PowerByProxi closes $5m in Series C funding

April 18, 2013 By

Power By ProxiTE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL), a world industry leader in connectivity solutions, and PowerbyProxi, (www.powerbyproxi. com) developer of the world’s most advanced and safest wireless power system, today announced a new partnership combining TE’s history and market position in the industrial connector space with PowerbyProxi’s expertise and intellectual property in wireless power. PowerbyProxi today also announced it has closed a $5 million Series C funding round. TE has taken an equity stake in PowerbyProxi and existing investor, New Zealand venture capital firm, Movac, also participated in the round.

“Our proven innovation and miniaturization in the field of wireless power transfer was compelling to TE and we are excited to work with the TE team on the future of wireless power ” said Greg Cross, Executive Chairman of PowerbyProxi. “This new round of investment demonstrates faith in the growth of this sector and the milestones we have achieved. We will use the funds to grow our international sales and customer support structures and to accelerate the development of new technology platforms,” said Cross.

TE Partnership Creates Innovation

The first outcome of PowerbyProxi’s partnership with TE is the ARISO Contactless Connectivity Platform, a miniaturized contactless connectivity solution, small enough to be easily integrated into new applications for industrial machinery and equipment. The new line of non-contact couplers, being sold and marketed by TE, incorporates PowerbyProxi’s Proxi-Wave technology, which is ideal for miniaturization. The platform offers the smallest footprint solution available for contactless power connectivity on manufacturing machinery and equipment for sensor and control applications.

TE is now manufacturing evaluation kits so its customers can test the hardware in their own environments, alongside TE’s field engineers. The ARISO Contactless Connectivity system is 70% smaller than currently available systems and brings the possibility of wireless power transfer to applications where it was previously considered impossible.

“Our investment in PowerbyProxi highlights our commitment to contactless connectivity and to the development of solutions to help our customers with their power connection needs,” said Ulrich Wallenhorst, chief technology officer of TE Industrial. “PowerbyProxi possesses innovative design capabilities in wireless power transmission that complement the TE Know How and technologies, resulting in a proven working partnership. We look forward to working together on expanding current products and developing new solutions.”

The ARISO Contactless Connectivity platform was introduced at the Electronica and SPS/IPC/Drives trade fairs in Germany in November 2012. For more information, visit www.arisocontactlessconnectivity.com

About PowerbyProxi

PowerbyProxi has developed the world’s most advanced and safest wireless power system. We give consumer electronics and industrial product designers the freedom to wirelessly transfer efficient power in the most difficult places: from a miniaturized receiver inside a AA battery to a mission critical solution in the demanding and hostile environment of a wind turbine control system.   PowerbyProxi has worked with customers on over 50 real world projects and built its deep technical know-how by initially focusing on complex industrial applications.  We have also created the first commercial wireless recharging system capable of 3D power transfer, regardless of how the device is positioned in the recharging unit.  PowerbyProxi is a spin-out of the University of Auckland’s world-leading engineering department and holds an unrivaled patent portfolio with 122 patents issued worldwide. For more information visit: www.powerbyproxi.com.

About TE Connectivity

TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) is a $13 billion world leader in connectivity. The company designs and manufactures products at the heart of electronic connections for the world’s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, healthcare, and aerospace and defense. TE Connectivity’s long-standing commitment to innovation and engineering excellence helps its customers solve the need for more energy efficiency, always-on communications and ever-increasing productivity. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, TE Connectivity makes connections the world relies on to work flawlessly every day. To connect with the company, visit: www.TE.com.

TE Connectivity and TE connectivity (logo) are trademarks.  Other logos, product and/or company names might be trademarks of their respective owners.

Filed Under: Fund 3, Our investments

Great work opportunity @ Ponoko – Head of Technology

April 11, 2013 By

Ponoko - the world's easiest making systemPonoko is looking for a web developer to lead our technology road map.

This is a great opportunity for a web developer to take ownership of Ponoko’s technology and work in a creative and challenging environment.

You’ll be the lead technologist, which means responsibility for delighting our customers with the most beautiful web experience possible.

Ponoko helps product designers to make beautiful things they can make money from. We’re one of the world’s leading companies in the online digital making industry, being the first to enable designers to both make and sell their product ideas online. We’ve featured in places like The New York Times, Forbes, Wired, Inc (cover story), Boing Boing, TechCrunch, CNet, PCWorld, MIT Technology Review, Makezine, BBC News, TV1, TV3, The NZ Herald and The Dominion Post.

