MEA Mobile Selected as Yale Entrepreneurial Institute Corporate Partner Leading Technology Vendor MEA Mobile to Assist YEI Startups

Auckland, New Zealand -5 March 2013- Leading interactive agency and software developer MEA Mobile is proud to announce its corporate partnership with the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute. MEA Mobile will work with select Yale Entrepreneurial Institute portfolio companies to expedite the technology development of new startups. “Today, all new businesses have a technology component. Leveraging our infrastructure will allow portfolio companies to rapidly develop and scale the tech side of their businesses,” says Bruce Seymour, Managing Director of MEA Mobile. “From an online presence, to social marketing, to rapid prototyping of cutting edge mobile tech; we’re here to help.”

Young companies now have a trusted resource versus developing code in house or outsourcing overseas. “The technology side of a startup can be challenging,” says Alena Gribskov, Program Director at the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute. “We are excited to work with MEA Mobile as the company has a great, proven track record enabling startups.” MEA Mobile is actively engaged with a broad range of startups globally from service organizations to security firms.

The Yale Entrepreneurial Institute helps develop and fund innovative student-led ventures with compelling business propositions. As a key benefit to Yale student entrepreneurs, YEI annually enlists a select number of companies who serve as YEI Corporate Partners. These partners are recruited to afford YEI student entrepreneurs access to business expertise. Other corporate partners include Wiggan & Dana, Baily, Murphy & Scarano, Shipman & Goodman and the Silverman Group.

MEA Mobile is a software vendor specializing in mobile technology. The company offers contract development services for iPhone, Android, Windows 8, and HTML5 in addition to backend cloud development, and mobile web. The company is actively expanding with offices in New Haven Connecticut as well as in Auckland and Hamilton, New Zealand. Additional information is available at: http://www.meamobile.com

New Zealand’s first professional training programme for would-be iOS App developers starts in Hamilton on 3rd December.

NZ’s most prolific Apps company MEA Mobile best known globally for developing iSupr8 have partnered with Prima Learning Ltd, to open the country’s first APP school, entirely dedicated to app development.

“One rationale for starting New Zealand’s first app development school with Prima is because MEA Mobile, along with other commercial outfits in this field, can not find enough experienced people to fill the roles available” Says EA
Mobile Director, Rodney MacFarlane.

Stats released last week show NZ’s unemployment rates at record highs yet companies such as MEA Mobile have roles available but not enough proficient App programmers to fill them. “App School bridges this gap perfectly”, says Mr MacFarlane.

New Zealand is a long way behind in providing opportunities to train and up skill on one of the world’s major technologies – Apple applications,” said Prima’s General Manager, Wayne Lim. “To date there have been no comprehensive training courses in New Zealand for people to acquire the skills of app development”.

“So, while some good apps have been developed in New Zealand, there is a serious lack of capability which means there are some great career opportunities for people who are interested in this technology.

He said that app developers working in New Zealand have taken the time off work and gone overseas to teach themselves or learned their skills working overseas.

“There are training courses in most aspects of ICT but apps are a whole new game – and it’s a game that has become a massive worldwide industry that as a country we should be more active in,” said Mr Lim.

“Apps are today’s toolkit for everything, he says. Ignoring apps is no longer an option and while app strategy is highly dependent on the type of business, the importance of optimising websites for iPhone is now universal. “From many global studies, users are much more likely to purchase using their phone” he continues.

“There are over 5 billion mobile phones in the world. Of those 1 billion are smartphones and that’s increasing by 1 million users every day,” said Mr Lim.

And the smartphone market is only part of the total app market. iPads and other tablet computers are also app based and the market for those is just beginning to explode.

Mr Lim said the course was structured primarily for people who were already familiar with computer coding technologies and who want to expand their skills or move into new jobs in app development.

“There is a real shortage of people with these skills in this country.”

“The students on the 9 week course will create one or more apps ready for the market,” Mr Lim said. “They will have the support of MEA Mobile to give them real world experience of app development right through to making it
available in the iTunes App Store.”

The 9 week full time course course runs through to February 2013. “The timing allows interested University/Institute of Technology students and staff to attend the course outside of their other study or work commitments” says Wayne. “The course also targets the commercial industry where employers struggle to find a reputable Apps training programme without having to send staff overseas” he continues.

