For immediate release 25 February 2002
KIWI FOUNDERS OF US TECH COMPANIES TO SHARE THEIR WISDOM
Auckland, Feb 25, 2002 - The seventh Technology Investment Forum will present two New Zealand entrepreneurs who have
helped to form multi million dollar technology companies. The speakers will address the topic of starting a US
technology company from a Kiwi perspective.
The forum organised by the Technology Investment Network takes place on March 12 and is aimed at giving technology and
investment communities' a greater understanding of the issues involved in starting successful US technology companies
from a New Zealand perspective.
Keynote Speakers Garth Cooper is Chief Scientific Officer of New Zealand based biotech company Protemix, a research and
development company for diabetes. Cooper is also a cofounder of Amylin Pharmaceuticals. Amylin is a NASDAQ listed
diabetes research company based around the discovery of the peptide hormone Amylin. Amylin's market capitalisation is
over US $700million.
Roger Quayle is Chief Technology Officer of IP Wireless, a company he helped establish in 1999. The company which is a
3G wireless provider has raised more than $US120 million in venture capital from investors including Bay Partners, Doll
Capital, Gabriel; Venture Partners, Oak Hill Capital and the Singapore Government.
"While there has been a lot of focus on supporting innovation in New Zealand the barriers of our size and distance from
major markets remains a major hurdle" says Greg Shanahan, Director, Technology Investment Network. "We want to educate
the industry as to what the issues are and provide solutions to minimize the risk of failure. We are fortunate to be
able to draw on the experience of people like Roger and Garth."
Compaq is pleased to be working with the Forum and to be supporting a process which ensures new ventures continue to
gain an understanding of major overseas markets and gain access to these markets. Regardless of market cycles it is
important to keep moving forward said Todd Irving, Director of eBusiness, Compaq.
END
About the Technology Investment Network
Technology Investment Network formed in 1999 acts as a facilitator of resources and investment in promising New Zealand
technology companies. Its primary activities are the Technology Investment Forums and the Business Accelerator Team. The
Technology Investment Forum held three times a year is designed to elevate the profile of the technology sector and
provide business opportunities for attendees through facilitation of networking opportunities for technology companies,
investors and resource providers. The Business Accelerator Team is an alliance of Technology Investment Network and its
partners Compaq, KPMG and Simpson Grierson. These companies work together to support technology ventures with a package
of services designed to accelerate their growth.
Event Details 2.00pm - 6.30pm Tuesday March 12, 2002 Coast, L7 Hewlett Packard Building Princes Wharf To register please
visit www.itinvestment.com
For more details on the IT Investment Forum please contact
Greg Shanahan Director Technology Investment Network Ph (09) 445 0362 Mob (025) 356 045 Email
gregshanahan@itinvestment.co.nz
Pamela Bonney Public Relations Manager Compaq Computer NZ Ph (09) 918 9278 Mob (021) 914 990 Email
pamela.bonney@compaq.com