We’re open to applicants in the SF Bay Area (US) and New Zealand only. Preference given to applicants in Wellington, NZ.

Key duties:
• Lead all things tech – recommend and implement software and infrastructure solutions.
• Web product software development, testing and maintenance.
• Manage suppliers of web hosting and OS services.

Key qualifications:
• Experience developing with Ruby on Rails in an agile, design and metrics led team.
• Experience developing, managing and monitoring web, application and database performance and resolving all technical problems.
• Experience managing suppliers of infrastructure and OS services.
• On-call availability.
• Ability to effectively set and manage priorities, and communicate with both technical and non-technical people.

Other qualifications we love but don’t require:
• Experience developing with PHP, Python, JavaScript, CSS, HTML5.
• Experience writing automated tests.
• You’ve made things using digital technologies like laser cutters and 3D printers.

Benefits:
• Leadership – drive the future of Ponoko and the global maker movement.
• Market salary.
• Unlimited paid time off.
• Employee rates for making your own stuff.

Flexible hours:
This role is full time, but may be part time for the right person.

To apply:
Send your resume to derek-at-ponoko.com.

Filed Under: Jobs, Our investments

Minimonos launches first mobile app

April 5, 2013 By

1_createOK, a shameless plug here; if you have kids, grandchildren, nieces or nephews get them to download the latest Minimonos iOS App and let me know what you think!  Search for MonkeyMe in the App Store.

Wellington, April 4th 2013: Minimonos have broken into the mobile games space with an iOS Exclusive. MonkeyMe is the first in a series of apps the Kiwi developer has scheduled for 2013. Developed in-house at our Wellington studio, MonkeyMe offers both kids and adults hours of great, clean, fun.

Players get creative, dressing up a Monkey in awesome outfits using various costumes, props, and backgrounds. There are endless monkey combinations to be created, from pirate monkeys with surfer-blonde hair and eyepatch, to disco monkeys sporting shocking red afros and mirror sunglasses!

Once created, the real fun begins! Dressed-up monkeys can be submitted to the daily MonkeyMe competition. Players review the gallery of monkey submissions, voting on each other’s creations (check out the boy-friendly sound effects).

Every monkey entered into the competition receives some monkey coins for taking part. We also reward players for taking part in the voting. No one walks away empty-handed in MonkeyMe.

MonkeyMe is free to play, with players earning Monkey Coins by participating in daily competitions. Monkey coins are used in the app shop to unlock awesome new wardrobe items and background items. Parents who want to prohibit in app purchases may do so.

Melissa Clark-Reynolds, London based Kiwi entrepreneur and CEO of MiniMonos, describes their latest game as “the perfect dress-up app for girls who want to be Ninjas sometimes, and not just Princesses. We have also learnt a lot from our million-plus players.  It will come as no surprise to mothers to discover that boys like to dress up and show off.  We know boys will love this app as much as the girls. MonkeyMe offers kids good clean fun.”

“We have also been really well supported by the NZ Angel community.  It is great to be able to show them what clever kiwis can do on a world stage if we have some backing.  Our NZ-based art and development team have proven they can cut it anywhere. It proves it is possible to create quality weightless exports from New Zealand and take them to the world.”

Melissa was recently named by Forbes as one of Ten Women Tech Entrepreneurs to watch in London (
http://www.forbes.com/sites/women2/2012/10/12/10-london-based-women-entrepreneurs-to-watch/
).

With kid friendly artwork and animations, MonkeyMe provides a creative experience that is very VERY hard to put down!

Filed Under: Angel investment, Our investments

Callaghan Innovation co-funding enables large herd trials for Kahne

April 2, 2013 By

kahne_logo_newKahne Animal Health (Kahne) today announced that Callaghan Innovation will co-fund a large-herd testing project for their world-first sensor-based wireless monitoring systems used to track health and fertility in cows.

Callaghan Innovation will provide $1 million towards testing the biotelemetry-based rumen and fertility monitoring devices which measure temperature, pH levels and identify oestrus indicators in cows. The devices track and transmit data to provide farmers with health alerts and reports to help with the early detection of health problems, effectiveness of nutrition management, disorders that could impact fertility, and accurate oestrus detection.

Kahne Chief Executive, Susanne Clay, says while there is a global market for the technology, the company has given priority to the local market to help Kiwi farmers solve livestock issues to drive efficiencies that impact their bottom lines.

“Kahne has two products under development – SentinelTM, a rumen monitoring system, and CatalystTM, a fertility monitoring system – both of which will deliver never-before available support to farmers and their advisors, helping improve the productivity, health and sustainability of ruminant livestock.

