Heads up to Angel Investors www.mine.org.nz

On Thursday 10 October 5 or 6 hopefuls will have the opportunity to start transforming their dream ideas into reality. The Mentor Investment Network (MINE) will be running its first investor event in Christchurch. MINE helps people seeking investment improve their chances of getting funding and tries to ensure that the high return, higher risk opportunities usually rejected elsewhere are presented to investors.

The MINE network is supported by Industry New Zealand and is a joint initiative between Industrial Research Ltd, Canterbury Manufacturers' Association, Massey University, Department of New Ideas Ltd and Arnold.co.nz.

"MINE does not promote or recommend any particular opportunity. Our role is to improve the chances of a fit between the idea and the investment," said John Walley, CEO of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association. "In the end the beauty of the investment is in the eye of the beholder and we hope some matches will be made."

Each group has 10 minutes to make a pitch and 5 minutes for questions. What happens later is between the investors and the people with the ideas - MINE is there to facilitate.

The proposals will cover a wide range of potential innovations: developing and manufacturing remote controlled and automation products to aid in the conservation of resources

supplying search engine services to organisations with large web sites or intranets

developing cellular phone location technology with the ability to locate mobiles and devices more accurately and more consistently than other equipment on the market (yet to be confirmed)

developing and intending to manufacture domestic scale wind turbines, designed to take advantage of the emerging distributed generation opportunity

combining unique plastics moulding technology with photographic images to develop and manufacture distinctive products for promotional markets

an environmental organic farming system that not only will be profitable but creates a range of high quality meats and protein products

“We hope the event is the first of many and that Christchurch can share the success that MINE has helped create in Auckland and Wellington,” said John Walley.

This will be the eighth meeting by MINE. Four have been in Auckland and three in Wellington where a total of 180 proposals were presented. These led to eight projects receiving funding of over $4.2 million.

"I am really looking forward to the event. New Zealand needs more early investment activity to lift economic growth rates," said John Walley. "I am happy to help get this off the ground in Christchurch."

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