Exploring new digital business opportunities and models
Internet users are hungry for content and applications – for entertainment, to improve business productivity and to make communication and collaboration easier. New Zealanders can lead the world in creating high-value content. There is strong support from firms, researchers, economic development agencies, local authorities, training providers and government agencies for a New Zealand Digital Content Innovation Cluster. This will encourage collaboration and networking, and support specific projects from leading firms, researchers and educational institutes. It will boost local production of broadband applications in areas such as e-learning, e-health and online gaming, helping to drive demand for widespread broadband connection.
Digital connectivity improves access to knowledge about international markets. It creates faster, cheaper connections to customers and suppliers, and new sales and marketing channels that are independent of distance. Taking strategic positions in international value chains, once the preserve of large companies, is now within the grasp of capable and nimble New Zealand firms.
The Growth Services Fund, and other New Zealand Trade and Enterprise initiatives, such as the Beachheads Networking and Mentoring Programme, provide tailored support for high-potential firms, including firms that sell digital content or applications, to engage with international markets and increase global connectedness. Such support could range from planning and executing a strategy for entering a new market, to enhancing management capability to plan for and pursue internationalisation.
Digital firms in New Zealand can face difficulties accessing finance to support expansion into offshore markets. This is being addressed through programmes such as the Seed Co-investment Fund, the Venture Investment Fund and the Large Budget Screen Production Grant.
Case studies about digital business, e-research and using digital technologies to increase workplace productivity.