Kiwi company wins award at world's largest consumer tech show

The annual Consumer Electronics Show is the largest consumer tech show in the world. Photo / AP

Kiwi business Swiftpoint has made its mark at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, winning best gaming innovation for its "Z" mouse.

The Christchurch-based firm was one of 14 companies to make the trip to Las Vegas, supported by government-backed organisation Callaghan Innovation.

Swiftpoint's "Z" series mouse uses similar sensor technology built into iPhones to give gamers the edge in first-person shooter and flight simulation games.

Chief executive Grant Odgers said the win had led to huge interest in the company."With all the [virtual reality] and [augmented reality] stuff on show at CES, it's a huge coup for a mouse to win best innovation and everyone has wanted to come and try it," Odgers said.

Swiftpoint describes its mouse as one of the most advanced for gaming. A kickstarter project it launched in August, which aimed to raise US$140,000 ($200,860), raised more than US$514,000, which the company said would be used to help fund production and grow the business.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the largest consumer tech show in the world, covering 240,000sq m of exhibition space and attracting hundreds of thousands of industry heavyweights, buyers, reviewers, commentators and general public.

Victoria Hallum, Callaghan Innovation manager of international partnerships, said the trip had been an immense success, and the New Zealand branding on the booths had worked well, attracting a lot of viewers.

"The companies are buzzing," Hallum said. "They got really good foot traffic, great audience engagement, and have made contacts with potential supply chain and licensing partners, collaborators and funders."

As well as Swiftpoint, a number of other Kiwi companies have also done well at the show.

Ben Reynolds from sports commentary software business Spalk said the team had done some important networking. "We've had the NBA and the MLB [Major League Baseball] visit our stand and lots of major broadcasters," Reynolds said.

"These are amazing contacts for us to make, and they've all been interested," he said.

"We now have an open door to go and meet these people, which is amazing."

Axel Busch from underwater drone-maker Boxfish reported similar levels of interest in the company's product.

"At these kinds of shows you hope to have just one moment a day where you think, 'Yes that was worth it, just to come', but we have had 10 of those moments every day," Busch said.

Media coverage of the event had also boosted the profile of several of the companies globally.