What a difference a year makes. Last March, Wellington software developer Optimation was trumpeting its Equip utility-billing product, saying it represented a $30-to-$50 million business, in the medium term, most of which would be earned overseas.
Optimation’s Equip utilities billing software development has been put on hold, according to an industry source. The project was given a grant of $1.8 million from the Foundation of Research, Science and Technology in June, but now “the application is dead”, says the source. As a result contractors have been laid off and permanent staff redeployed.