Software masters link up to design firm with big dreams

By PAUL BRISLEN

Two of New Zealand's highest flying software entrepreneurs have hooked up with 5-year-old Auckland company Straker Interactive, which hopes to be the next big thing.

The duo are John Skeates and Peter Maire.

Skeates was president of software security firm Marshal Software, which was sold to Texas-based NetIQ for US$23 million in 2002.

Maire sold his satellite navigation company Navman to US marine giant Brunswick for $108.5 million.

Their new interest has 20 staff at its Queen St office, another three in the UK, and up to $3 million in annual revenue.

Straker Interactive designs software that runs some of the world's busiest websites, automating key tasks. Its latest customer is Comic Relief UK.

In a deal done last week, Skeates will take a seat on the company's board, which previously consisted of founder and chief technical officer Grant Straker and his partner and chief executive, Merryn Goble.

Maire will take an advisory role.

The pair will also put in an undisclosed amount of cash.

Straker started the company in 1999 after serving as a paratrooper in the British Army, studying mechanical engineering and then moving into software development.

He saw a market for software to help non-technical staff manage websites and developed the company from home.

Straker said input from Skeates and Maire had already proven invaluable.

"They've done a lot of the things we want to do so it's great to have them on board.

"It's all been done in a very Kiwi manner - we met, had coffee and shook hands."

The ambition is to hit $100 million in revenue.

"These guys know how to pick winners and, ultimately, that's something we want to be part of."

Straker Interactive