Calling all swingers of the ICT industry!

Connectivity 06 Trade Show
21-22 November 2006
Christchurch Convention Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand

Calling all swingers of the ICT industry! Fancy a date?

Press release, Connectivity 06, 10 Nov 06 - Speed dating and ICT may sound like an oddball combination, but it’s one of the many events taking place as part of the ‘Encouraging Growth through Collaboration’theme at this month’s Connectivity trade show in Christchurch New Zealand.

Now in its third year, Connectivity has grown to become one of New Zealand’s top trade shows for electronics and software companies to display their world-leading products and services. With an inspired array of events and exhibits, including a new ‘ICT speed dating’ industry match making initiative, the 2-day technology festival on 21-22 November is set to provide delegates and students alike with unique insights and access to modern technological advances and business contacts.

Canterbury is a dominant hub of New Zealand’s ICT industry and host to some of the country’s largest exporters including Tait Electronics, Navman, Humanware, and more, representatives of which will either be exhibiting or presenting at the show.

New Zealand’s high tech sector is a hive of talent and activity with companies both large and small collaborating and sharing resources to help each other succeed in the increasingly competitive international market. It is a growing industry that contributes more than $5 billion towards New Zealand’s GDP.

With software taking a significant role in product development, the show is extended to highlight where combined local ICT resources can reduce costs and increase speed to market.

Both Electronics South and Canterbury Software cluster organisations are hosting the events in conjunction with the Canterbury Development Corporation.

The schedule of events includes trade exhibits from 50 companies, the new ‘speed dating’ power networking session, successful collaborative product demonstrations, cocktail launch of next year’s ICT in Canterbury promotional strategy, keynote speaker presentations, and enough networking opportunities to pack a suitcase of business cards. Over 700 people are expected to attend this year’s events.

Most of the events at the Christchurch Convention Centre are free to attend for visitors and run from 8.30 am to late evening on Tuesday 21 November, and from 7.30 am to 1.00 pm on Wednesday 22 November.

Exhibitors include young companies to established multi-national corporates from within Australasia, with demonstrations of a wide range of hardware and software including Bluewater Systems ARM design and development technology including the TracMap GPS mapping product, Shape Technology’s display of the new parking meter systems, Bootstrap IT’s PC Gum factory management system, Humanware’s products for the blind and visually impaired, and many more.

Connectivity committee members Don Rae and Andrew Plimmer are the organisers of the speed dating event which they say involves assisted introductions by ‘unashamedly interfering industry savvy matchmakers’ for ICT companies to meet and hopefully collaborate with one another. A number of companies will be matched over a two hour dating introduction session, and the winning company will be the one that walks away with the most ‘dates’. Those who would like to be considered for this speed dating event are to email their details to don.rae[at]nzte.govt.nz.

James Saruchera, exhibition organiser and facilitator for Connectivity, says, “Last year’s event, which was held in conjunction with the NZ Hi Tech Awards, was extremely successful and attracted delegates from all over New Zealand, as well as Australia and further a field. This year we are providing exhibitors and attendees alike the opportunity to introduce new technologies, exchange ideas and develop new contacts and networks. The focus on collaboration and growth is receiving tremendous interest from everyone in the ICT industry.”

In the afternoon of day one, after everyone has caught their breath from the excitement of the matchmaking sessions, there will be a series of keynote speaker presentations from successful Australasian companies including Geoff Peck of Syft Technologies and Melissa Clark-Reynolds of PayGlobal.

Day two kicks off with the famous NZTE Hi Tech breakfast at the Copthorne Hotel followed by a new conference event called “Collaborative Showcase”. This event demonstrates examples where companies have worked together to create winning technology products such as the TracMap GPS agricultural mapping device developed collaboratively between Christchurch based companies Bluewater Systems, EDAC Electronics, e2-media and Holliday Corporation.

The product enables farmers and contractors to drive fertiliser and spray trucks more accurately when working on steep and rolling hills, and produces maps that provide proof of product placement at the touch of a button. This is an increasingly important requirement for the farming industry.

Simon Glass, Managing Director of design services company Bluewater Systems, explained: “By working together we were able to reduce risk, meet an aggressive delivery schedule and develop a modular system that exactly meets the needs of the customer.”

Colin Brown, Managing Director of TracMap, is delighted with the successful development and launch of the product. “Having four companies each contributing their specialist skills towards the development of the project has enabled us to reach the market in months rather than years. We have already achieved initial sales three times more than we anticipated.”

The key objective of the Connectivity conference is to encourage growth through similar collaborative projects as well as on-going matchmaking!

The first day of the show will be open to trade delegates, government, investors and industry associations. The second day will be open to the public and will welcome students, teachers, employees and anyone interested in finding out more about some of the technologies being developed here in New Zealand and Australia.

To register for Connectivity visit www.esconnectivity.org.nz.

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Event Schedule

Day One – 21 November, Christchurch Convention Centre
08.00-08.25 Arrival and registration check in
08.30-08.45 Welcome and Conference Opening by Hon David Cunliffe, Minister of Information Technology and Associate Minister for Economic Development
08.45-08.55 Keynote address by Sir Angus Tait, Chairman, Tait Electronics
10:30-12.30 Power Networking Session
12.30-13.30 Lunch
14.00-16.30 Conference Presentations – a range of speakers from successful Australasian technology companies that include Syft Technologies, iVistra and PayGlobal.
18.30-late Connectivity 06 / Cocktail Launch of next year’s ICT in Canterbury promotional strategy

Day Two – 22 November (public open day)
07.30-09.00 Hi Tech Breakfast (at the Copthorne Hotel, Durham Street). Speaker is Glen McLatchie of Provenco. To register visit: http://www.nzte.govt.nz/section/14608.aspx
10.00-12.00 Collaborative Showcases (back at the Convention Centre) of successful collaboration between technology companies.

Connectivity 06 Exhibitors:

* Adexio Limited
* ADX Electronics
* AEC Electronics
* Arrow Asia
* Assembly Specialists Ltd
* Blackbay (NZ) Ltd
* Bluewater Systems Ltd
* Bootstrap IT Ltd
* Business Porirua
* Calibration Connect
* CapITalise Limited
* Cleverscope
* Concentrate Ltd
* Connector Systems Ltd
* Data Acquisitions
* Electronics News
* Electrotest Ltd
* Entech Electronics Ltd
* Farnell InOne
* Forte CRM
* Get Booking
* GlobalTech Solutions
* Glyn Ltd
* HumanWare Ltd
* IMP Printed Circuits
* Industrial Research Ltd
* Left Click
* Lincoln Ventures Ltd
* Mondoni Ltd
* Navman NZ Ltd
* Nichecom Ltd
* Nightside Test Design
* NZ Kiosk Ltd
* Photoetech Ind. Ltd
* Positronic Asia PTE Ltd
* Power Technology
* RF Test Solutions Ltd
* RGL (Repair Group Ltd)
* RPM Retail
* RS Components
* Shape Technologies
* Tait Electronics
* Talbot Plastics Ltd
* TJK Technologies Pty Ltd
* Tyco Electronics Ltd
* NZ ICT Innovation Inst.
* Wellnomics Ltd
* Wireless Design

ENDS

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