Tag / Technology

by brandsa2018

PixelForce is one Fast Mover

It’s a classic success story: the university assignment that turns into a start-up business run from a garage.

That’s how it went for web developer Hinney Lo, whose classroom venture became one of South Australia’s fastest growing businesses, PixelForce.

The Adelaide-based studio is now one of the city’s most trusted web designer and app developers, with a client list that includes South Australian fitness guru Kayla Itsines.

PixelForce’s rapid climb to success in a relatively short space of time – seven years – has now seen the business become a finalist in BDO and Brand South Australia’s Fast Movers South Australia 2018 program.

The program recognises the fastest growing and most innovative small to medium enterprises in the state, and winners will be announced this Friday.

To qualify, businesses must have a registered head office in SA and achieve a minimum turnover of $200,000 a year for the past three years, among other criteria.

“We are genuine and just try to be ourselves,” Hinney says.

“When we first meet our clients, we don’t promise them anything we’re not confident we can deliver, and we give genuine, honest feedback on the idea and concept.”

Hinney Lo is PixelForce’s managing director.

PixelForce’s 26 employees, ranging from high level designers to software engineers and project managers, work out of a Glen Osmond Road studio, designing and developing websites and mobile phone apps.

The business sprouted from humble beginnings when Hinney and a university classmate created a mock business as part of a final year project.

As a result, PixelForce Digital was born in 2011, with the uni pair offering web design services to the public.

Client demand soon grew and the business moved from the garage to an office along the popular nightspot Hindley Street.

“It was chaos to be honest,” Hinney laughs.

“But we landed a great client – Wokinabox – which had an office on West Terrace.

“Their marketing manager was walking along Hindley Street and saw us, walked in and we had a chat.”

Undertaking website and app development for the fast food eatery, PixelForce continued to build relationships with various SA businesses.

Hinney’s friend and now technical director Ben Zhang came on board and PixelForce Digital amended its name to PixelForce Systems.

By 2015 the business, now known simply as PixelForce, had build a core team of senior app developers.

The team secured a high profile client – Instagram fitness guru Kayla Itsines and delivered the workout and meal planning app, Sweat with Kayla.

The fitness star and her fiancé Tobi Pearce, who have built a global health empire worth $63m, placed at number 40 on the 2017 Young Rich List.

In 2016 PixelForce launched Kayla’s newest app, SWEAT.

“When we first met Kayla and Tobi, they were already really successful,” says Hinney.

“But they came to us because they wanted to build their app.

“We were chosen as a supplier and we’ve been a part of their success, so we’re really proud of that.”

Most of PixelForce’s clients are start-ups and entrepreneurs but it has also worked with larger entities such as Angove Family Winemakers, the South Australian Liberal Party and Adelaide City Council.

Hinney says 90% of PixelForce’s employees are recruited through an internship program.

“A lot of graduates come to us to work as interns and that’s a great way to pick our employees,” Hinney says.

“We train them from the beginning.”

Hinney is originally from Hong Kong and came to Australia at the age of 15.

He studied at the University of Adelaide initially achieving a bachelor’s degree in design studies before taking on a Master of Design in digital media.

Hinney says he chose Adelaide to be the home of PixelForce because of the city’s relaxed lifestyle and its support of emerging businesses.

“We really like the environment and vibe here,” he says.

“Melbourne and Sydney are too big, and Hong Kong is like that as well.

“That was one reason why I came to SA, it’s a bit more relaxed and there are a lot more opportunities here for start-up businesses.

“South Australia gives start-ups a try.”

PixelForce is among the 25 nominees for the Fast Movers SA 2018 awards, announced on Friday, May 25 at a gourmet breakfast at Adelaide Oval.

Tickets are available now, click here to purchase.

Header photo is Hinney Lo, left, and PixelForce technical director Ben Zhang.

by brandsa2018

New wi-fi hotspots connects travellers with our tourism gems

Some of South Australia’s top natural beauties and remote locations have been switched on to a free public wi-fi service encouraging travellers to share their experiences online.

