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In this Issue:
NEWS
UoA Business School Entrepreneurs' Challenge
Bayer Innovator Awards
Food Innovation Centre
Fisher & Paykel unveils 'revolutionary' fridge technology
Global reach far beyond the Kiwi pie
NZ Food Award entries high in number, quality
1233 new business ideas on offer
EVENTS - Upcoming
Next PDMA-NZ Events
LFPD - Learning First Product Development
New Zealand International Business Awards 2010
Best Design Awards
BLOG
What’s the latest on PDMA?
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Issue 9 - September 2010
Hi everyone
You may have seen in the media recently a New Zealand company, Rex Bionics, and its invention, the world’s first exoskeleton robotic legs. We are excited to announce that Richard Little, Founder & Chief Technology Officer of Rex Bionics, will be presenting at our next networking event to be held on Wednesday 6th October. This will be held in Auckland, but if you are in Hamilton, there is a group of people who are interested in attending this event (in person or remotely from a venue in Hamilton).
We are also looking at establishing a chapter of PDMA-NZ in the Bay of Plenty – the launch event is being held on uesday 5th of October in Tauranga. So if you are in the Bay of Plenty region and are interested in production innovation, join us and network with a range of people from companies such as Zespri, Scion, FIL, Comvita and Ballance.
Scroll down to find out more about these events and as usual, you will also find a variety of interesting product innovation news and other events.
PDMA-NZ team
The University of Auckland Business School Entrepreneurs' Challenge
 The finalists for the 2010 Entrepreneurs’ Challenge have been announced.
Click here to continue reading.
 Winners of this year’s Awards were announced at the Hyatt Regency, Auckland, on Tuesday 24 August 2010.
Click here to continue reading.
“An exciting investment in the future of Auckland’s economy,” is how Michael Barnett describes the announcement last week that the Government will support the development of a Food Innovation Centre in Manukau as part of a national Food Innovation New Zealand (FINZ) network.
Click here to continue reading
Fisher & Paykel unveils 'revolutionary' fridge technology
 After 17 years of top-secret product development, Fisher & Paykel Appliances today unveiled what it says is a major "step change" in refrigeration technology.
Stuart Broadhurst, chief executive of F&P Appliances, says its new compressor technology could become as important to refrigeration as the electric car engine is to the automotive industry.
Click here and here to continue reading.
Global reach far beyond the Kiwi pie
One doubts Annie Millar would have considered the cafe and bakery she set up in Invercargill in the 1900s would evolve into the Southern Hemisphere's leading pastry manufacturer.
But a commitment to never standing still has served Quality Foods Southland well during its 110-year history, which it celebrated this month.
From its Invercargill base QFS now exports to at least eight different countries and earns around $25 million annual export revenue, making it one of the top 350 New Zealand exporters
Click here to continue reading
NZ Food Award entries high in number, quality
A record number of entries have been received for this year’s New Zealand Food Awards.
The awards, in association with Massey University, will identify the best food products, with categories from dairy products and convenience to food business.
Almost 80 products and innovations were put forward for consideration by Friday’s deadline.
Head of the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health Professor Richard Archer says the number and quality of entries is representative of the growing levels of innovation in the New Zealand food industry.
Click here to continue reading
1233 new business ideas on offer
 1233 bright business ideas poured out of the Wellington region in the inaugural Bright Ideas Challenge.
“It is official, the Wellington region is a bright spot of innovation” says Nigel Kirkpatrick, CEO of Grow Wellington.
“We were incredibly impressed with the calibre of ideas entered. We knew there were great ideas out there but we have been overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of them. We received all stages of ideas, including dynamic initial ideas, ideas at research and development, prototype, or pilot and revenue generating stages.”
Click here to continue reading
PDMA-NZ Networking Events
Auckland - 6th October
 Richard Little, Founder & Chief Technology Officer of Rex Bionics, will provide an outline of the development of Rex, the world’s first exoskeleton robotic legs, that enable people in wheelchairs to get up and walk on their own. It is a fascinating story of two sides; the dream and the reality.
This will be held in Auckland, but if you are in Hamilton, there is a group of people who are interested in attending this event (in person or remotely from a venue in Hamilton).
Click here to find out more and register.
Tauranga - 5th October
 Based in the Bay of Plenty and interested in networking with other innovators in that region and the wider PDMA-NZ? There is an event being held in Tauranga on the 5th of October to launch this group. There will be complimentary wine, cheese and a presentation from David Stokes to talk about PDMA-NZ, what we have done to date and its plans going forward.
Click here to find out more and register.
LFPD - Learning First Product Development
A number of you attended the PDMA-NZ networking event held November last year and heard Colin Gilchrist talk about the benefits Fisher & Paykel Appliances had gained from adopting LFPD (Learning First Product Development).
Colin is looking at bringing Mike Kennedy, one of the key people behind the development of LFPD, to New Zealand in February next year for a public presentation, as well as dedicated in-house workshops / presentations for those companies interested.
If you would like to find out more about this or register your interest, you can contact Colin ( colin@lfpd.co.nz).
New Zealand International Business Awards 2010
 The New Zealand International Business Awards celebrate New Zealand business success in the world and recognise professional excellence and innovative practice.
Twenty-five companies and five business leaders are finalists in this year’s Awards. The finalists are from around New Zealand and operate in a range of industries, including food production, biotechnology, engineering, apparel, consulting, and technology.
Winners of each of the nine categories, as well as the 2010 Supreme Winner, will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on 13 October in Auckland.
Click here for further details.
The Best Design Awards is a collection of creative excellence for designers and their clients. The Presentation Dinner and Award Ceremony on Friday the 1st of October at Sky City Convention Centre in Auckland.
Click here for further details.
What’s the latest on PDMA? Allan Anderson is working on initiatives with PDMA global and has provided an update
We're only young, but we're growing and enthusiastic. Becoming a member of the PDMA (Product Development & Management Association of New Zealand) entitles members to a range of benefits including:
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favourable rates for overseas conferences and meetings of the international PDMA
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subscription to Vision magazine, an international quarterly featuring case studies
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networking with professionals and developers who will share your experiences
For more details, check out the membership page on our website: www.pdma-nz.org.
Product Development & Management Association of New Zealand (PDMA-NZ)
c\o Massey University
Private Bag 102 904
North Shore Mail Centre
Auckland, New Zealand
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