Alumni Businesses
Creative HQ first opened its doors in 2003. Since then we have worked with over 80 businesses across a diverse range of sectors. 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 is a Wellington based creative company, which exports over 80% of its leather wallet and handbag collection internationally. Because of Paris House's irrverent, witty, gold-embossed messages, its unique products are found in some of the best stores around the world: Collette and Le Bon Marche in Paris, Liberty and Urban Outfitters in London, Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong, Henri Bendel in New York, Isetan and Tomorrowland in Tokyo, as well as stores in Zurich, Istanbul, Barcelona, Seoul, Milan, Lisbon, Los Angeles, and of course, New Zealand. Utilising a combination of Kiwi creativity and production from around the world, the wallets and bags are made with New Zealand and Italian leathers, and the products are packages with a customised box and pot of New Zealand bee's wax so as to enable the owner to preserve the life and look of the object of desire.
Paris House continues to promote its collections four times a year at shows in New York and Paris.
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
Hire Things
Hire Things is an online community where you can easily and safely hire in what you need and hire out what you have. The world is changing; the current economy along with environmental concerns has lead to consumers questioning their spending and looking for smart alternatives. There are things you need occasionally and there are people with things they only use occasionally.
Hire Things gives you an online community where you can get more value from the things you own, save money by hiring instead of buying, make smart environmental choices and meet and help people in your community.
Gecko Press
Gecko Press is an award-winning Wellington based business that publishes curiously good children’s books from around the world. In 2008, Gecko Press was voted joint winner of the 2008 NZ Thorpe-Bowker Publisher of the Year award and won the supreme NZ Post award for Snake and Lizard. Gecko Press has won the Creative Gold award and the Wellington Gold Awards 2010.
Centruflow
Centruflow uses visualisation to fundamentally change how people interact with large information systems so that just about anyone can easily conceptualise what they are seeing. We've combined visual modeling with data collection so people can reduce the time spent discovering what exists and increase the time left to analyse it.
Centruflow provides a flexible software platform that visually connects people to knowledge and links actions to consequences.
www.crunchbase.com/company/centruflow
77 Pieces
77 Pieces Ltd is a software company founded in Wellington, New Zealand by Academy Science and Technology Award winning visual effects researcher Sebastian Marino and UCLA mathematics professor Joseph Teran.
77 Pieces' software gives two-dimensional patterns a life as three-dimensional objects and predicts how they respond to physical conditions such as gravity, friciton, hydraulic pressure and so on. By endowing the 'smart patters' with knowledge of their own form, 77 Pieces allows accurate graphic modelling of how flexible structures bend and shift into the infinite number of shapes they cna occupy. The software has innumerable applications across industries like fashion design, aerospace, energy, film production, medicine and architecture.
Womama
Womama is a design and innovation company; designing, manufacturing and distributing beautiful, high quality maternity lingerie and birth wear to pregnant and nursing mother's worldwide. Womama has created a range to assist a mothers journey through this demanding yet special time in her life. Womama was inspired by the wonder and excitement of becoming a parent.
Winners of Emerging Gold, Gold Awards 2009
Winners of Best Micro Business, Her Business Awards, December 2009
Browndog
Browndog Media Group Ltd (trading as Browndog Media Studio) is a media-products developer with a focus on the global digital revolution and the use of Serious Gaming to change the way people learn and the way information is exchanged.
'Serious Gaming' is an emergent industry that combines video-game tactics and VR technologies with real-world objectives, for speed, efficiency and enhanced learning outcomes in the 21st-century workplace.
Dash Tickets
Dash Tickets is a fresh ticketing solution electrifying the entertainment industry! We provide the tools to manage your event ticketing from start to finish.As event promoters you can set-up your event, create tickets and add your own advertisements to each ticket.....instant marketing! With Dash Tickets you can check how many tickets you have sold, online anywhere. We also give you the power to edit your event details, which means no more emails or phone calls to ticketing resellers.
Footfalls and Heartbeats
The unique research of Footfalls and Heartbeats - built on a platform of chemistry, nanotechnology and textile structure - will pioneer this achievement. The successful sensor technology will be durable, comfortable and indistinguishable from the garment structure. Partnering with companies in emergent and existing markets – athletics, health monitoring, stress monitoring and wellness/fitness – we deliver effective and aesthetic products from New Zealand to the world. Footfalls and Heartbeats, representing New Zealand’s reputation of innovation and sustainability, aims to make everyday lives better and easier – one footfall and one heartbeat at a time
Simon McMaster
CRO/Founder
DDI - New Zealand +64 (0) 2113 55062
DDI - United Kingdom +44 (0) 7743 558942
simon@footfallsandheartbeats.com
Start Up of the Year, Launchpad 2010
Finalist in Emerging Gold, Wellington Gold Awards 2010
That Horse.com
Thathorse.com is a website designed to provide the ultimate online equine shopping experience. Horse lovers can shop from a huge range of products, services, properties and horses from around the world. The site includes content rich, jargon free information and advice from experts on the care and wellbeing of your horse.
Flexitime
FlexiTime is the perfect payroll solution for small businesses with remote, casual and flexible employees, or growing small businesses looking for a value for money payroll system that can expand with the company.
Avancert
Avancert is a web based platform for regulatory and high stakes assessment. Its applications include examination of professionals ranging from aircraft pilots through to skilled professionals - anywhere where a license or qualification of sorts is required. Assessments can be delivered over a web browser or via a secure examination environment running on a standard windows computer for an additional level of security in a supervised environment. Avancert also provides a complete set of online testing and assessment authoring management tools allowing the full certification or licensing process to be managed end to end.
Mobile4X
Mobile4X enables foreign exchange (currency) traders the ability to leave their trading platforms and stay connected with live information on market movements or trading opportunities
Showcase
Showcase, a new app for iPad and Android tablets is designed to impress prospects and help exceed sales targets.
Showcase is the ultimate digital tool kit for sales executives. It assembles sales collateral, video, advertising and brochures into a beautifully laid out touch screen that provides a high engagement show-and-tell experience for prospects or clients.
Your sales team can capture customer contact details on Showcase and feed them into your CRM system. You can also send selected content directly to a customer's email from Showcase.
I-Zonely
i-Zonely creates multiple barriers to block, track and wear-down the resources of any would-be attempts of unauthorised use of your digital media.
By wrapping your media in an i-Zonely format you can significantly mitigate the risks of copying or distribution without permission or payment. This fundamentally changes the online revenue model for many businesses who thought it was impossible to operate in an online space.
Tacplans
TacPlans is an online platform that empowers emergency planning, response and recovery with building data, digital media and a communications portal.
TacPlans - Intelligence for Disaster and Critical Incidents
Visual Intelligence will give emergency planners, first responders and critical incident decision makers the ability to access, view and share vital information pre, during and post emergency.
Rewardjunkie
Rewardjunkie turns your establishment into your customers most rewarding place. It does this by turning your customers EFTPOS or Credit card into their loyalty card, meaning they get rewarded automatically when they spend with no extra hassle with their rewards delivered directly to their mobile in a fun, easy-to-use app.