Internet connectivity will be made available in some of the state’s best tourism locations including Wilpena Pound in the Far North, Coffin Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, and Kangaroo Island.

The rollout is an initiative between Telstra and the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) and has already been launched in nine of the 60 hotspots including Hahndorf, Moana, Moonta Bay, Angaston, Beachport, Port MacDonnell, Victor Harbor, Tailem Bend and Kingscote.

The connectivity occurs through Telstra Air, Australia’s largest wi-fi network, allowing any mobile phone or device user to access free, unlimited data for up to one hour a day.

The hotspots have a range up to 100m and can be identified by signage which includes instructions on how to connect to the service.

SATC is encouraging visitors and locals using the new wi-fi service to share their travels using #SeeSouthAustralia on social media.

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SATC chief executive Rodney Harrex says he wants visitors to be “mini-ambassadors” for the state by sharing their trips online.

“A picture is worth a thousand words and #SeeSouthAustralia is quickly becoming a global resource where people plan their holidays, recreate images or share their experiences with their friends,” he says.

Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister David Ridgway says the connectivity will enhance visitor experiences.

“We know people want to be able to locate our restaurants, use maps and share their experiences and happy snaps online, in real time,” he says.

“Technology is transforming tourism and we want to use it to produce social and economic benefits for SA.”

Another 51 spots are set to be rolled out in the coming months and include towns across the Riverland, Fleurieu, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Limestone Coast, Yorke and Eyre peninsulas and Outback.

by brandsa2018

Speedcast: there’s no better place for us than SA

Mike Kenneally is a senior executive at Adelaide-based Speedcast and says there is no better home for the leading global communications company than South Australia.

He says that over the past four years the business has acquired a handful of other companies, boosted its revenue and is now a world leader in high performance communications for government, maritime, defence, mining, oil, and gas sectors.

“If you looked at where we were four years ago to now, it’s chalk and cheese,” Mike says.

“We have a much larger revenue, we’re a much bigger company, and we’re much more strategic.”

As the largest provider of remote communications and IT services in the world, Speedcast’s services are delivered via a global network of more than 70 satellites and more than 40 teleports worldwide.

Mawson Lakes in Adelaide’s north is home to a sophisticated anchor station facility that connects Speedcast’s clients to the rest of the world.

Speedcast acquired state-of-the-art teleport infrastructure from NewSat in 2015 and has since installed more infrastructure, employed more engineers, and experienced “healthy” revenue growth.

Mike says the Mawson Lakes-based teleport is “one of the biggest and most strategic from a military point of view”.

“The anchor station contains a whole lot of antennas that are pointed at different satellites and we connect all the clients of those satellites to the rest of the world,” he says.

“The location (of the teleport) is extremely strategic because we can cover all of the Pacific, Asia and the Middle East from Adelaide, we’re right in the middle of it all.

“We’ve supported Australian government initiatives in the Middle East and in our own region,  providing comms to soldiers in the field. Any sort of communications they want, we can provide.”

In 2017 Speedcast was awarded a contract to provide mission-critical remote communication services for the Department of the Environment and Energy’s Australian Antarctic Division.

The service allows individuals in Antarctica’s harsh climate to communicate with the outside world and in the event of an emergency.

Mike says Speedcast has upgraded the satellite technology in the Mawson, Davis and Casey bases in Antarctica, quadrupling their data throughput.

“Certainly it’s been an interesting challenge and we’re expanding the roles of some of the people here and in Perth (another of Speedcast’s hubs), but the responsibility for the project rests with the team here in SA,” he says.

“One of our guys (from SA) has been down to the ice for a couple of weeks to actually do the conversion, which was pretty exciting for him.”

In a more recent leap forward, Speedcast won a $184m contract with the National Broadband Network (NBN) Co to deliver enterprise-grade satellite services.

“The NBN up until now has been a consumer level service but they are ready to expand it and offer services to business … and clients in mining, oil, gas, defence, and maritime,” Mike says.

He says Adelaide’s climate makes it the perfect city to host satellite communication networks for use by the defence sector, among others.

“The weather here is perfect for us because satellites operate best in clear sky conditions, we’re geologically stable, politically stable and we have excellent communications infrastructure,” Mike says.

