Businesses encouraged to invest in ICT

18 October 2004

Businesses encouraged to invest in ICT

A seminar demonstrating the benefits of research and development (R&D) for small to medium sized businesses (SME's) in the ICT sector is to be held in Wellington on Wednesday 17 November.

The seminar has been organised by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, the government agency that is the major investor of public funds in R&D. The seminar is one of an ongoing series organised by the Foundation to create a greater understanding of science and technology.

The seminar will feature the leaders of some of the country's most successful companies and organisations engaged in R&D in the ICT sector. These include Mark Thomas of Right Hemisphere, Dr Mark Billinghurst from Hit Lab NZ, Dr John Hosking/ Dr John Grundy from the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at the University of Auckland, Michael Gregg of Media Lab and Dr Ian Maxwell of e-learnings. These and other speakers will give formal presentations and there will be time set aside for questions and general networking.

The Communications Manager for the Foundation, Peter Burke, says the Foundation is keen to see more small and medium sized businesses engaging in R&D and find out from them what the Foundation should do to achieve greater involvement. He says feedback from the seminars will be used to help develop the Foundation's investment policies and research priorities for the 2005/06 investment round.

He says the Foundation hopes the seminar will be seen by businesses in the ICT sector as a good opportunity to learn more about the assistance that is available to them and see the benefits of them investing more in R&D. The seminar will be held at the Illot Theatre in the Wellington Town Hall complex commencing at 9am and concluding with an informal networking function at 5pm. Details on the programme are available on the Foundation's web site www.frst.govt.nz.

ENDS

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