R&D News & Views - August 2005

Welcome to our new monthly "R&D News & Views" in which we will keep you updated with news about business, science and technology.

The five items for this month are:

1. Skype-phone calls for free
2. Small businesses missing out on support
3. Where to find Support and Development Funding
4. FRST - Current Investment Rounds
5. Catalyst services

1. Skype- phone calls for free

For anyone looking to cut their phone bills we suggest you have a look at Skype (www.Skype.com). We have been using this broad band technology for a while now, and with rare exceptions find it works very well.

The free software is downloaded from the web, and is used with a headset/microphone (purchased from Dick Smith or a similar outlet) on your laptop or PC. The software is very intuitive and easy to use. You can talk to anyone who is running the application in a high quality sound. We have found it particularly useful for conference calls. Skype also sends messages and files, to a connected recipient, faster than email.

A new service called "SkypeOut," launched in July, allows users to buy cheap time (about two cents a minute) and make calls out of the system to regular phone lines.

The development of Skype is intriguing. London-based Skype debuted in August 2003, quickly gaining more than 11 million users, and is currently growing at a rate of about 70,000 users per day. According to the CEO, nearly half of its customers use the service for business purposes. Skype was rumoured to have been approached by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, with a view to purchase, for a reported $2 billion. Skype is seen as having value as it has developed a large user base, a strong brand and first- mover advantage.

2. Small businesses missing out on support

Many small businesses are not using government organisations set up to support them, a Massey University report shows.

The University’s Centre for Small and Medium Enterprise Research interviewed 47 small businesses in the manufacturing and service industries to find out what sort of business assistance they used.

Traditional means of support scored highly: 91% say they receive assistance from accountants, 81% from seminars and training, and 66% from family. However, only 8.5% receive assistance from the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), and 14.8% from NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZT&E).

The report, ‘Family, Friends, and Government Agencies’, also found that many people running small businesses simply lack the time to seek any sort of assistance, either for specific problems or for long-term planning.

The research shows that some small businesses have little understanding of the government assistance available to them, and believe it could come with strings attached. “Some businesses tend to lump all government agencies together,� says Centre Director, Associate Professor Claire Massey, one of the report’s authors.

Claire Massey says government agencies such as NZT&E and the MED offer useful services, but the research shows they need to make greater efforts to reach out to businesses.

‘Family, Friends, and Government Agencies’ is one of a series of reports on small business being carried out by the Centre for SME Research. It can be found at http://sme-centre.massey.ac.nz/SIS%20Summary%20Report.pdf

3. Where to find support and development funding

There are a wide range of funding options for development projects through both NZT&E and Technology New Zealand. We have summarized a range of these below. If you would like further information please contact us.

4. FRST - Current investment rounds

1. The Foundation for Research Science & Technology (FRST) is investing $2.15m annually in research in the portfolio 'Sustaining New Zealand's Economic and Technological Development' from 1 July 2006. Throughout the 2005/2006 financial year FRST is undertaking a process to decide how best to invest these funds. The Foundation is also calling for nominations for the Advisory Group for this investment. You can see more information and the timeline by clicking the following link. SET information
   
   
2. The NZ Science & Technology Post-Doctoral Fellowships are funded by the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Economic Development. There will be two rounds for the NZ Science & Technology Post Doctoral Fellowships in 2005. The second closes on 9 September 2005 at 5pm. See the following link NZ Science & Technology Postdoctoral Fellowships
   
   
3. FRST are now in the process of determining the investment strategy across and within their portfolios. This has involved determining Target Outcomes, (and themes), for each portfolio following consultation with key stakeholders. These are published here as part of the investment strategy for the period 2004/05 to 2010/11. Target Outcomes and Themes-May05 (578kb). This information will form the basis of Requests for Proposals (RFP) for investments in most of these portfolios with funding starting from 1 July 2007. It is expected draft RFPs will be issued late this year for consultation, with the final versions to be issued early in 2006. Further details on this timetable will be issued later this year for each individual RFP.

If you have any queries with regard these please contact us and we will keep you updated with developments in each newsletter.

5. Catalyst services

There are significant research and development funding options available for business with good projects. Many businesses with good ideas aren’t taking advantage of these funding options that may present a significant investment opportunity for them. If you have ideas or projects that need investment to progress them please contact us to explore the funding that may be available.