“We also share a border in some respects with the US, which you wouldn’t immediately think but for US clients who want to connect using (station in) Adelaide, they can connect without going over anyone else’s territory.”

Despite Adelaide being an important hub for Speedcast, it has 1300 employees worldwide, the majority of them engineers.

The company has two sites in Adelaide, one in Thebarton and the other in Mawson Lakes.

Mike says Speedcast is “looking to expand its role” in the nation’s naval shipbuilding plan, including the $35 billion Future Frigates to be built in SA.

He says that with the state secured as Australia’s defence epicentre, over coming decades will come a drive in growth and optimism for local start-ups.

“I think we’re seeing recent wins by a lot of companies and a decision to continue shipbuilding-related activities here,” Mike says.

“That will have a spin-off for SA and businesses are sensing that optimism, which hasn’t been there for quite a while.”

Mike has a background in technology, satellites and defence-related projects and says he’s glad he can remain in the industry from his home state.

“The changing technology now makes it possible for people to work from anywhere but still be engaged in the sector and I think that’s a fantastic thing,” he says.

“It means that people don’t have to move away for their job.

“It also means there are new opportunities for new start-ups to capitalise on niche opportunities and operate from here … they don’t have to go and live California to do it.”

I Choose SA for Shipbuilding and Defence Industries stories are made possible by City of Salisbury:

Visit the I Choose SA for Industry website to learn more stories about key industry leaders, why they’ve chosen SA as a base and how the state is enabling them to succeed.

 

by brandsa2018

SMEs to benefit from SA’s future shipbuilding boom

Born and bred South Australian Mark Koennecke is operations manager at a small company set for big benefits from the state’s involvement in the $89 billion naval shipbuilding program.

Managing operations at SA-based Mincham Aviation, Mark says the state’s 30-year shipbuilding future will help expose the business to “the cutting edge of manufacturing”.

“The Future Frigates, Future Submarines and Offshore Patrol Vessels are future projects, we’re talking about programs that are going to be built in the next five to 15 years and the Future Subs will still be going in 30 years’ time,” he says.

“What we’re doing is exposing ourselves to the future and the benefit for us is to constantly be there at the cutting-edge of manufacturing.”

Mincham Aviation established itself in SA in 1996 and over time built a reputation for supplying specialist parts to global aerospace and defence sectors.

Employing about 16 staff from its base at Parafield Airport, the company specialises in the manufacturing and repair of advanced composite and sheet metal components for civil and military aircraft.

Mincham Aviation employees are based at Parafield Airport.

It also has a strong research department which has developed aerospace, defence and aero-medical equipment.

“We have our own line of aero-medical products that are used by the Royal Flying Doctor Service such as stretchers and lifting systems,” Mark says.

“We manufacture components for the Collins Class submarines, the Air Warfare Destroyer program, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, Northrop Grumman’s Triton platform and the Tiger helicopters, there’s a lot that we work on.”

As of November 2017, Mincham Aviation became a participant in French software company Dassault Systèmes’ Virtual Shipyard Training Program at Regency TAFE SA.

Dassault is working with the Naval Group (which is designing the Future Submarines project) on building the country’s first digital shipyard in Adelaide.

A digital – or virtual – shipyard involves software that manages the lifecycle of the ship from its build to operation and maintenance.

Mincham Aviation along with seven other SMEs are participating in the Virtual Shipyard Training Program, as SA gears up for the $50 billion submarines build.

Through the program, participants will gain training and support in the development of digital capabilities, providing them with the opportunity to compete for work on a global scale.

Mark says the opportunity to be a part of it will expose Mincham Aviation to “a very high-end digital capability”.

“It’s giving us the opportunity for us to get our heads around how they (global companies) are going to expect local businesses to be operating and interacting with them in the future naval programs that will be happening here in SA,” he says.

“From our perspective it (the program) is covering off on areas that we do; project management, contract management, security management of data, then looking into the engineering side of things, product data management and machining capabilities.

“It’s a very big picture of how that’s going to be happening digitally in the future and how we can cross the bridge and start being digitally savvy in those areas right now.”

