Company: CropLogic Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
Company Description: CropLogic is a high-growth service company providing predictive decision support tools to crop growers and processors. Founded in 2010, as a research institute spin-out, CropLogic is run by Jane Hill and employs four people and has won numerous awards for innovation and technology.
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Female Entrepreneur of the Year in Asia, Australia or New Zealand

Nomination Title: Jane Hill, Chief Executive

Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated entrepreneur since the beginning of July last year (up to 500 words):

Jane Hill is a technology entrepreneur and has worked in and with start-ups for the last 12 years. She is now the Chief Executive of CropLogic Ltd, a two-year old “spin-out” from New Zealand’s largest research institute. Jane is pioneering in agriculture, taking science and software to the field.

CropLogic provides predictive decision support tools to crop growers and processors. Powered by analytics, CropLogic’s online crop management tool currently helps potato processors and growers, forecast and improve yield and operate more sustainably, producing more crops for the world’s rapidly increasing population.

Over the last 15 months, Jane has brought capital into the company, created a new strategic plan, built up the business model, secured an ongoing multi-year contract with a major corporate and been recognized in national and international competitions.

Jane has developed a new strategic plan for the company, with the mission to become the “management tool of choice for vegetable growers and processors globally”.

She has worked with customers to develop new potential revenue streams and built the business model up to a US$1 billion opportunity, increased by an order of magnitude in the last year.

After first securing a trial with ConAgra Foods’ largest brand, Lamb Weston, (North America’s largest processor of potatoes and key supplier to McDonald’s), Jane went on to convert this into a multi-year contract in December 2011.

On the back of successful engagement with customers and development of company plans, Jane has brought in US$500,000 of capital since 1 July 2011. She is now in the process of securing a further US$250,000 with plans to raise US$2,000,000 in 2013.

In recognition of the company and its progress under Jane’s leadership, the company has achieved the following in competitions:

•Deloitte 2011 Fast 50 Rising Star Finalist (one of three in NZ)
•2012 New Zealand Hi Tech Awards - Finalist Start-up Category (one of six in NZ)
•2012 IBM SmartCamp Sydney Finalist (one of six in Australasia; only candidate from NZ)
•2012 IBM SmartCamp Australasia Winner (picked from six in Australasia)
•2012 IBM SmartCamp Beijing Finalist (one of six from the Asia Pacific region)
•New Zealand Innovators Awards 2012 Finalist, Environment and Agriculture (one of six in NZ, with the result yet to be announced).

Being selected as the winner of IBM SmartCamp Sydney (the competition for Australia and New Zealand) was a magnificent achievement, and a testament to Jane’s capabilities in innovative thinking and the ability to construct and execute an ambitious business plan.

Through Jane’s efforts, the software developed by CropLogic has been accepted into the very traditional industry of farming and has been recognized as the most significant innovation over the last ten years.

Provide a brief biography of the nominated entrepreneur (up to 100 words):

Jane has led an entrepreneurial career. After graduating, Jane developed software for a government research institute, then moved overseas to work for the UK’s leading mobile operator, running its flagship software development team. After returning home in 2000, Jane founded her own start-up, developing configuration management software for mobile network operators.

She subsequently joined Canterbury Innovation Incubator and played a key role in establishing the internationally acclaimed seed-stage investment organisation Powerhouse Ventures. She has been with CropLogic (one of Powerhouse’s portfolio) since late 2010.

Jane achieved a double first class honours degree in Mathematics and Computer Science (University of Otago, 1993) and an MBA with distinction (University of Canterbury, 2011).