{"id":5630,"date":"2021-03-22T06:26:10","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T06:26:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/22\/company-x-teams-with-la-emigre-in-new-waikato-focused-vc-fund\/"},"modified":"2021-03-22T06:26:10","modified_gmt":"2021-03-22T06:26:10","slug":"company-x-teams-with-la-emigre-in-new-waikato-focused-vc-fund","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/22\/company-x-teams-with-la-emigre-in-new-waikato-focused-vc-fund\/","title":{"rendered":"Company-X teams with LA \u00e9migr\u00e9 in new Waikato-focused VC fund"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?rct=j&#038;sa=t&#038;url=https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/article\/687074\/company-x-teams-with-la-emigre-in-new-waikato-focused-vc-fund\/&#038;ct=ga&#038;cd=CAIyHGQzYWQwNmI0YTFiYjA3MmU6Y28udWs6ZW46R0I&#038;usg=AFQjCNGuYahxQfWdKD8QQtJTug8zwG5_HQ\">Company-X teams with LA \u00e9migr\u00e9 in new Waikato-focused VC fund<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"story_images\">\n<figure>\n<p>          <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Rob Vickery (Hillfarrance)\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/techclot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/uWZrI5.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\"><figcaption>\n<p>Rob Vickery (Hillfarrance)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><span class=\"image-license\"><\/p>\n<p>            <span>Credit:  Supplied <\/span><\/p>\n<p>          <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p>Hamilton-based agile software specialist Company-X has invested in a $40 million fund established by Hillfarrance Venture Capital founder and managing partner Rob Vickery.<\/p>\n<p>Vickery immigrated to New Zealand eight weeks ago after a decade in venture capital in Los Angeles, one of the most competitive markets in the world.<\/p>\n<p>He was the founding partner of one of Los Angeles\u2019 most active enterprise software venture funds, Stage Venture Partners, which was launched in 2014.<\/p>\n<p>Vickery said he is aiming to make around 20 investments over the next few years from his future base in the Waikato.<\/p>\n<p>Company-X, which was co-founded by&nbsp;David Hallett and Jeremy Hughes, did not disclose the sum invested.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"brand-post-promo-placeholder-slot\"><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve been working in the start-up space for decades,\u201d Hallett said. \u201cThe issue has always been capital constraint. Most of the people that we&#8217;ve dealt with have sold their houses.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Vickery, who said he appreciated the technical capability offered by the University of Waikato\u2019s Computer Science department, said he preferred to back \u201coutsiders\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe University of Waikato continues to produce hundreds, if not thousands of graduates who are pursuing ideas in the worlds of artificial intelligence and machine learning and this is a major focus of our fund,\u201d Vickery said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are going to come up with some really cool ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"readmore\">\n<div class=\"nocontent\">\n<a class=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/article\/686584\/company-x-recruits-five-time-microsoft-mvp-azure-expert\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/techclot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/9UqRlh.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/a><br \/>\n<span class=\"text\"><strong>Read more<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/article\/686584\/company-x-recruits-five-time-microsoft-mvp-azure-expert\/\">Company-X recruits five-time Microsoft MVP and Azure expert<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>When Company-X was offered the opportunity to support Hillfarrance Venture Capital fund for New Zealand entrepreneurs it was a no brainer, said Hughes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCompany-X has helped US-based Fortune 500 companies with innovation for nearly a decade, and this fund is an opportunity for us to help New Zealand entrepreneurs in the same way,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>By supporting the Hillfarrance fund, he said, investors were also promoting and encouraging Waikato entrepreneurs and the growth of the tech sector in both the region and New Zealand.<\/p>\n<p>The University of Waikato is renowned for producing world-leading technologists, including Google Maps creator Dr Craig Nevill-Manning and co-founder of Google DeepMind Dr Shane Legg.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"readmore\">\n<div class=\"nocontent\">\n<a class=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/article\/684629\/company-x-springs-into-action-trampoline-maker-jumpflex\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/techclot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/CpD2iu.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/a><br \/>\n<span class=\"text\"><strong>Read more<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/article\/684629\/company-x-springs-into-action-trampoline-maker-jumpflex\/\">Company-X springs into action for trampoline-maker Jumpflex<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Vickery has allocated more than a million dollars for investment by highly connected \u201cscouts\u201d with aspirations to become venture capitalists themselves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese people are subject matter experts in a broad range of fields, from biochemistry to blockchain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have already added one Waikato-based scout to the team, Bryn Little, and we look forward to expanding that number soon.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The fund also had the ability to serve Maori and Pasifika entrepreneurial community that had been activated by the Kokiri Accelerator at the Wananga o Aotearoa.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<aside class=\"readmore\">\n<div class=\"nocontent\">\n<a class=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/article\/681805\/company-x-eyes-spending-surge-customers-ramp-up-engagement-efforts\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/techclot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/zXOxjI.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/a><br \/>\n<span class=\"text\"><strong>Read more<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/article\/681805\/company-x-eyes-spending-surge-customers-ramp-up-engagement-efforts\/\">Company-X eyes spending surge as customers ramp up engagement efforts<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>&#8220;I have already funded one start-up Kwotimation, that emerged from the latest cohort and I hope to do many more in the future,&#8221; Vickery said.<\/p>\n<p>An abundance of large corporates in the region, especially in agriculture and logistics, could also provide opportunities to start-ups who are solving problems in their sector.<\/p>\n<p>As well as ICT services, Company-X has been exploring augmented reality and virtual reality applications since it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/article\/663451\/company-x-buys-augmented-vr-specialist-pepper-creative\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">bought<\/a> Pepper Creative in mid-2019.<\/p>\n<div id=\"article_bottom_promo\">\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/article\/687074\/company-x-teams-with-la-emigre-in-new-waikato-focused-vc-fund\/\"><b> <\/b><\/a><br \/>\n\t<br \/><center><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.surveymonkey.com\/r\/2MC3P26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/techclot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/M5pPxX.png?w=280&#038;ssl=1\"  src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/a><br \/>\n<\/center><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"readmore\" id=\"brand-post-in-article-promo\">\n<\/aside>\n<section class=\"art-connect\">\n<div class=\"qs-article_widget\">\n<h3>Join the  newsletter!<\/h3>\n<p>  <!-- <small><\/small> --><\/p>\n<div class=\"qs-message\" id=\"qs-message\">Error: Please check your email address.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"tags\">\n        Tags <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/tag\/venture-capital\/\">Venture capital<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/tag\/vc\/\">VC<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reseller.co.nz\/tag\/company-x_1\/\">Company-X<\/a>\n      <\/p>\n<aside class=\"art-readnext readnext\">\n<h2 class=\"lo-title center\">Read next<\/h2>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Published at Mon, 22 Mar 2021 02:48:45 +0000<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Company-X teams with LA \u00e9migr\u00e9 in new Waikato-focused VC fund Rob Vickery (Hillfarrance) Credit: Supplied&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":5625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-augmented-virtual-reality"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/techclot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/uWZrI5.jpg?fit=729%2C500&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3orZX-1sO","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5630"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5630\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techclot.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}