Despite its promising future, Mincham Aviation has hit some speedbumps over the years, including when the Global Financial Crisis hit and forced the business to lease out its second facility at Edinburgh Parks.

Now that SA is on the cusp of a shipbuilding jobs boom thanks to Australia’s $89 billion shipbuilding program, Mincham Aviation is considering a reboot of its Edinburgh Parks base.

“We have a medium-term plan to be re-establishing ourselves back at Edinburgh Park in the next five years and introduce a quantum leap in our capability level,” says Mark, who has worked in the defence industry for the past decade.

Mincham Aviation’s operations manager Mark Koennecke.

Prior to his role at Mincham Aviation he was the general manager of sheet metal fabrication enterprise J&H Williams in Port Adelaide.

Mark says over the years he’s noticed a significant shift in job security in the defence and shipbuilding industries.

“The landscape of the defence industry particularly here in SA has changed dramatically  from there being comfortable amounts of work to what they call the ‘valley of death’,” he says.

“Now it’s a 15-50-year outlook that is very positive.”

Mark says working in the defence industry is challenging yet rewarding but being based in SA means he can stick to an industry he loves while remaining in his homestate.

“Being operations general manager doesn’t mean that I go home at 5pm, but it’s a choice I made to be in this role and I don’t have to go interstate, commute or fly in and out,” he says.

“I need to be with my family on a daily basis and I’m lucky that the defence industry has given me that ability.”

I Choose SA for Shipbuilding and Defence Industries stories are made possible by City of Salisbury:

With the support of The University of Adelaide

Visit the I Choose SA for Industry website to learn more stories about key industry leaders, why they’ve chosen SA as a base and how the state is enabling them to succeed.

by brandsa2018

Why a leading edge cyber security firm chose SA for growth

Cyber security company VeroGuard Systems was lured to South Australia by the position of the state’s defence precinct, its “world-class” universities and skilled workforce, says the company’s Iain Moore.

Last year the Melbourne-based company announced plans to establish a $57.5m advanced manufacturing and operations facility at the Edinburgh Park industry estate in Adelaide’s north.

The move will create almost 600 jobs in three years, with about 400 of them employees from Adelaide’s northern areas including former automotive workers.

In February 2017 it was announced the 600 jobs boost could grow by another 1500 following a partnership with Adelaide company LVX Group.

The new advanced manufacturing facility and Global Network Operations Centre, supported by a $6m State Government grant, will allow the company to produce cards and software enabling ‘hyper-secure’ online transactions.

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So what place does a cyber security company have in SA and what does it mean for the state’s burgeoning defence and shipbuilding industries?

“Cyber security underpins the ability for development and execution of sensitive material to be done in an effective manner,” says Iain, VeroGuard’s commercial general manager.

“Imagine if every time someone wanted to share some information it needed to be printed, put in a briefcase and physically taken to someone else.

“Although a USB stick can now play the part of the printer, much information cannot be simply downloaded and emailed to a colleague, as the security level is not high enough.

“VeroGuard enables that collaboration or interoperability.”

The spotlight was put on the importance of cyber security in the defence sector in 2017 when sensitive information about the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was stolen from a small business.

VeroGuard, originally based in Melbourne, has developed the world’s first digital identity platform and cyber security network to prevent hacking and secure the internet for VeroGuard System users.

“Put simply it creates a secure environment in which users can create content online, transmit that content and store it without fear of hackers stealing their information,” Iain says.

“Cyber security is a key enabler in defence industries due to the highly sensitive nature of the data created, transmitted and stored by organisations in that industry,” Iain says.

“VeroGuard Systems has developed a solution that solves these risks at a level that can be accepted by defence and their contractors.”

Iain says VeroGuard intends to work with many of the contractors involved in the naval shipbuilding program, set to unfold in SA over coming decades and bring thousands of jobs.

Born and bred in SA, Iain worked in large technology companies before an opporunity at VeroGuard was too good to miss.

VeroGuard Systems commercial general manager Iain Moore.

He says a return to home soil is possible due to the company’s growth in SA.

