Potential Partners
From TurboCASH Wiki
Potential Partners
All large companies have a need for Open Source, but sometimes it takes people like us to go around there and explain it to them. On transactions that involve tax base I have found that larger companies are easier to deal with. It takes a fair degree of financial sophistication to understand what The aim of these allowances is. Although it is easier to get access to smaller companies, they are really suspicious of tax allowances and it is much easier to deal with the tax departments of the larger companies.
Any JSE Company or tax paying subsidiary of an international company is our potential partner. What we have to do is marry the correct partner to the correct project and Viola showtime!
I have followed the news and JSE reports and collected a set of press releases that I think bring us to potential partners. What we are looking for is companies with astute Financial Directors (Usually a given) that have some understanding of what the Open Source revolution brings to South Africa. I have found that dealing with these companies is much easier if introduced by a trusted associate. If you are able to introduce me to these players, we will be able to work out a course of development that will benefit all of us.
The companies listed here are not active participants in this web site. They are rather a who's who of the IT and Media public companies. I have taken Press release clips of companies that should be interested in the technology sector. These should not be construed as any way presenting these companies as participants, but merely should show the type of companies that we are looking for as partners.
Lizards and Agents
Do not feel that if you are not a developer or a tax paying investor that there is not a role for you in these projects.
It requires work and effort to put these research investments into place. It takes an understanding of the needs of the Tax Paying Investors and takes time to explain the benefits of the technology. All technologies are complex. We are dealing here with new and non-obvious research. There is always a risk to it.
We are happy to include intermediaries in these transactions. Up front it should be said that Commisssion and marketing expenses do not qualify for the Research Allowances, therefore they are not attractive payments for investors to make. What makes this really viable is if you have a research input that we can use in these projects.
The aim of the ACT and the intention of the members of this site is to engage in cutting edge research that will bring us really high returns. They should be viewed as high risk investments.
Government
DST
[ Johannesburg, 28 May 2007 ] - Research and development (R&D) spend in SA is on the rise, says the Department of Science and Technology (DST). more ..
Training
South Africa is low on high quality Research Skills. This is particularly relevant in Software development. It is my experience that the brain drain to the US, UK and Australia is particularly damaging to our industry. Training developers will be a vital part of getting these projects moving. We will require skills that can facilitate the optimal output of our developers in as short a time as possible.
Investor Profile
As an investor, you can :
- Invest in research in you own business. If you do have research products that fall into the category of Original and Non obviuos and computer software then you are immediately able to carry on with what you are doing and get the allowance benefits. Copyright works, marketing programs and creating of internal business processes do not qualify for the allowances,
- Invest in a Commercial product These R&D allowances are not restricted to Open Source projects. You are Free to invest in highly commercial ventures. We do provide a number of these here on this site. However we do specialise in Open Source. We give consideration as to how this can be incorporated to our advantage. A powerful aspect of this legislation, is that is does nto require ownership of theIP to make the deductiosn. So royalty strucutres and partenerships can easily be contructed to allow mulitple investment parties.
- Invest in a Open Source product If you have a use for the final output of one of these projects, it is a prime motivator from a profit perspective. The deal is particularlry sweet if you have a vital input that you can provide the project. Do not write off Open Source as a business. There are many profit making ideas in and around the Open Source industry, it is free as in liberty not as in charity.
- Invest in the TurboCASH Partnership TurboCASH is one of the few global open Source projects originating form Soouth Africa. TurboCASH is a facilitator, a platform for many of the Open Source and commercial projects to run from. By keeping TurboCASH Free along with the upstreaming benefits we get from the other major world OS projects, we create the opportunities for many subprojecgts and downstream projects to thrive. If short term shareholder wealth maximization is your goal, you should invest in one of the sub projects. Joining the TurboCASH partnership is open only to individuals and strictly by invitation only. Whereas investment returns are important to us at TurboCASH, they cannot be compromised by short term profit conserations. We therefore restrict ownership to individuals who share the vision of a free software world. We will make long term decisions that would not fit into the classic line of thinking of shareholders.
Accenture
[ Johannesburg, 19 June 2007 ] - Accenture SA is stepping up its fight for local IT consulting and services market share as its parent sets aside R1.75 billion for technology consulting capabilities. more..
Altech
Johannesburg, 23 April 2007 - JSE-listed technology group Altech is preparing to tap into the “unlimited” sub-Saharan African broadband market, having concluded a technology and distribution agreement with US-based CityNet Wireless. more..
