Alumni Businesses
When Creative HQ first opened its doors in 2003, over 350 applications poured in. Since then we have worked with over 60 businesses including 15 in Fashion HQ, our former dedicated apparel incubator. Our alumni businesses are growing on average at 40% per annum and generated $45m in economic value in 2008-2009.
Some businesses failed. In the high risk start up environment this happens sometimes. The main thing is to fail quickly, learn and move onto the next opportunity.
Here are some of our alumni businesses.
Silverstripe
Silverstripe builds websites and web applications based on their award-winning opern source SilverStripe Platform. Established in 2000, Silverstripe has a team of 30 and was recognized as one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the Asia-Pacific region (ranked 113th by Deloitte). Silverstripe’s CMS system was selected by the US Democratic party as the platform for its pre-election conference, the Democratic National Convention 2008. Success Story.
www.silverstripe.com
Deloitte Fast 50 (ranked 37th), October 2009
deNada
We’re all different – yee ha! Everyone has facets to their lives, and at deNada we celebrate that yours aren’t the same as the next woman’s. Your variances stand you apart. At deNada we meet you at your game – there’s a bit of all sorts; clothing, bags, jewellery, music... The clothing honours your differences; it’s tailored to fit you whatever shape you are; there are about 100 carefully chosen CDs to add spice to your dinner party or Sunday brunch... all there for you (or your patient spouse) to put your feet up and listen to. Art hangs on the walls. Curious? Come play....
www.denada.co.nz
Finalist, Best SME, Her Business Awards, 2009
Optimal Usability
The Optimal Usability team combines their experience in software engineering, human computer interaction and user-centered design to offer smarter and more effective ways to cater for users of websites and computer systems. Optimal Usability provides consultancy services to help evaluate and improve the usability of products, services, environments and interactions. We use scientifically rigorous processes grounded in psychology to help organisations simplify their interfaces, and make them more intuitive and easier to use. We make the world more user-friendly. Success Story.
www.optimalusability.co.nz
Winner, Supporting Gold, Wellington Gold Awards 2010
calcium
Calcium integrated technology solutions are creating unlimited possibilities for businesses and organisations worldwide to connect with customers online. This is because we are at the forefront of our industry, providing the world's most advanced tools to allow you to join the digital marketing revolution. Our leading edge software solutions are smart, easy-to-use and flexible - and enable you to take the concept of e-Marketing to your customers to creative new heights with amazing results.
www.calcium.co.nz
Starnow.com
Starnow.com is a product of the reality TV era and a genuine need to connect casting agents with aspiring performers and modesl. Created by Cameron Melhopt and friends Jamie Howell and Nigel Stanford – agents use the site to advertise roles in anything from vampire movies to swimwear photo shoots.
With over 1 million members and 100,000 casting calls since 2004, Starnow.com is the number one site in its category in the UK and was voted one of the top ten website businesses to watch by Idealog magazine. Success Story.
www.starnow.com
Innaworks
Founded in 2002, Innaworks is a specialist development tool vendor dedicated to solving critical industry wide issues for the mobile game and application industry. At Innaworks, we are enabling mobile game and application developers to focus on what they are meant to accomplish. We do this by developing deep working relationships with our customers to better understand the critical issues they are facing, and then applying our expertise to craft innovative, reliable and robust development tools to automate the solutions.
www.innaworks.com
Cultureflow
Cultureflow was the first in NZ to introduce software to help assist the learning of Maori. Cultureflow continues to have the leading software products in NZ to assist te reo and your professional development. Cultureflow courses and products are designed to introduce beginners to te reo Maori, the Maori language, in a fun and easy manner.
Karactaz
Karactaz is one of the world leading independent animation studio’s with a solid base in 2D Classical Animation the studio began production in 2002 on a 30 minute film called THE UNDERWATER MELON MAN. Since then the studio has had a string of successes in the Artistry, the Workflow and Technology of Animation.
Smarter than Jack
SMARTER than JACK started with a series of books. Our goal from the start has been to entertain people the world over with stories about amazing animals and to raise funds for animal welfare organisations. We want to make people look at animals a little differently - and to celebrate the animals that they share their lives with.
Action Direction
Action Direction is a consultancy company that helps its clients to communicate safety messages. Communicating a complex safety message is difficult. Communicating a complex safety message to someone who has poor reading skills is especially difficult. Action Direction creates safety signs that everyone can understand.
