2014 New Zealand Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year

2014 New Zealand Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year: Brothers Recognised in Joint Success

Brothers Shaun and Grant Ryan have jointly received the New Zealand Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year Award at last night’s prestigious New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards.

"Shaun and Grant are remarkable entrepreneurs. One of the things that impressed us was not only their obvious affinity for new ideas and innovations but their established track record of making them happen and bringing them to market,” Chief Panel Judge, Steve Reindler, says.

“These are New Zealand’s premier awards for engineering professionals. Shaun and Grant are great examples of the talent and ingenuity that this country has to offer. It was a pleasure to announce them as this year’s New Zealand Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year Award winners - it’s an accolade that's well deserved and will hopefully inspire others to pursue their vision just as relentlessly,” Mr Reindler adds.

Shaun and Grant have been involved in a number of engineering entrepreneurship ventures, making a significant impact to new business creation in New Zealand.

With Grant’s help as a cofounder, Shaun has developed SLI Systems into a highly successful business that is accelerating e-commerce for major retailers around the world. This innovative software system learns from users’ behaviour to optimise search results. SLI Systems builds on the success of their earlier company, GlobalBrain.net, which was sold to NBCi in one of the largest New Zealand tech deals of the time.

Grant is a serial innovator. He created the lightweight folding electric bicycle known as the YikeBike, social media company Real Contacts, and the new eco tourist experience of PurePods. He is the Chief Executive of a business incubator and serves on the boards of venture development organisations.

ENDS

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