ICOMMS – R&D Key to International Success
Interactive Communications Solutions (ICOMMS Pty Ltd), an innovative Queensland start-up company, is rapidly emerging as a key industry player in telecommunications design, planning and management, with the development of its RF-AWARE and electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) analysis products.
ICOMMS recently received the Australian Telecommunications User Group (ATUG) award for ‘Innovations in Telecommunications’, and with Telstra and Deutsche Telekom as key clients, ICOMMS is proving that strong capability achieved through smart research and development matters more than size.
How it all began
ICOMMS was established in 1999 by Mark and Andrea Leckenby to address a need in the telecommunications sector for monitoring radiation hazards. The need arose as a result of the requirement for telecommunications companies to meet newly developed legislation. With Telstra as its first client, ICOMMS undertook development of its core product, radPro a next generation software for analysing and modelling RF radiation hazards.
The challenges
In developing radPro ICOMMS undertook significant research and development (R&D) activities. This early focus on R&D created a number of challenges including keeping the product development in line with customer expectations, maintaining cash flow and keeping employees focused and enthused.
After an initial product development phase, ICOMMS discovered a gap between the product being developed and the needs expressed by clients. To address this gap ICOMMS instituted a program to forge closer relationships with its market. It conducted successful trials with potential clients to gain a working understanding of what the product needed to achieve. ICOMMS also kept its knowledge of the market situation and needs up to date by attending international industry events and conferences. This effort has paid off with radPro gaining international sales and a strong word-of-mouth recommendation network.
Maintaining cash flow is an issue for most businesses, however it becomes a greater challenge when facing significant periods spent in product development. ICOMMS seed capital was totally self funded, however the need to find alternative sources of funding became apparent early into the product development phase. ICOMMS explored funding through grants and venture capital and was successful in being awarded COMET and R&D Start grants from the Commonwealth Government as well as gaining angel investor funding. ICOMMS is now in the process of raising further capital to expand operations into Asia and Europe.
As is the case with many small businesses, a significant factor to maintaining ICOMMS’ growth cycle was its ability to motivate and retain staff with the necessary skills to see product development through to completion. ICOMMS has worked hard on encouraging its staff to retain ownership of product and business success through a combination of training, exposure to clients and the opportunity to be involved in strategic marketing activities such as overseas trade shows.
Strategies for success
ICOMMS attributes its growth and success to its focus on client needs and its ability to provide innovative solutions to meet those needs due to the prior industry experience of its founders. ICOMMS maintains its competitive edge despite being a small organisation by combining a strong capability for developing high class solutions with the flexibility to quickly react to its market.
Building and capitalising on networks has also been a key feature for ICOMMS. Strong links have been forged across the telecommunications industry and the research and education sector. With Telstra as a first client, ICOMMS was well positioned to leverage their success to attract other large carriers as clients. R&D has been undertaken in partnership with Griffith University and ICOMMS retains its strong links for ongoing R&D needs.
ICOMMS recommends a thorough planning process for all small and start-up companies as vital to survival in the early years. Strategic vision combined with diligent forecasting and monitoring has been core to ICOMMS success to date and remains a key driver of business growth.
Capitalising on Government Support
Taking advantage of government support has also been a key contributing factor to ICOMMS’ success to date. Using business advice provided by the Queensland Government through the Information Industries Bureau (IIB), ICOMMS has refined its strategies and identified a number of opportunities, including the COMET and R&D grants, as well as gaining residency in the iLab business incubator. It has also accessed export assistance from the Commonwealth Government through the Austrade networks. ICOMMS regards this assistance as invaluable to growing companies and recommends exploring the avenues of business support available from government agencies.
The Future
ICOMMS has recently released the the RF-AWARE website, which incorporates radPro technology, a world-wide mapping system and a 3D engine to render mobile towers. This is a leading edge product which has attracted international interest and is a great example of strong research and development powering a globally relevant product. Growth projections are strong for this Queensland ICT company proving its worth on the international stage!