For now, the jobs involved in the company’s advanced manufacturing side will be long-term and “brand new roles”, Iain says.

“Due to the nature and intellectual property, the assembly will need to be completed onshore in Australia,” he says.

“The chain of custody related to these processes mean that offshore assembly is not an option, so former auto workers out of Holden or other auto suppliers will be very well suited at the VeroGuard Systems facility.”

The company is also teaming up with the University of Adelaide to collaborate on research around cyber security and to create content for newly designed courses in the sector.

Iain says SA universities’ links to defence and STEM fields were a key drawcard in VeroGuard’s growth plans.

Other pulling factors included the skilled workforce from the car making industry as well as the Edinburgh Defence Precinct, he adds.

I Choose SA for Shipbuilding and Defence Industries stories are made possible by City of Salisbury:

Visit the I Choose SA for Industry website to learn more stories about key industry leaders, why they’ve chosen SA as a base and how the state is enabling them to succeed.

 

by brandsa2018

Saab boss says shipbuilding jobs are here for the long run

Defence and shipbuilding in South Australia will not be a “boom and bust” industry, but will support secure long-term jobs and opportunities.

That’s according to Andy Keough, former Defence SA chief and current managing director of defence and security company Saab Australia.

Andy, a former submariner, played a key part in lobbying for Australia’s $50 billion Future Submarines to be built here in SA.

He says despite big sectors, such as the mining industry, usually experiencing a “boom and bust” pattern, there is a long-term commitment to continue shipbuilding in SA.

“We saw it with the upswing of the mining industry which took off with unimaginable riches that have come and gone,” Andy says.

“But here there is now a Federal Government commitment to continuous shipbuilding … and that’s a massive magnet that will continue to draw high quality workers from across Australia and the world.

“There aren’t many sectors in Australia that have the assurance that their industry will continue for many decades to come.”

Saab Australia managing director Andy Keough.

The Future Submarines Program includes the construction of a fleet of 12 new subs, constructed from 2022/23 at Adelaide’s Osborne shipyards, creating 2800 jobs.

The subs are one part of the nation’s $89 billion naval shipbuilding plan, which also features the construction of the Future Frigates and Offshore Patrol Vehicles.

While Saab has been selected to upgrade the control systems for navy’s current fleet of Collins Class submarines, it is also supporting Lockheed Martin to deliver the cutting edge combat system capability for the Future Submarines.

After two years in the top job at government agency, Defence SA, Andy joined the Mawson Lakes-based Saab as its managing director.

He brought with him 22 years of experience in the Australian Navy, including commanding two Collins Class submarines.

Andy retired from the navy in 2007, a year after receiving the Conspicuous Service Cross for his leadership while in command of HMAS Sheean.

Originally from Sydney, he came to SA nine years ago to work for ASC, starting in business improvement before graduating to being responsible for the in-service maintenance of the Collins Class fleet.

He says that typical views of the shipbuilding workforce were changing as people realised both skilled tradespeople and high-tech engineers are essential to operations.

“When I was with ASC there was a large trade workforce, but for every tradesman there were four or five highly skilled professionals including engineers, project managers, and supply chain and quality,” he says.

The skill level of the defence industry is evident in Saab’s own workforce, which includes a range of “hardware and software engineers undertaking advanced naval combat system work”.

Ships from Task Group 659.1 (including HMA Ships Canberra, Warramunga and Ballarat and HMNZS Te Kaha) joined by French Floreal class frigate FNS Prairial transit to Pearl Harbour, Hawaii to participate in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016. The ships have Saab’s combat management system on board.

Andy says “business is expanding” at Saab Australia, with the company expecting to grow its workforce by at least 150 “in the next couple of years”.

Saab is also strengthening its ties to academia through a partnership with the University of South Australia (UniSA).

Saab will partner with UniSA students to collaborate on the design of a future combat system, following the formation of the Defence Technologies Institute in 2017.

The initial collaboration involved Saab hosting projects for students in STEM-related fields, helping to equip them for their careers in defence and shipbuilding industries.

