Touchpoint receives research grant to further develop unified messaging technology.

29 Apr 2002


Auckland based Touchpoint Limited has received a $60,000 research grant to further develop the unified messaging technology used within the core of its marketing automation products.

The grant has been made as part of the Grants for Private Sector Research and Development (GPSRD), a government scheme introduced in June 2000 with the intention of increasing the level of private sector investment in research and development in New Zealand.

The 12-month grant will pay for a third of the proposed $180,000 research programme that Touchpoint will carry out, to further extend the technology within the proprietary Digital Communications Switch component used at the core of its products.

"We are delighted that the importance of this research into practical Unified Messaging has been recognised in this very positive way, says Steve Shearman, Managing Director of Touchpoint.

"The grant allows us allocate additional resources towards this research, and its successful completion will result in new products being brought to market quicker, as well as eventually providing new opportunities outside of our current markets."

Potential applications for the resulting technology will allow systems to communicate (with people or other applications) via multiple channels without requiring any prior knowledge of the specific channels the messages will be delivered over.

For example accounts software that will not only generate invoices, but also deliver them via Fax, Email or Post through a single network service provider. In this scenario the receiver or network, and not the sender/application may determine the actual channel for delivery. This approach to messaging potentially provides for huge savings for companies in post, print and data entry costs, as well as giving end consumers more control over how they wish to receive communications.

According to Steve Shearman, the award is a great boost for the development team after two successful years of developing the technology behind the current products.
Although Technology New Zealand awards a number of grants for research in the areas of biotechnology, manufacturing and telecommunications, grants for software related research are harder to qualify for due to the strict definitions of research when applied to software.

"We're thrilled to have been awarded funding towards this research, and are looking forward to the day we make the resulting technology available our customers in New Zealand and Overseas."

About Touchpoint
Touchpoint Limited is an independent New Zealand-owned company that develops and provides digital marketing tools and solutions. Driven by a group of online marketing and technology experts, Touchpoint helps businesses build closer, more profitable customer relationships by taking advantage of new and emerging digital channels, including email, SMS text-messaging, interactive TV, and the Web.

For more information please contact:
Steve Shearman
Touchpoint Limited
64 9 353 6870