Mobiletech 2017 - A Glimpse Into The Future
06/04/2017
Cucumber recently sponsored the MobileTech 2017 conference in Rotorua. It was the 5th time the event had been run and it's clear why this is becoming such a popular event on the calendar. Over 300 attendees across 2 days with over 40 presentations covering new technology products and services in the primary sector.
The overarching theme for 2017 was (unsurprisingly) innovation through technology primarily in the farming, horticulture, forestry and logistics sectors. There was indeed a great international flavour to this event too with companies and presentations from Australia, Ireland and the USA involved.
A main theme was the growing demand for healthy food which subsequently focused on capturing data and aggregating this to provide insights. Underpinning this theme were conversations and presentations around new rural connectivity solutions, the increase in the use of Industrial Internet of Things, both from a platform and product perspective, data capture tools and analysis via mobility and cloud solutions and the increasing use of drone technology especially in combination with GIS spatial solutions and tracking systems.
An area that was particularly highlighted during the conference was visibility of the supply chain to gain consumer and market trust and I think this applies across all sectors but particularly in the area of food safety and health. The authenticity of your story determines whether it will survive long enough for the message to spread. Visible and accessible information about the supply chain gives that assurance to support the story. This is where the innovations in technology across the supply chain are key to be able to understand trends in consumer demand, capture data, track products, monitor quality, benchmark with the best and respond quickly to change, this capability will make a huge difference to NZ on the international stage.
The population of the world is growing but it’s also becoming increasingly aware and interested in how products are created, transported, prepared and presented. Security and welfare have a lot to do with this but so does the rise of the middle classes especially across the Asian continent and the brand conscious consumer wanting to express themselves with new found income streams.
New Zealand has a fantastic opportunity based on its environment, existing skilled workforce, quality systems and willingness to do business and trade internationally. Innovations in multiple technology streams are coming together in a nexus of forces which will have a massive part to play in New Zealand’s prosperity in the coming years.
I am pleased to say that Cucumber and our home city of Tauranga is right in the heart of these trends and willing to play its part. We would love to be part of your journey if you are keen to talk further.
Written by Ian Gray