“Saab is working closely with UniSA so that for generations to come, graduates from this partnership will build a skilled, technologically savvy workforce for defence capabilities,” Andy says.

“It’s essential for a company like Saab to have a close relationship with UniSA because they (students) are our talent pipeline.

“They will assist us to get the best individuals on board.”

 

This I Choose SA for Shipbuilding and Defence Industries story is made possible by City of Salisbury and the University of South Australia:

Visit the I Choose SA for Industry website to read more stories about key industry leaders, why they’ve chosen SA as a base and how the state is enabling them to succeed.

 

by brandsa2018

Lockheed Martin’s GM on SA’s shipbuilding jobs bonanza

Jack Mahoney, general manager of Lockheed Martin Australia, says South Australia’s burgeoning defence industry is luring “advanced and highly skilled” workers to carry out some of the biggest defence contracts in the country’s history.

The former US Navy combat systems technician has been in SA for more than a decade and says the high tech jobs needed for the future submarines and frigates programs are bringing world class innovation to the state.

“I think we’re definitely changing perceptions and people’s way of thinking that shipbuilding is only about banging metal,” Jack says.

“We employ very advanced, highly skilled tradespeople, all the way up to employees of a PhD level.”

“These are extremely high tech jobs.”

The nation’s $89 billion naval shipbuilding projects are providing high-tech jobs of the future within many companies, including Lockheed Martin Australia.

Lockheed Martin Australia’s SA facility is located in Mawson Lakes.

Rather than being involved in the physical build of Australia’s submarines, vessels and aircraft, Lockheed Martin Australia is a leader in the research, design, development, integration and maintenance of advanced technology systems.

Its latest announcement is yet another example of the economy-changing defence projects set to unfold (and already under way) in SA.

The company is partnering with French shipbuilder Naval Group to carry out a $700m contract to fit combat systems into Australia’s Future Submarines.

Jack says the project, set to deliver 200 jobs, the majority in SA, is already in the design phase.

Lockheed’s combat systems are the ‘brains’ of a submarine, consisting of sensors and radar technology that collects data which is then processed to control the submarine’s missiles and torpedoes.

The systems will be integrated into Australia’s fleet of 12 new submarines, constructed at Adelaide’s Osborne shipyards.

“The combat system controls all the aspects of what the ship does from a mission perspective,” Jack says.

“It can see other ships in the water and it can detect if the submarine is under potential attack.

“The project will unfold over many years (but) we are in the design phase of development and production.”

The $50 billion construction of the Future Submarines Program is one of the biggest defence contracts in Australia’s history.

It’s set to deliver more than 2800 direct and indirect jobs over the course of its lifetime, expected to run into the 2040–50s.

Aside from the future subs, Lockheed is also delivering missile defence systems for the $35 billion Future Frigates Program – a fleet of nine new vessels to replace the ANZAC class frigates.

The highly advanced Aegis Combat System can shoot down missiles from long and medium range, increasing Australia’s defence against rogue regimes.

The system will include technology by fellow defence company, Adelaide-based SAAB Australia.

Construction of the vessels is expected to take place in 2020.

Both projects, plus the construction of 12 offshore patrol vessels, come under the $89 billion National Shipbuilding Plan.

Lockheed is also providing the Royal Australian Navy with combat systems for the country’s most complex ship construction – the Air Warfare Destroyers Program.

The project, involving the build of “the world’s most capable multi-mission ships”, is being worked on by 2000 people in SA and is driving high-tech manufacturing jobs of the future.

Jack says SA’s defence industry jobs are starting to shake the misconception that its workers are only skilled in traditional trades.

He says Lockheed Martin South Australia employs 300 people, of which half are (bachelor’s) degree engineers.

“I think we have to do a better job of advertising the (high skilled nature) of the defence industry,” Jack says.

“STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and (advanced) mechanical development – all these things are going on in our state and we need to find better ways of (letting) our school kids know.

“We engage with high schools and encourage students to be involved in STEM.”

Lockheed Martin Australia general manager Jack Mahoney.

Jack, who also sits on the Defence Reserves Support Council of SA, was in the US Navy for 25 years before moving to Australia.

