register your attendance at this event. 

2009 PricewaterhouseCoopers Hi-Tech Awards Gala Dinner
 
The 2009 PwC NZ Hi-Tech awards gala dinner will be held next Friday 1 May at the Christchurch Convention Centre.
 
Visit http://www.hitech.org.nz for more information. 
 

Join Canterbury Software Inc.
 
CSi provides a great opportunity to get involved in the local software scene. We have monthly catch-up drinks and nibbles at XO Club, where industry experts come along and share their knowledge of particular topics. These events provide excellent networking opportunities and membership is tremendous value for money. Click here to join CSi now!
 
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