Background
Encounter Solutions(external link) delivers affordable wireless sensor networks and applications specifically designed to address the challenges associated with truly remote landscapes.
Encounter Solutions has deployed Celium™ networks in challenging remote environments internationally and across New Zealand. They've also had projects funded by National Geographic.
Applications cover:
- wildlife management,
- dam and geotechnical instrumentation,
- slope stability monitoring,
- farm monitoring,
- and environmental data acquisition.
Encounter Solutions’ Celium network has gained international recognition as a leading system for monitoring predator control traps in remote areas. By way of a New Zealand example, the Aspiring Biodiversity Trust is using Celium to help protect Pīwauwau and the South Island rock wren within the Castalia and Crucible alpine basins of Mt Aspiring National Park.
Celium remote monitoring provides Aspiring Biodiversity Trust(external link) with a means of rationalising its trap servicing resources and mitigating safety issues in its alpine predator control programme.
Opportunity
Encounter Solutions and Catalyst built a relationship based on mutual respect for each other's efforts.
- Encounter Solutions' passion for helping protect the wildlife of New Zealand and other countries.
- Catalyst’s investment in open source software and developing New Zealand’s first dedicated Cloud instance. Including the first Kiwi Managed Database Service(external link).
As a growing lean startup, Encounter Solutions focuses heavily on core product development, "in the field" hardware configuration and deployment. Partnering with Catalyst provided the opportunity to ensure digital platforms and infrastructure meet customer and business needs.
Catalyst was engaged to simplify and streamline Encounter Solutions’ digital platforms and assist with application changes and infrastructure management. As a small business focusing on innovation, it was important for the team to retain:
- the flexibility of wireless sensor networks that have an almost endless application. The ability to pivot is key to business growth.
- involvement in and ownership of technology decision-making. Innovators, by nature, think outside the box. With time a precious commodity, it is important to remain involved at the right level so there are no surprises.
Solution
Partnering with Catalyst enables Encounter Solutions to tap into years of experience working with software and development life cycles. Plus, outsourcing aspects of the software implementation and infrastructure management that, while critical, were not a key component of the core product.
Catalyst initially worked with Encounter Solutions over some months to consolidate their:
- hosting infrastructure,
- website and client portal(s),
- maintain their mobile application,
- and work through aspects of alerting and notifications.
This engagement culminated in an ongoing relationship, with Catalyst providing continued operational support of Encounter Solutions' cloud server infrastructure.
Catalyst and Encounter Solutions remain great fans of each other's efforts - Kiwis supporting Kiwi innovators (to save Kiwis).
