Current Portfolio (updated Jan 2011)
Here are the companies where I currently have a private investment. Please get in touch if you would like to know more about any of them. I formerly had a share of Groupy Deals (sold to Yellow).
Define Instruments (formerly Texmate NZ) designs and manufactures a range of electronic devices that allow you to intelligently control your machines. These range from meters and displays through to mini-PLCs, and give you a cheap and simple way to control things like flow, weight and temperature.
The ICC402 is an example flagship product- a PLC and datalogger in a deceptively small case – competitive products often cost thousands more.
Define Instruments designs electronic hardware and embedded software for a variety of OEM clients and industries, delivering a complete control solution. We also perform high quality contract manufacturing, including sourcing compents at a good price, printing and assembling PCBs using SMT & wave soldering (non lead) technology, mechanical assembly, testing and packing.
Director, substantial minority shareholder.
LTW Wiggs
LTW Wiggs is a joint venture between Lance Wiggs Consulting and Lee Ter Wal design. We help emerging and medium sized New Zealand companies prepare, negotiate and complete major international commercial arrangements.
Co-Founder, Director.
Lingopal has developed mobile phone based translation applications with a difference. You get 44 languages, the normal phrases but also flirting and insults. It’s also a lot of fun. There are three ways to get mobile translation on your phone – a J2ME application, a mobile web application and an iPhone application.
The iPhone application has 42 languages, with over 900 phrases per language. We have also launched Lingopal Flirta (just the flirting goodness) and Lingopal Voyage (just the travel goodness).
Lingopal was founded by my cousin in Perth, and has attracted AU$700,000 in investment from VC firm Stoneridge Ventures and 2 substantial angels.
Director, minority shareholder.
PowerKiwi provides products through NZ’s online electricity store – Powershop. We have three products so far, the cheap and very cheerful FlowerPower, GreenPower – which buys carbon offsets to account for your share of thermal power generation, and Tree Power – where each 30 units plants a tree.
We’ve sold over 110,000,000 kWh (units) of electricity credits so far.
Co-Founder, Director, majority shareholder.
Valuecruncher was founded by Wellington investment banker Mark Clare, and aims to help you decide whether to buy or sell stocks. The front page of valuecruncher.com has suggested buys and sells, but the real power is that you can dig into the numbers for each company, play with the forecast assumptions and create your own valuations. We think it is cool, and there are plenty of market anomalies right now to take advantage of. Check out Valuecrucher’s Google page: http://www.valuecruncher.com/companies/514
Advisor, shareholder.
Taggle (formerly Widentifi) is a VC backed (Stoneridge amongst others) Sydney based company concentrating on city-based location services. It’s still under the radar, but I’m in because I think the technology has massive potential, and it is really cool.
Shareholder
Allaboutthestory.com is a site from News Crowd that matches up high quality writers with editors looking to fill the gap in their newspapers, magazines and other media.
Shareholder, Director
Authentic Tours, trading as MyTours, allows museums, tour guides, City Councils – and you – to create your own iPhone, Windows 7 and Android tour applications.
We are steadily growing, under the leadership of founder Glen Barnes. Check out the Welly Walks iPhone app.
Shareholder
Pacific Fibre aims to connect Australia and New Zealand to the USA with a high capacity fibre optic submarine cable.
Co-founder, shareholder.
Safe Plus
Still under the radar
Co-founder, shareholder
