WAGGA WAGGA IT ENTREPRENEURS MAKE AN IMPACT
Can seven Wagga Businesses make their mark on the world stage? Tom Friedman author and columnist for the New York Times has written extensively about our shrinking world. In his book the "The World is Flat" Mr. Friedman explains that technology added by inexpensive and ubiquitous telecommunications have levelled the playing field, obliterating all impediments to international competition. Seven local businesses are on their way. This means that entrepreneurs all over Australia are inventing new applications and uses for technology and then taking these innovations to a world stage. For example, an Australian statistician named, Anthony Goldbloom, whose "crowd-sourcing for geniuses" web site has solved some of the world's most intractable problems has just received an US$11 million injection from some of the biggest investors in Silicon Valley.
The Web site Kaggle.com is a platform where companies, researchers and governments can host competitions have been run to date and members take just days to solve problems that have stumped scientists for years. Kaggle's 17,000 PhD-level members have so far helped NASA come up with models to map the universe's dark matter, helped health care providers predict which customers will get sick and predicted the winners of the EuroVision song contest with greater accuracy than the betting markets. They get paid handsomely for doing so - ranging from US$5000 to US$3 million per solution, Goldbloom says. In fact, he predicts that his service could allow scientists to earn as much as entertainers and sports stars as Kaggle grows.The potential for this and many other technologies was recognised early by start-up incubator Startmate, which supplies contacts and mentoring.
Startmate, along with the other Australian start-up hub, Pollenizer, have helped many Australian entrepreneurs take their ideas to the next level. In addition, if you have a great idea then entering this exciting new field is assisted by the Federal Government whom offers an initiative called Commercialisation Australia. A competitive, merit-based assistance program offering funding and resources to accelerate the business building process for companies, entrepreneurs, researchers and inventors. It offers a range of funding options as well multi-layered networking opportunities to help achieve business success. Participants in the program work with dedicated case managers and benefit from a volunteer business mentor networks.
Right here in Wagga Wagga several technology companies and start-ups are working to bring this new "flatter world" to the Riverina.
365cups.com - is a local company started by Simone Eyles and computer engineer Mariusz Stankiewicz. The application's concept is simple just pre-order your coffee from your favourite coffee shop and then pick it up. No line, No hassle.
Angry Ant - web design agency that specialises in contemporary web site design and marketing.
Wagga Web Design - offers a low cost alternative to costly website designs. You simply choose the template and they will install and modify it to suit your business at a low cost.
brb creative - a graphic design and marketing firm which specialises in web based marketing and custom web page design.
Web123 - a simple easy to use web designer which allows small businesses to compete with large businesses by creating functional and impressive web pages at a very reasonable price. The business started here in Wagga Wagga and now has additional offices in Melbourne. Proving that from right here in Wagga Wagga you can use creative energy to compete on any stage.
Horizon Web Design - a one-stop shop to setting up web sites and marketing on the internet.
Best Look - is dedicated to providing the highest level of professional and exclusive one-to-one service to each of their clients. One of Wagga newest modelling agencies, which includes a photographic studio and back end webpage development. It's a one stop shop for hard and soft retail catalogues.
