Updates on Brunei

Where to begin....the past month has been exciting for the whole company. Brian James Tracey, our President (of Plantiga International) and COO (of Plantiga Technologies Inc.), has travelled to Brunei for some very interesting visits. The result of the this trip, which took place back in early April, has proved to be promising and extremely valuable for the future of Plantiga.

Representing the Company, he met with high officials inside the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB), who were more than receptive to our plans. We are aiming to move our research, development, manufacturing and beta deployments to this fair country. He met with them to explore mutually beneficial opportunities between Plantiga and Brunei.

During this trip, we established a good working relationship with Teleconsult Brunei, represented by Lord John E. Shazell (a new picture of Brian James Tracey, Lord John E. Shazell and Julian Johari will soon be seen). Teleconsult Brunei will play an instrumental role in the growth of Plantiga; we are so pleased by the opportunities that will arise from this relationship. 

We want to take a second to thank H.E. Wendell J. Sanford, the Canadian Trade Commissioner, and his entire office, who have been ever so helpful during every step of this process (from leftt to right: Nural Salwani, Julian Johori, H.E. Wendell J. Sanford, and Brian James Tracey).

We are currently in the process of establishing working relationships with both the Unversiti of Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and the Institure Technology Brunei (ITB). It is important to our plans that we establish strong ties with these institutions, as we feel their contributions, especially on the technological and business sides, will provide growing value for their institutions, and our company.

For us, Brunei presents a vast array of opportunities, and over the next little while we are confident that Plantiga will prosper in Brunei Darussalam.

Opportunities in Innovation

Nylon, synthetic rubber and the fluorescent light bulb were innovations that came out of the Great Depression of 1930's. It was these technologies that brought the US out of its deepest downturn ever. These are a just a few examples of how innovation can drive growth, especially so in recession times. 

Tom Nicholas of the Harvard Business School wrote last month that "although deep downturns are destructive, they also have an upside. The Depression-era economist Joseph Schumpeter emphasized the positive consequences of downturns: the destruction of under-performing companies, the release of capital from dying sectors to new industries, and the movement of high-quality skilled workers toward stronger employers. For companies with cash and ideas, history shows that downturns can provide enormous strategic opportunities."

The next blockbuster innovation is any one's guess, but here at Plantiga we see the perfect opportunity for our technology. Really, we are reinventing a product and service that is extremely useful, and basically indispensable (in footwear and in biometrics). We will drive down the cost of shoes for consumers, making it affordable and environmentally sustainable. It's times like these where our technology has a real shot at tearing down existing inefficient, damaging practices. We will affect footwear manufacturing and overall function, as well as develop the next generation biometric authentication technology. There has been no better time for us than now.

In no way are we happy with the current economic downturn, but we do see this as a immense opportunity for Plantiga.