“500 prototype units have been sold to researchers around the world, but with the co-funding received from Callaghan Innovation we are now able to complete development and validate the system at scale with commercial herds,” she says.

Acting General Manager of Business R&D Grants at Callaghan Innovation, Graham Smith, is pleased Callaghan Innovation is able to provide grants to support companies like Kahne that are involved in research and development.

“At Callaghan Innovation we aim to accelerate commercialisation of innovation in New Zealand firms, grants like these are just one of the ways we enable businesses to invest more in research, science, engineering and technology so they can be more successful,” said Mr Smith.

The grant from Callaghan Innovation follows a successful funding round late last year led by Wellington based venture fund Movac.

Filed Under: Fund 3, Our investments

MOVAC 3 invests in Kiwi agri-tech business

November 28, 2012 By

Kahne Animal HealthWellington investment firm MOVAC has announced its investment in Kahne Animal Health. This is MOVAC’s second investment from its $42m early stage growth fund.

Kahne produces biotelemetry-based precision farming solutions used to improve farm management, productivity and profitability. Kahne’s wireless rumen sensor technology is used to monitor cattle, providing farmers with information on their herd’s nutrition, health, behaviour and welfare. Kahne has also developed a vagina-based sensor system that monitors physiological parameters to determine the optimal time for mating.

MOVAC partner Mark Stuart said that Kahne was an excellent example of New Zealand ability to produce world class technology companies with significant potential in an industry where New Zealand is a global leader.

“The Kahne team has developed patented technology that enables the farmer to better understand general herd trends and individual animal characteristics. This has enormous potential in terms of milk production, reproductive cycles and preventative treatment.

“Kahne’s team and technology are highly compelling, and our investment will allow the Kahne team to capitalize on their hard work, to grow their business faster.”

Kahne CEO Susanne Clay said that the successful capital raising would provide the financial resources to exploit the potential market demand.

“We all know the critical role that agriculture plays in the New Zealand economy. We’ve worked alongside farmers to understand their needs and then demonstrate how our technology can help them to increase their profitability.”

“Importantly for us, there’s been significant interest in our solutions from kiwi farmers and farm support businesses. We’re looking forward to working together to help ensure the long term competiveness and sustainability of New Zealand’s livestock farming industries.”

Landcorp is keenly watching the development of Kahne’s technologies.

“We look forward to working with Kahne to support their development of solutions that add value to our livestock operations”,

a Landcorp spokesperson commented.

Paul Sharp, managing director of Pukekohe-based Nutrition Solutions Ltd said,

“As a nutrition consultant, Kahne’s bolus technology will offer me the opportunity to much better recommend farm feeding and system changes. With the Kahne system, I’ll be able to monitor exactly the effect of any changes to the cow’s rumen function, allowing more accurate and profitable feeding decisions”.

Filed Under: Fund 3, News, Our investments

Telecom Foundation acquires Givealittle

November 27, 2012 By

Movac is pleased to report that the Telecom Foundation has agreed to acquire Givealittle.co.nz.  Givealittle was founded by Nathalie Hofsteede, with some help from Movac, in 2008 with the goal of encouraging and promoting every day philanthropic giving in New Zealand.

Dion Mortensen, Movac Partner, and out-going Givealittle Chair, says:

We’re thrilled that the Telecom Foundation is picking up the baton for Givealittle.  Their focus and commitment on encouraging generosity make them a perfect steward for the next phase in the Givealittle cause.

Givealittle was one of the earliest attempts at a digital social enterprise and crowd funding platform in New Zealand and its been influential in lowering the cost of fundraising in New Zealand.

We took a bet on Nathalie and take great pride in what she has achieved as a young kiwi entrepreneur.

You can see Nathalie talk about Givealittle here.

The media release from the Telecom Foundation follows.

Telecom Foundation revolutionises online fundraising with zero fees for all kiwis

Givealittle.co.nz a gift to Kiwi communities

The Telecom Foundation is proud to announce its purchase of Kiwi philanthropy start-up Givealittle.co.nz.

Marking the change in ownership, the Foundation is turning the online platform into New Zealand’s first zero fees fundraising service, permanently removing the 5% administration charge as part of the deal.

In less than four years, Givealittle.co.nz has supplanted the traditional door knock or office kitchen fundraising effort raising over 2 million in donations for a variety of kiwi causes.

