A self confessed technophobe? Surely not, but that's how Ian Taylor, inventor, entrepreneur, and CEO of Dunedin-based Animation Research, describes himself. I guess it's all relative. Ian's team at Animation Research certainly know their way around a computer! They've done some amazing work in TV and sports graphics, enhancing our understanding and enjoyment of sports such as cricket, golf, Formula One racing, and of course, sailing. Finally I've started to (sort of) understand the America's Cup thanks to them.

I heard Ian speak at the Priority One AGM back in November. If you ever get the chance to hear him speak I would recommend it. He's a great story teller and a very high achiever, with an interesting and diverse background - from law graduate, to rock band front man, to TV host, and now, internationally celebrated IT entrepreneur.

Ian's most highly publicised successes have come from the establishment of Animation Research, which is internationally renowned in the computer animation field. Animation Research first developed graphics for the America’s Cup in the 1990s and has continued to lead the world with its technology ever since. Ian quips that their start-up strategy was, "How do we use this technology to get to all the best sports for free?" Nice.

The highlight for me listening to Ian speak was hearing about his true entrepreneurial spirit. He sees opportunities and goes for it. Ian's key message was to follow your dreams. Dreams (and big picture strategy) are important. If you don't have dreams, when the opportunity shows itself, you won't see it. And you must add to this a sense of urgency. Ian says his company motto is, "Bugger the boxing, pour the concrete anyway" or "No need to Hui, let’s just doee". This ability to act and implement fast on a great idea seems to be the secret of Animation Research's impressive success.

To do this you must believe in yourself and the people around you. Ian said, surround yourself with good people and fear nothing. He's also a big believer in paying it forward. The company had produced graphics of Brisbane for the Ashes cricket series. Australia's Nine Network saw these, and when Brisbane flooded in January 2011, they contacted Ian, asking if his graphics could be flooded to demonstrate the catastrophe on the news. Ian said he didn't know whether this could be done, but he'd make a call and get back to them. He called one of the developers who wasn’t sure either but would try a few things. Ian then boarded a plane from Dunedin to Christchurch. By the time he checked his email at Christchurch Airport, the developer had sent screen shots of the Brisbane flooding to Nine Network. "I was thinking, 'Great, maybe we can do something within a week of moving graphics.' But when I got back to Dunedin, there was a phone call from the network saying 'thanks for the graphics and they will be on television tonight'." The only change that had to be made was the depth of the water which was about a metre too high in the first graphic.

They didn't get paid for this, but by chance someone from Rio Tinto saw the work and contacted Animation Research, asking if they could model Rio Tinto's mines for different scenarios. For this job they were paid well. They also had a new product line - visualising infrastructure. Ian maintains you can't write a business plan for that switch, but it seems by seizing the opportunity and reacting fast, anything's possible.

Ian is passionate about promoting New Zealand’s leading-edge technology, as he says, "Taking on the world from the bottom of the world." Ian is also believer in doing it from the regions. On the world stage, no one cares about what city you come from, they just care that you come from NZ. He makes a good point there; this is possibly one of the reasons Priority One asked him to speak at their AGM. He thinks we need to strengthen the regions, rather than focus on Auckland.

As a marker of his entrepreneurial self, Ian proposed to the audience his idea of using the MMP System and creating a Regional Party to drive regional strategy with representatives from multiple regions. This, he maintains, could give the regions a voice and reduce fighting between regions. He threw the idea out there for someone to take up. Look out for it soon...

Ian Taylor is a true entrepreneur. He says his team are making technology do what it wasn't supposed to do. He gives a great case for how big picture vision, great ideas, self belief, smart people, strong teams, and crucially, speed can build success, regardless of location. Ian's final note to the audience: Is technology killing the tyranny of distance? Yeah right! Last year Ian travelled quarter of the way to the moon on business, and he had the animated graphic to prove it!

Animation Research's graphics of a flooded Brisbane:

Top Photo: Animation Research Ltd chief executive Ian Taylor in his Dunedin office with a 3-D image of the Forsyth Barr Stadium. Photo by Linda Robertson. © Otago Daily Times, All Rights Reserved