Hi-Tech industry on show for RWC 2011

Hi-Tech industry on show for RWC 2011

The local Hi-Tech industry will be showcasing New Zealand’s capabilities and innovation during Rugby World Cup 2011 through a series of exciting events around the country.

NZICT Group, which represents hundreds of companies in the Hi-Tech sector, will be holding the Rutherford Innovation Showcase as part of the REAL NZ Showcase.

The Rutherford Innovation Showcase will show the New Zealand Hi-Tech industry to the world.
It will feature a range of home-grown innovative technologies and services in order to raise global awareness and create opportunities for companies in the Hi-Tech industry.

One of the key events of the Rutherford Innovation Showcase is an inbound China Investment and Trade event, which will build on relationships forged with Chinese companies during the ICT Trade mission to China last year, headed by the Hon. Steven Joyce, Minister for Communications and IT.

With 318 million internet users, 726 million mobile phone users and tens of billions of dollars spent on software, hardware and ICT services, China holds many opportunities for New Zealand companies.

NZICT will also showcase New Zealand’s software, geo-spatial, digital content and robotics capability and innovation.

They will host the world’s best competitive robots as they converge in Auckland to compete in the School’s Robotics World Cup from October 11-13.

Reaching the pinnacle of sporting robotics, Team MESS1 from Massey University's School of Engineering and Advanced Technology Albany campus recently took out the VEX College Championships and the Supreme Excellence Award in the United States of America. The final featured on ESPN.

As part of this, NZICT Group and Massey University will also host life-size robots, some of which will compete in a goal kicking competitions against human counterparts at venues around the country.

Invitations are being issued internationally by companies to bring interested investors, distributors and customers to New Zealand during RWC2011.
ends

The Rutherford Innovation Showcase
The Date Event Location
Thursday 8 September Canterbury Software Summit Christchurch
Thursday 15 Sept and Friday 16 Sept China Investment and Trade
Forum Auckland
Wed 21 Sept, Thu 22 Sept and Fri 23 Sept SKA Research and Industry Forums Wellington
Thursday 22 Sept Geospatial Forum Wellington
Thursday 22 Sept Digital Content Forum Wellington
Friday 23 Sept Public Sector Forum Wellington
Wednesday 28 Sept Local Government Forum Auckland
Sunday 18 Sept to Friday 23 Sept Peak Performance (Human Technologies) Dunedin
Thursday 29 Sept Wireless Forum Auckland
Thursday 29 Sept Broadband Development Symposium Auckland
Tuesday 11 to Thursday 13 Oct Robotics World Cup and Technology Jobs Fair Auckland
Tuesday 18 to Wednesday 19 Oct Knowledge Engineering Forum Tauranga

Snap shot of the New Zealand Hi-Tech sector
• The NZ ICT industry contributed $19.3 billion in 2008 to the New Zealand economy –Statistics NZ ICT Supply survey 2007/2008
• According to the Technology Investment Network report 2010 (TIN100), exports of the top 100 technology companies are $4.9 billion annually, which is now ranked second only to the dairy sector
• 28% of venture capital and seed funding goes into ICT companies in NZ
• Government ICT procurement represents around 10 per cent of NZ’s ICT spend
• The industry employs approximately 40,000 people
• If the NZ ICT and Hi-Tech industry doubles its revenues over the next few years, it will become NZ’s largest export earner

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