Aliquando
We develop and then customise time and resource management tools that build on what people already know and use every day. In our flagship product Everytime we’ve integrated with Microsoft Outlook to help business owners and business teams easily see and understand how they use their time now, to help them know how they could do business and run projects more effectively from this moment on. We’re inspired by being able to help people, and the companies they work within, make the best and most profitable use of all the resources they have: time, money and people.
Browser CRM
Browser CRM brings powerful web based customer management to your business, installed on your server or ISP, or hosted in our data center.
Browser CRM web based customer management instantly enables anytime, anywhere access to your database for staff, telecommuters, telemarketers and branch offices and gives you full access to your web based customer management tools while on the move.
CVB
CVB has developed an innovative job platform that helps employers to recruit staff 21st Century style and help job seekers establish those all important networks needed in today’s job market. CVB provides an online community, a CV building tool and video technology to connect people with jobs they love.
Leiana Rei
Leiana launched her label "Leiana Rei" at New Zealand Fashion Week in Auckland, October, 2003. A collection of "High Fashion Daywear & Paua Printed Resortwear "wowed" International Media & Buyers. The Paua Resortwear Collection, put Leiana into the limelight as the Supreme Award Winner making her the "Fashion Design Ambassador for New Zealand". The prize was a return trip to Britain. A few days later her paua collection earned her the Supreme Award at the Wearable Maori Heritage Awards that sent her to Arushi Fashion House in Dubai, owned by New Zealander, Peter Loughlin (Tuwharetoa). The internship in 2004, was an opportunity of a lifetime, creating garments for royalty and aristocrats of the Middle East. With Leiana's vast knowledge in Design and her experiences in the International Fashion World her future is in creating a global market for her label "Leiana Rei"
Peach
Peach is owned and operated by sisters Liz Rozenberg and Marie Robb. Being “Real Women” themselves, both Liz and Marie understand what their customers need when shopping for clothes. For the on-line shopper, we have brought you our own range of clothing. All the items on our website are exclusive to Peach and can only be purchased on-line or at our shop in Petone.
Paris House
Paris House (b. 1934, New Zealand) makes you smile. People don't buy stuff from us; they buy the experience. We shorten the gap between two people through the creation of a conversation starter; imagine the pleasures of an existence where you no longer have to talk about the weather and other boring things.
Project X
ProjectX Technology is an award winning software services company specialising in online maps development and data visualisation. We make complex location based information really, really easy to use and understandable by everyone. We also provide web services and applications that you can easily integrate to existing software or as part of your bespoke development.
Project X Founder, John Clegg, founded Summer of Code in New Zealand. Summer of Code is an internship programme connecting students and businesses in the web/IT space.
Tentacle Media
If you are thinking about the future of urban screens or digital signage then we need to talk. Campus Channel creates a multi media showcase of students work, school news and important information. The platform broadcasts to digital screens, web pages and mobiles giving students a real audience and outlet for their work. An online interface enables students to contribute and staff to easily moderate and manage the channel. Schools can collaborate on projects and publish content to communal networks. Campus Channel is a safe platform to incubate the media stars of the future. Read More
www.tentacle.co.nz
Sisu
Sisu Consulting is a global expert solution provider for Enterprise Process Integration. We work in close collaboration with our customers, and pride ourselves on our honest approach to IT. We have an open and friendly style of doing business and aim to build lasting relationships with our customers. Based in Wellington, New Zealand, we have worked with customers in Europe, United States, Australia and New Zealand.
www.sisu.co.nz
The Oh! Group
We love transforming dreams into reality and finding cool new ways to create experiences and make stuff. We're a factory that turns ideas into products, experiences and opportunities. There is something about the Oh!Group DNA that percolates through our thinking, gives us the energy to challenge the boundaries of traditional thinking and, ultimately, helps us develop wonderful new products to bring more enjoyment to life for consumers in all parts of the world (well eventually).
www.ohgroup.co.nz
Virtual Katy
Founded in 2002, Virtual Katy Development Limited (VKDL) is a software development company focused on delivering innovative solutions for the postproduction world. Their audio post assistant product, VK, is a battle hardened program designed for audio professionals.
www.virtualkaty.com
Webstruxure
Webstruxure's mission is to help others get information online well — so that it's easy to do, valuable to use, and easy to manage. Working directly for clients whose information publishing needs are significant, we also make products like siteNav and Sketch (the link is currently to the alpha version), which help other web professionals.
www.webstruxure.com
