Three Dunedin start-up businesses, all encompassing cloud technology, have been awarded $60,000 in the second round of the Gig-Start Fund.
The Gig-Start Fund was created to provide a launch pad for new-to-market Ultra Fast Broadband-led service concepts in GigCity, funded by Chorus and Alcatel Lucent as part of the Gigatown winning prize package awarded to Dunedin in November 2014.
Finalists pitched to the judging panel in a ‘Dragons Den’ style setting, judged by industry peers including Emily Cooper from Silkbody and Nigel Bamford from Escea.
“The quality of applications shows that there are some really smart people in Dunedin doing some really smart things in the digital space,” Bamford says.
“We see this money as giving the winners a foot up to help them take their project further and ultimately we hope some can build a successful Dunedin based business from it.”
The winners of the second round of the Gig-Start Fund are:
- Jack Pivac from Blue Twist - cloud based systems for the medical sector - $20,000
- Derek Morrison from Photo Toolbox Ltd - cloud based digital asset management system - $20,000
- Greg Fahey from Bison - cloud based data management system for the logistics sector - $20,000
At present, this is the second round of funding awarded to Photo Toolbox Ltd with Morrison’s plan to use cloud technology to simplify photography licensing received $20,000 in the first Gig-Start Fund,
In addition, Bison CEO Greg Fahey believes the ability to pitch to the judges in person was crucial to conveying the idea and also the drive spurring on the team.
“We've got a really motivated and multi-disciplined team with a clear sense for this opportunity,” he adds. “It's great to see that recognised.”
The third round of the Gig-Start Fund will open in early 2016 and to date, $107,000 has been awarded with another $97,000 available for future rounds.