Investee Company News
NZVIF’s second fund with Sparkbox brings new hope for Kiwi start-ups
The New Zealand Venture Investment Fund has renewed its investment partnership with national angel group Sparkbox Ventures which should see them combining to invest around $10 million in start-up companies over the next five years.
NZVIF chief executive Franceska Banga said Sparkbox is a very active private early stage investment group, helping to fund the growth of promising young technology companies like Mesynthes, BigLittleBang and Booktrack.
“Through our initial investment partnership, NZVIF committed to co-invest $4 million with Sparkbox. That has so far seen us combining to invest nearly $7 million into over a dozen companies, but is now almost fully committed.
Mesynthes: The accidental startup
Brian Ward dusted off his tissue repair discovery amid a resurgent biomaterials market.
Mesynthes is months away from launching its regenerative tissue substitute in the US and was recently named Supreme Winner at the prestigious Wellington Gold awards. Not bad for a Kiwi startup that exists almost by accident.
Founder and chief executive Brian Ward first looked at biological substitutes for wound care and tissue repair in the 1990s while working as a veterinary surgeon, after returning from overseas and a long career with large pharma.
Read full article via Unlimited
Kiwi software adds movie-like experience to e-books
Kiwi software which adds a "movie-like sound experience" to e-books is being launched in New York today and has the financial backing of Facebook billionaire Peter Thiel and New Zealand entrepreneur Derek Handley.
Booktrack, created by New Zealand brothers Mark and Paul Cameron, plays music and other ambient audio while text is being read on a mobile device, keeping pace "word-for-word" with the reader.
Read full article via NZ Herald Bells and Whistles for a Few E-Books via New York Times
Kiwis launch 'world-first' e-book app via The Dominion Post or watch the video here via YouTube or via TVNZ Close Up
Clean Planet Announces Asthma Foundation Approval
Clean Planet Announces Asthma Foundation Approval
Cleaning company Clean Planet has been approved by the Asthma Foundation’s Sensitive Choice programme – proving that it does pay to be good, even in the business world.
“We are pleased to have Clean Planet on board after they were approved through our thorough panel process,” says Angela Francis, the Chief Executive of the Asthma Foundation.
Read full article via Scoop or watch video here via TVNZ
Finding talent key challenge for Xero growth: Drury
When Rod Drury launched his online accountancy start-up Xero in 2007, he became a prominent advocate for the New Zealand ICT community. Drury has also set up the joint venture company Pacific Fibre, created with cofounders Stephen Tindall and Sam Morgan, to lay a second international telecommunications cable to this country.
Xero founder encouraged Silicon Valley investors' interest in NZ
Xero founder Rod Drury is excited about the interest some of the biggest technology entrepreneurs in the world are showing in New Zealand businesses after enjoying the lifestyle here.
Fresh Thinking: First Boards - Rod Drury
Rod Drury is one of New Zealand's leading 'serial entrepreneurs'. Rod is best known as founder and CEO of AfterMail, acquired by Quest Software in 2006 and for his current venture Xero which moved from start-up to achieving a listing on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in just over a year. Rod has received many awards recognising his track record of achievement in the technology sector here and overseas. Rod talks about the role governance has played in his business successes.
YikeBike pedalling new product
The Christchurch company that developed the electric folding YikeBike has just launched a new Fusion model – a slightly heavier version of the original carbon fibre bike but a bit lighter on the pocket.