What's the latest...

Posted on 03 September 2009 at 10:22 AM

This week CDC has been visible as a sponsor of the Canterbury Software Summit.  Our ICT Sector Manager Ant Thomas gave his impressions of Tuesday’s summit:

• The event has been very well supported, with pretty much the who’s who of ICT from the region in attendance.  A  large section of the introduction was about the importance of support from economic development agencies, and the expectations on CDC.
• The views expressed by Canterbury Software Chairman Terry Paddy and Minister of Research, Science and Technology Wayne Mapp were both very frank around the restructuring of NZTE and the potential loss of important support to local businesses.
• The Software Cluster has been a real success as a local industry association staffed totally by volunteers.

CDC’s Chief Executive Bill Luff spoke at the summit, reiterating that the software industry in Canterbury is in integral component of the ICT Sector, a priority sector for both the City and CDC to develop.  His other points:

• CDC is currently developing a roadmap for ICT in the region that will address some of some of the challenges and capitalise on the benefits the region and the sector have to offer.  CDC will be engaging with the sector on this over the next few months.
• The launch of HP’s GDAS Centre which is expected to produce over 200 software jobs in Christchurch over the next 2 years.  Initiatives such as this illustrate some of the goals that CDC has set ourselves, and will build capacity within the sector and provide opportunities for both Canterbury companies and employees over coming years.
• Perhaps closer to home, CDCs remain committed not only to the HPs of this world but also the up and coming Canterbury Software companies.  We acknowledge the good work that the Software Cluster has achieved in this space, and CDC is pleased to be affiliated again with the Canterbury Software Cluster after a period of absence.

A bouquet for Lyttelton company Independent Provedoring Co Ltd which is one of three finalists for the International Onboard Supplier of the Year category for the Seatrade Insider Cruise Awards 2009.  Independent Provedoring Co Ltd this year celebrates 20 years of operation based at Lyttelton Port as ship suppliers.  The winner of the award will be announced in Hamburg, Germany on September 15.

We’ve just discovered this cool animated sequence by Canterbury Innovation Incubator company Thinking Cactus:  http://vimeo.com/2425387.  (Give it a bit of time to download). Now there’s an interesting way to deliver your messages!

New senior partner at Powerhouse Ventures is technology start-up specialist Miles Hockley who has an impressive CV including work in the UK and US developing management experience in IP commercialisation, technology start-ups, strategic management consultancy and international finance.  More on Miles at www.powerhouse-ventures.co.nz. 

And then there's the great Yike Bike initiative started by CDC board member Grant Ryan.  Very hip, green Canterbury innovation!

Next week there are a couple of workshops at CDC – Sales Techniques and Tactics and a Marketing Master Class.  To register for the workshops, visit http://www.cdc.org.nz/main/fast-track-workshops/. 

Fingers crossed for the city’s fibre network company, Enable Networks, which is a finalist in tonight’s TUANZ awards as well as being up for a Champion Canterbury Award.

Cheers!
CDC team