City stakes claim for innovation

John Getsarkis says an estimated 70 per cent of a product's environmental impact is determined at the design stage. Photo / Locus Research

The second Tauranga Innovation Forum pulled a crowd of 100-plus to hear six leading businessman and technology experts discuss how innovation has changed their lives. And Tim Allen, director of Locus Research, said the forum was helping raise the Bay of Plenty's national profile as a centre for innovation and could eventually become a bigger event.

"Feedback has been positive," he said after last Friday's event.

"And when you look at things like the region recently winning selection for WNT Ventures to be one of the new technology incubators, it all contributes to how people outside the region view the Bay of Plenty. We are seen as having an interest in and orientation towards technology innovation."

The forum, with the theme "when business and innovation collide", has arisen from and is closely tied to the Young Innovator Awards, and the annual Western Bay at Work programme, with the six speakers also making up the YIA judging panel.

Keynote speaker John Getsarkis, chief sustainability officer of InfoActiv, addressed the forum on sustainability as a catalyst for action, saying an estimated 70 per cent of a product's environmental impact was determined at the design stage. "Designers and business can intervene at a very early stage with a view to maximising the environmental performance of products and services."

The first forum last year had come about in order to make better use of having such high-profile speakers available for the YIA event, which is held conjointly. "Judges would come in for the YIA awards and the Western Bay of Work presentations, then do nothing afterwards," he said. "You have these major people turn up to judge so it's crazy not to get them to talk to a local audience. I felt it was a bit of a wasted opportunity."

The forum had attracted a cross-section of the business community that would not normally have come together in a networking event, he said, resulting in useful business connections.

Mr Allen said that he saw the forum remaining part of the YIA because it was a mutually beneficial relationship, but being ramped up. "I think the forum needs to become a standalone event in its own right.

"If the region wants to be considered as a hub for innovation, events like the forum make a difference."

Visiting speakers impressed with Bay event

Locus Research director Tim Allen said speakers at the forum who made up the Young Innovator Awards judging panel had commented that the event was unique.

Mr Allen plays a key role in sourcing the judges, with ExportNZ Bay of Plenty doing a lot of the heavy lifting on the event organisation.

Fees for the innovation forum covered the costs of bringing the judges down, so the two events worked well and there were now other potential judges in the pipeline.

"They often remark on how well the various local agencies and organisations work together," he said. "And that brings a lot of positives, because they go away and talk to others outside the region."

The speakers this year were:

• John Gertsakis, chief sustainability officer for InfoActiv, which specialises in supply chain and sustainability solutions. Mr Gertsakis has been at the forefront of sustainable product innovation and product stewardship globally for over 20 years.

• Rob Ford, general manager farm systems at LIC (Livestock Improvement Co), which has produced some of New Zealand's leading dairy farm systems software and hardware.

• Siobhan Bulfin, founder and chief executive of Social Code, a social entrepreneur, with over 15 years' experience in marketing and business development, social media, and game design. Ms Bulfin founded Social Code in 2012 to provide online communities and behaviour change tools for chronic disease prevention and management.

• Dr Stewart Collie, team leader and a senior scientist at AgResearch, who has worked on some of the most innovative electronic and wool based textiles New Zealand has produced.

• Robbie van Dam, director of Goodnature, who has a double degree in architecture and industrial design. Mr van Dam founded Goodnature, which evolved from a project with the Department of Conservation to become an award winning company with and innovative CO2 powered pest control system.

• Trent Mankelow, co-founder and former chief executive of Optimal Experience, a leading user experience design company, who is currently acting head of digital experience at Telecom (Spark).