The course will be based on the iPhone and iPad operating system, iOS.

Mr Lim said the course, which costs $6,500, had to be self-funding as there is currently no Government money available to support it.

“The job market for people with the coding skills needed to build apps is pretty strong at the moment,” he said. “Anybody who is looking for a future career in this field really needs to have skills in app development. It is the way of the future, and this is an opportunity to learn from experienced professionals in a short period of time.”

Mr Lim is anticipating an exciting future for the iOS course in app development, and similar courses in the Android and Microsoft platforms are being considered for 2013.

“The demand is certainly there for people who have the skills. Now we can move into filling those demands”

The course is still open for enrolments. To register or for more information go to www.appschool.co.nz or call 0508 532 764.

- ends -

For further information contact Wayne Lim
Ph: 0212433643
E: wayne.lim@primagroup.co.nz
Media contact:
Soteria Ieremia
MEA Mobile
027 282 5571

Auckland, New Zealand – 28 June 2011

Macfarlane Engel and Associates’ investee company MEA Mobile announces partnership with Too Hard Basket.

Two boutique companies in the emerging technologies market, MEA Mobile and Too Hard Basket, have combined resources to extend their capabilities in the field.

MEA Mobile is an innovative developer of mobile technologies with offices in Auckland, Hamilton and New Haven, CT in the United States and is a subsidiary of IP company Macfarlane Engel and Associates (MEA). Too Hard Basket is a software development company based in Dunedin.

MEA Principal, Rory MacGillycuddy, says that the venture aims to take advantage of the rapidly growing global mobile market.

“Mobile is the future,” Mr MacGillycuddy said. “Its development over the last two to three years is phenomenal and presents unlimited opportunities for highly adaptable organisations like ours.”

“Most importantly it offers a rapidly growing global market across its various platforms – and it is a market about which we have considerable knowledge.”

Mr MacGillycuddy says that Too Hard Basket employs some very exciting coding talent.

“We each have a different skills set which together will help us to drive those opportunities harder and faster,” he said. “That’s why we’re absolutely thrilled to formalise this as an ongoing relationship.”

MEA Mobile develops software for mobiles on a contract basis for clients as well as developing its own technologies. The company has developed a long list of mobile application products which include: iGloLEDset, a WiFi controllable set of LED lights; iSupr8, a professional grade Super 8mm video filter for the iPhone and iPad 2; and ZipPic, a simplified picture sharing utility for Email, Facebook, Twitter and other social media services.

Managing Director of Too Hard Basket, Evan Sunley James, says the partnership will focus his team on the development of breakout products for the world’s best mobile platforms.

“We are excited about vast possibilities in the emerging mobile market and we’re confident the expertise and resources of MEA Mobile will play a vital role in our future expansion.”

“We’ve seen a number of New Zealand companies who have developed world-leading technologies in particular market niches like Weta’s digital animation capabilities and Animation Research’s real-time digitised sports coverage.”

“That’s where we see a future in mobile technology.”

MEA Mobile is developing a portfolio of niche applications which is attracting a loyal New York following. The company recently developed an app for Brooklyn based graffiti artist and founder of the legendary clothing design studio Subware, Stash. Clients also include MTV Press, underwater HD pioneer, Air Sea Land, and audio specialist TRTV.

“MEA Mobile have a number of stealth projects currently under development. The best is to yet come” said Mr. MacGillycuddy.

For further information contact:
Rory MacGillycuddy
Ph: +64 7 929 4525
r.macgillycuddy@macfarlaneengel.com

http://www.meamobile.com

About MEA Mobile:
MEA Mobile innovates on the Apple iOS, Google Android and Facebook platforms. The company’s breakthrough products include: iSupr8, a professional grade Super 8 mm video filter app for the iPhone and iPad2; iGloLEDset, WiFi controllable LED lights available for Apple iOS and Google Android. MEA Mobile is actively expanding with offices in New Haven, Connecticut and Auckland, New Zealand.

About Too Hard Basket
The Too Hard Basket is a privately held software development agency based in Dunedin, New Zealand. The company specializes in simple, elegant solutions for web and mobile development problems. If you’ve got a tough problem, throw it in the Too Hard Basket!

source: ReadWriteHACK