Written By STEVE EDWARDS
Behind the doors of a previously vacant upstairs office block in Matamata lies an information technology business which now has a global reach.
LuminateOne, founded while directors Tim Hampton and Nick Humphries were still students at Waikato University, has recorded five million views worldwide since its formation just five years ago.
With a customer base stretching to the United States, the business software specialist has a diverse portfolio ranging from garden mulch and quarrying through to vehicles and food.
Tim and Nick met while completing computer science degrees in Hamilton, with both hired by the university for two different roles each – cyber security lab research and App development.
With a similar skillset, on top of this workload at university they were also offered job “pitches” by fellow students.
Their big break however came while still on campus when they were asked to bring their software development skills to food delivery service Yummy.Com
With university degrees in hand, Tim and Nick both had projects ‘on the go’ but needed premises to work out of.
By chance the former Transport Building on the corner of Arawa and Tui Streets in Matamata was being renovated.
Tim and Nick, not over-confident of business success, initially opted for a single-year lease with right of renewal.
“Now, we (including sister website development company Mata Digital) can’t get enough space.”
LuminateOne started out with a staff of three interns, all mates from university, and has now grown to 13 fulltime employees.
Clientele includes the American Software Testing Qualifications Board, along with the New Zealand operations for vehicle brands Hyundai, Isuzu and Renault.
Tim and Nick say a replacement website and App they developed for healthy food specialist A Little Bit Yummy drew a million viewers in its first year of operation.
Clients closer to home include leading Matamata businesses J Swap Contractors and Daltons.
“It’s just about doing really excellent work,” Tim and Nick say. “We build innovative digital platforms which let businesses improve their customer experiences and grow their bottom line.”
They say investing in innovation makes for a highly successful business.
“There is no point reinventing the wheel. But if you can innovate to gain a competitive edge, that’s where businesses start to see the magic happening. It ultimately saves time and money.”
Nick and Tim say software platforms are tailored to suit the respective business, covering aspects including stocktake, timesheets, sales reporting, customer relations, billing and ordering.
“A lot of what we do now is critical for businesses. We are the heartbeat,” they say.
While Covid has obviously hit hard, they point to an acute labour shortage as the greatest crisis currently facing the tech industry.
However, Nick and Tim remain confident about the future of LuminateOne.
The five-year plan includes a second office in New Zealand – probably Christchurch or Wellington – and 40 staff working out of the Matamata headquarters.
Nick and Tim say LuminateOne is also proud of its social good element, such as subsidised work on booking systems and customer data for the Matamata Community Health Shuttle.
Sponsorships by the company include Matamata College and Matamata Racing Club.