With SA setting itself up as the epicentre of the nation’s defence sector shortly after his arrival, it made sense for the father-of-two to call SA home.

He says the defence industry holds significant responsibility and one sole objective – to keep Australians safe.

“If you get it wrong there are severe ramifications,” Jack says.

“The number one objective is to keep people safe.

“I’ve been supporting the state for 12 plus years, I’m very proud of SA.”

I Choose SA for Shipbuilding and Defence Industries stories are made possible by City of Salisbury:

Visit the I Choose SA for Industry website to read more stories about key industry leaders, why they’ve chosen SA as a base and how the state is enabling them to succeed.

by brandsa2018

Tired? Hungry? Don’t worry, a SA graduate entrepreneur has you covered

Forget the frustration of lugging groceries home from the supermarket only to discover you’ve forgotten the key ingredients you set out for in the first place.

Budding South Australian entrepreneur Nicole Henderson is set to launch a platform that will make shopping for recipe ingredients simpler with the touch of a button.

Playt (pronounced plate) converts online recipes into a digital shopping list.

Woolworths collects the ingredients, before the Playt user either picks up the ready-to-go groceries from the store or has them delivered to their door.

Playt allows users to convert recipes into a digital shopping list and have the ingredients delivered to their door.

Playt allows users to convert recipes into a digital shopping list and have the ingredients delivered to their door.

It’s set to launch exclusively in SA in November before expanding into Melbourne and Sydney.

Aside from attracting the attention of the supermarket giant, Playt received $50,000 in backing through the University of South Australia’s Venture Catalyst program.

Nicole, who graduated from the UniSA’s innovation and entrepreneurship degree earlier this year, says the funding allowed her to speed up the development cycle.

She says it also gave her validation that Playt was a viable business idea.

“Validation is a massive thing for any entrepreneur … there’s a very supportive community in SA.”

While Playt will initially only convert online recipes into shopping orders, Nicole says she aims to soon develop the technology so it can process recipes from printed cook books.

It also allows users to order other groceries and household items unrelated to their selected recipe – such as toilet paper!

A $50,000 grant makes all the difference to emerging start-ups who need an extra push to lift their idea off the ground.

A $50,000 grant makes all the difference to emerging start-ups who need an extra push to lift their idea off the ground.

The idea for Playt came when Nicole was living in Sydney and working as a bank manager.

One day she became frustrated when carrying groceries home from the supermarket and realising she had forgotten to buy some items.

“That was my ‘ah ha!’ moment,” she says.

“There was nothing out there that allowed me to take a picture of a book, push a button and have the ingredients arrive at my door.

“I became obsessed with the idea.”

Nicole moved to Adelaide two years ago and was drawn to UniSA’s innovation and entrepreneurship degree, which she graduated from in July 2017.

“Before studying I had never heard of the word ‘start-up’,” she says.

“I used the degree as a platform for my research and marketing.”

Nicole partnered with the Moonshine Laboratory and together with Christian Ullmark and Jason Neave the trio co-founded Playt.

It’s located at the WOTSO WorkSpace in Adelaide’s CBD.

The Playt co-founding team.

The Playt co-founding team.

Moonshine supports emerging start-ups that need expertise in technical aspects of their business and helped connect Playt with Woolworths.

Nicole says the team plans to have well-known chefs share their recipes on the platform.

She says life as a budding entrepreneur can be a hard slog, but SA’s affordable lifestyle it an attractive place to start a business.

Fellow Venture Catalyst funding recipients are Sally Skewes ($50,000) for Secure Nest and James Walsh ($35,000 + $15,000 worth of incubation space) for Studio Buddy.

by brandsa2018

Elon Musk to speak at International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide

By Jim Plouffe

After weeks of rumours it has been confirmed that SpaceX boss Elon Musk will speak at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Adelaide at the end of September.

The tech billionaire hinted at revealing his latest Mars plans in Adelaide when speaking at the International Space Station Conference in Washington DC two weeks ago.

According to IAC organisers Elon has since been locked in to speak to delegates on the final afternoon of the congress on September 29.

