End of Summer Party Innovators share secrets of their success


Two outstanding innovators whose ideas transformed their target markets gave local entrepreneurs inspiring insights into their success at September’s Southern Entrepreneurs ‘End of Summer Party’


The creator of the revolutionary Hawk-Eye sports technology, and the brains behind one of the world’s first online information databases, talked frankly about the qualities it takes to turn smart ideas into profitable reality.


Fifty business people attended the network event, which was organised by The Business Magazine, hosted by Bentley Berkshire at its impressive Pangbourne showroom, and sponsored by Barclays and law firm Osborne Clarke. Guests also joined in a lively Q&A with the two guest speakers. The Southern Entrepreneurs campaign brings together entrepreneurial owner- managers, high-net-worth individuals and business angels from across the Thames Valley and Solent region.


An eye on success


million company. It is best known for its technology used in tennis, cricket and football and today is used in 20 sports at 70,000 events in around 65 countries. Hawk- Eye is now owned by Sony and Hawkins continues to work with the Basingstoke- based company, driving new innovations.


“Sport taught me about dedication to work hard and making the best of what I can be. I think my dyslexia helped by ability to innovate and look at things from a different perspective than other people,” he said.


He emphasised that fear of failure can be a barrier to success. “It’s important to harvest a culture of innovation in your business that celebrates success, as well as failures where people have tried,” he said. “Once you have succeeded in a venture you can be more entrepreneurial, especially if there a fewer consequences for you if you fail.”


Hawkins told the audience that apart from an initial £5,000 capital injection, Hawk-Eye hasn’t needed extra funding.


“We create business models that enable initial customers to fund things,” he explained.


Keen sportsman Dr Paul Hawkins OBE founded Hawk-Eye Innovations and took the business from start-up in 2001 to a £150


Interestingly, the Hawk-Eye technology isn’t protected by armfuls of patents and legal protection. “I prefer to put the money into new ideas and innovation that


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – OCTOBER 2017


make our products better than the competition. That’s how we stay ahead of our competitors,” he said.


For Dan Wagner, one measure of success is happiness. He said he has reached a position where he has fun innovating.


Believing in your ideas


SOUTHERN entrepreneurs


things happen. You have to bring people with you and your confidence must inspire them. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will,” he said.


Wagner is acknowledged for having the knack for identifying technology trends. His first “lightbulb moment” came when computing was in its infancy. He admitted that when he set up the groundbreaking online information service MAID he “didn’t have a clue” how to achieve what he wanted, but he “learned quickly”.


MAID was floated in the UK in 1995 and in the US the following year. By the time Wagner sold the business in 2000 to Thomson Reuters, MAID contained over 50 billion articles and pieces of data.


“I have a dogged desire to succeed. If you’re in business you have to be resilient,” he said.


That resilience was severely tested with the sudden demise of Powa Technologies. Litigation and administration for the fledgling company took Wagner by surprise.


Wagner is an eCommerce veteran and serial entrepreneur, whose most recent venture, Rezolve, transforms how consumers use mobile devices to engage with print, audio and video media.


“Success comes from self belief and the ability to make


Sponsored by:


“I had to deal with the shock of a business going from the cusp of greatness to nothing,” he said.


From this low point in his career came an element of redemption when he started his next venture, Rezolve. “I have nothing to lose and everything to gain, like when I was 20 years old. That’s invigorating and refreshing,” said Wagner.


Supported by: Business THE TM MAGAZINE businessmag.co.uk 35


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48