Johannesburg, 24 April 2007 - Altech has reported revenue growth of 12%, reaching R6.78 billion, in its audited results for the year to end February 2007, released this morning. more ..
Axis
Bytes Technologies
Johannesburg, 25 April 2007 - JSE-listed IT company Bytes Technology Group delivered solid results for the year ended 28 February. This is despite costs related to the disposal of a loss-producing UK subsidiary and once-off tax costs. more ..
Datatec
Johannesburg, 3 May 2007 ] - Datatec this morning said its March trading update of higher earnings was too conservative and warned that it is changing its accounting practices. more..
Dimension Data
Internet Solutions [ Johannesburg, 3 May 2007 ] - WiMax deployments are speeding ahead in SA, with Internet service provider MWeb the latest to join the fray, as companies scramble to take advantage of the technology's benefits. more..
Drive Control
IBM SA
The person mentioned in the press regarding Open Source at IBM is Joe Ruthven - Business Development Manager: Linux, Open Standards, SOA. joer @ za.ibm.com
IBM has Linux Competency Centres at Wits and UCT.
Media 24
MWeb[ Johannesburg, 3 May 2007 ] - WiMax deployments are speeding ahead in SA, with Internet service provider MWeb the latest to join the fray, as companies scramble to take advantage of the technology's benefits. more..
J&J Group
[ Johannesburg, 21 May 2007 ] - The J&J Group has exercised its option to acquire additional shares in JSE-listed IT solutions and services company Faritec. more...
Microsoft
[ Johannesburg, 2 May 2007 ] - Microsoft has come under fire from some quarters following the expansion of its Unlimited Potential initiative, which aims to bring technology to the five billion humans who have yet to encounter it. more..
Mustek
JSE-listed hardware company Mustek, which is trading under cautionary, expects to make an announcement regarding black economic empowerment.
Releasing its interim results to end-December after the market closed yesterday, the company reported an increase in revenue, but a decrease in net profit. Mustek says it earned R1.57 billion from continuing operations in the six months to end-December, an increase of 8.28% over the year ago figure of R1.45 billion.
However, despite the revenue growth, the company's pre-tax profit moved down to R66.5 million from R69 million, and net profit dropped 5.46%, to R52.15 million from R55.16 million. Headline earnings per share - on an undiluted basis - from continuing operations came in at 40.57c, compared to 47.24c. Earnings per share also lost ground, moving to 40.25c from 47.24c. more..
Nokia
SA is on the verge of leading African business in the adoption of a wider variety of mobile applications and services, says Nokia more ..
Royal Bafokeng Holdings
Royal Bafokeng Holdings, the investment arm of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, has increased its stake in MB Technologies (MBT), Tarsus Distibution, from an initial 26%, after the competition authorities recently gave it the go-ahead to buy out minority shareholders in the distribution company. more..
[ Johannesburg, 19 October 2007 ] - MB Technologies has launched a financial services business aimed at the specific needs of the reseller channel. more..
Saab Grintek
[ Johannesburg, 26 April 2007 ] - Fixed-line utility Telkom has moved a step closer to implementing its R30 billion next-generation network (NGN) by starting deployment of its WiMax network – the first commercial WiMax network in the country. - awardd to Saab Grintek more..
Wi Max licencees are Saab Grintek (Telkom), Internet Solutions, MWeb, Autopage - These guys are all going to need distributed applications to fill theor networks.
SAP
[ Cape Town | ITWeb, 15 October 2007 ] - Hasso Plattner, one of the founders of German software giant SAP, is to start a Cape Town-based venture capital firm shortly, sources say. more..
Sahara
Softline
Telkom
[ Johannesburg, 26 April 2007 ] - Fixed-line utility Telkom has moved a step closer to implementing its R30 billion next-generation network (NGN) by starting deployment of its WiMax network – the first commercial WiMax network in the country. more..
UCS
[ Johannesburg, 15 May 2007 ] - A strong performance in the six months to 31 March puts UCS on track to achieve R1 billion in revenue at its year-end, says the JSE-listed software and services company. more..
Venfin
Venfin's management - led by Jannie Durand - would have to come up with some compelling options in terms of new investments. more.. or more..
Virgin Mobile
[ Johannesburg, 9 May 2007 ] - Virgin Mobile has launched a new marketing campaign and survey, aimed at demystifying cellular solutions. more..
