Emerging from the non-visible community

Today we saw an announcement that Optimizer HQ has raised $4 million from local and offshore investors. They are apparently considering an IPO, but needed cash to tide them over for the next few months.

For me Optimizer HQ, who have 60 staff here and offshore, comes out of nowhere, from the non-aligned community or non visible community in the diagram below.

I know very little about them aside from what I can read on their websites, but it’s yet another sign that the number and size of the early stage and growth companies in the innovation sector is a lot bigger than anyone has yet recorded. The NZ Young Company Index, which VIF reports, records around $36 million of investment goes into the sector each year. My own belief is that substantially more than that is being invested, and that there is also even more substantial pent up demand from quality companies.