SpaceX and Telsa CEO Elon Musk was in Adelaide earlier this month to announce its 100MW Tesla battery project alongside South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill. Picture: Andre Castellucci/InDaily

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk was in Adelaide earlier this month to announce its 100MW Tesla battery project alongside South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill. Picture: Andre Castellucci/InDaily

Elon has plans to develop technologies that would help colonise Mars.

IAC 2017 CEO Brett Biddington AM said Elon will speak for an hour, including a Q&A session and the talk would be live-streamed on social media.

Biddington said Elon’s decision to update the global space community about his plans to colonise Mars would be welcomed by delegates to IAC 2017.

“Younger people especially are inspired by Musk’s innovation and entrepreneurship and the opportunity to hear of his plans first hand is a rare privilege,” Biddington said.

Although the final day of the congress is open to the public, only registered delegates will be eligible to attend Musk’s talk in person.

The 68th International Astronautical Congress will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre in South Australia from 25-29 September and is set to attract around 3500 international and local delegates, including the world’s leading space agencies.

The South Australian government is developing a space industry and has enlisted 11 local space start-ups, including Myriota, Fleet Space Technologies, Neumann Space and Inovor Technologies, to increase their footprint in the multi-billion-dollar global space industry.

Elon visited Adelaide earlier this month to announce the partnership between his company Tesla and French renewable energy company Neoen for the 100MW/129MWh battery at Neoen’s Hornsdale Wind Farm in the state’s Mid North.

by brandsa2018

Adelaide University launches new home for innovative start-ups

By Melissa Keogh

A new innovation hub aimed at giving local start-ups a boost has been launched by the University of Adelaide.

ThincLab Adelaide will provide a supportive business environment and drive entrepreneurship opportunities for students, staff and community members.

This month 50 new ventures are expected to move into the ThincLab headquarters which the university says will help foster innovation for the State.

ThincLab is located next to the University of Adelaide’s Business School and its Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre (ECIC).

Tenants will be from a range of industries, including health, agriculture, aerospace and automotive engineering, environment, energy, digital gaming, science communications, and food and drink.

Premier Jay Weatherill officially launches ThincLab at the University of Adelaide. Photo courtesy ThincLab, University of Adelaide.

Premier Jay Weatherill officially launches ThincLab at the University of Adelaide. Photo courtesy ThincLab, University of Adelaide.

ThincLab, officially opened by South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill earlier this month, will offer start-ups a space to access tools and resources while also allowing them to network with academics and business mentors.

It will house a state-of-the-art prototyping lab and design studio with the latest 3D printers and technology.

University of Adelaide’s interim vice-chancellor Professor Mike Brooks says ThincLab Adelaide is an exciting initiative not only for the university but the State in general.

“ThincLab represents a boosted commitment to commercialisation and entrepreneurship in SA,” he says.

“It reinforces our leadership nationwide of entrepreneurship, and in education and outreach programs aimed at fostering innovation, a leadership position the University of Adelaide has held for many years.”

Professor Mike Brooks

The University of Adelaide’s interim vice-chancellor Professor Mike Brooks at the ThincLab launch. Photo courtesy of ThincLab, University of Adelaide.

The value of forward thinkers has been a hot topic in Adelaide recently, with Entrepreneurs Week attracting big-name entrepreneurs, including Texan Suzi Sosa, to the city from July 3–7.

The nearby ECIC runs Australia’s biggest investor-ready program, the Australian eChallenge, which stimulates innovation and business ideas among local entrepreneurs.

Over the past six months, last year’s Australian eChallenge finalists secured more than $5m in funding for their start-up ventures.

Professor Noel Lindsay, pro vice-chancellor entrepreneurship at the University of Adelaide and ECIC director, says ThincLab builds on the years of success achieved with the Australian eChallenge.

“We see ThincLab as a place where unconventional thinkers can give their ideas an unfair advantage,” he says.

“It’s home to creative thinkers, to disrupters, people who are willing to challenge the norm and give new ideas a go.”

“Entrepreneurship is about creating new jobs in industries that might not yet exist.”