From significant events such as the Christchurch earthquake and the Tsunami in Samoa to the more offbeat challenges such as Racing across Mongolia on horseback and living in a Snow Cave and providing tools for funding medical treatments and bucket lists; Givealittle.co.nz has delivered New Zealanders a platform to raise money online in a safe environment for any cause they feel passionate about – from the traditional to the sometimes controversial.

The online platform taps into a growing consumer appetite for crowdfunding internationally – where people are directly engaging with, and making an impact on, causes through peer-2-peer philanthropy and social media.

The Telecom Foundation is committed to Givealittle, wanting it to become New Zealand’s preeminent online fundraising tool which offers a range of innovative ways for individuals, schools and charities to reach a wider audience and get the donations where they are needed.

Bob Harvey, Chair of the Telecom Foundation, says it is a proud day for the Foundation, which was established in July 2011 to encourage generosity and build a better future for Kiwi kids.

Bob Harvey QSO, Chair of the Telecom Foundation, says:

“We’re really excited that 100 per cent of every dollar donated on the site will now get through to the causes, thanks to an ongoing commitment from Telecom to fund its administration.

“Givealittle.co.nz is the Telecom Foundation’s product to encourage and facilitate generosity in New Zealand.  Under Telecom Foundation’s stewardship, we believe Givealittle has the potential to be the Trade Me of online fundraising.

“When it comes to charity, New Zealanders have shown themselves to be some of the most generous people in the world. We want to harness that generosity and make it easy for people to raise funds for the causes in which they believe, in an open and transparent forum.”

Telecom CEO and Telecom Foundation Board member Simon Moutter, says:

“I’m excited Telecom is able to apply its technical expertise to offer a permanent and sustainable solution for New Zealanders to connect with causes.  This is a welcome addition to Telecom’s sustainability agenda that will have real, tangible outcomes for Kiwi communities.”

The entry into online fundraising for all New Zealanders represents an extension of the Telecom Foundation’s core principle of encouraging generosity.  Until now, the Foundation has focused its encouragement internally, having in its suite of offerings for Telecom employees  New Zealand’s flagship payroll giving programme, which achieved over 15% engagement in its first year.

ENDS

Filed Under: Angel investment, News, Our investments, Philanthropy

Disrupting Hollywood from Hamilton & Wellington

October 12, 2012 By

Hamilton based and Movac backed technology start-up IndieReign is shaking up the movie industry and positioning itself as the home of independent film. IndieReign seeks to disrupt the outdated Hollywood model and re-invent film distribution. IndieReign has developed technology that connects filmmakers to their audience utilising the power of social media.

The film industry is rapidly changing and for an independent filmmaker, the opportunity to create a film has never been easier, but the current distribution model and potential revenue stream leaves the 99% without the ability to market and sell their films. For example, over 10,000 films are submitted to Sundance Film Festival each year; yet only 1% will receive a distribution deal.

On the other side, viewing habits are changing. There were 100 million less movie tickets sold this summer than were sold 10 years ago in North America, yet over that same 10-year period, film content has exploded. Viewing habits have changed driven by advancements in hardware technology and the viewer’s ability to connect with content over the Internet and the movie industry is struggling to adapt to these changes.

IndieReign’s unique model revolves around rewarding users for sharing and promoting films to their social networks. “We help filmmakers sell more films, by providing an army of incentivized promoters who are rewarded for sharing. This allows filmmakers to reach outside their existing social networks. We are gamifying film distribution” said founder David White.

IndieReign’s technology provides filmmakers with a suite of marketing and sales tools, enabling filmmakers to take control of their own distribution. The technology allows a film to be purchased in-player wherever the trailer is shared, providing a seamless preview to purchase process and according to White, resulting in far higher conversion rates.

International film distribution companies Vanguard and Cinify have reached an agreement with IndieReign to provide their back catalogues representing over 1,000 films. White said that these films are being encoded and loaded as part of an on going roll out programme and will be available to IndieReign’s customers.

White is currently in residence at the Kiwi Landing Pad in San Francisco. IndieReign was invited to participate in a new program called Project Catapult. The program is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and private sponsors. Project Catapult participants spend four weeks at the Kiwi Landing Pad to validate and accelerate the design and development of their products and business models. They are able to connect with relevant people and organisations in the heart of the global tech entrepreneurialism.

“New Zealand really is leading the way with innovation in the film industry” said, White. “We have found that undertaking a global play from New Zealand has not been an issue and is actually being perceived as a positive by American companies. New Zealand’s filmmaking brand is very strong, thanks to people like Peter Jackson and companies like Weta Digital.”

Filed Under: Angel investment, Our investments
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