IT industry needs to 'delve a little deeper'

Amy Adams has encouraged investment in high-tech innovation across New Zealand, asking Kiwi companies within the ICT sector to "delve a little deeper."

Speaking at the NetHui South Conference at Otago University this week, the minister for Communications and IT urged the IT industry to continue their growth across the country and the outer world.

"The ICT industry in New Zealand is more significant than many realise and of course the technology it creates touches on almost every major market segment," Adams said.

"The sector is already worth $20 billion a year, employs 40,000 people, and provides $5 billion in yearly export earnings.

"The recently released TIN100 report shows our companies have increased their combined revenue by 7 per cent over the past 2 years to $7.28 billion, with the 30 ICT companies within that list growing their combined revenue by 9 per cent last year alone.

"If we delve a little deeper, we find that the IT industry is thriving in towns and cities all over the country.

"In Dunedin, for example, there are already more than 160 IT firms in the city, and last year, the average IT employee created $142,000 in GDP for the city."

Digital Strategies

Adams praised both Dunedin and Otago for creating their own Digital Strategies, believing such actions to be the key to growth within the market.

"Like many parts of New Zealand, it is great to see that Dunedin and the Otago region have created their own Digital Strategies to help keep the industry growing and ensure their residents are well positioned to maximise the potential of high speed connectivity," she said.

"I am also encouraged by plans in both Christchurch and Dunedin for investment in high-tech innovation through the creation of ICT hubs.

"These hubs have the potential to become technology meccas, supporting local ICT start-ups and attracting IT innovation looking to capitalise on the symbiosis of mass location.

"While Auckland and Wellington may be seen by some as the heart of our high-tech sectors, the truth is the South Island showcases some of New Zealand’s best ICT talent and innovation, and I just want to take a moment to mention just two of the many successes, from global success stories to community-led innovation."

Big Data Revolution

"Looking to the future can I also mention what has been called the Big Data Revolution," Adams said.

"It has been said that the next generation of scientific discovery will be data-driven discovery, as previously unrecognised patterns are discovered by analysing massive data sets.

"The world already creates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every single day, and I fully expect to see New Zealand firms at the forefront of the new industries that capitalise on this big data revolution."

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