Having passion for what you do and the patience to stick with an idea instead of trying to cash in on it are the key reasons why Embedded Technologies is a leading innovator.

The company sold their first two General Purpose Automation Controller (GPAC^®) systems in June 2004 after ongoing local trials. The GPACs provide monitoring, security and reporting capabilities to industry and research projects, including plant and factory automation, horticulture, agriculture, aquaculture, and environmental monitoring and security.

Chief Executive Officer Martin Cebis said the company’s three officers have had overseas experience, including in Silicon Valley, which encouraged an innovative company setup.

“Our key people have options that mature every three months, and their shareholding is diluted if they leave. That means they have the incentive to contribute to the success of the company and stay involved,” Martin said.

“When I met Sahid Sesay, we clicked from the start – our focus is to deliver technology that people find invaluable. This delivers value to our shareholders and drives investment in our company, rather than promoting a risky technology business to raise money from shareholders, which often seems to end up being the case.”

Sahid is the company’s Chief Technology Officer, and displays an inherent passion for innovation. He developed this while working on an idea to remove chemicals from water by developing an automated laboratory process.

He left Visa International, one of the first companies to deploy robust corporate Internet security solutions, to pursue a wastewater remediation idea in an incubator in San Francisco until he achieved the breakthrough. Yet he avoided jumping on the dotcom bandwagon like many others, which achieved credibility for his work.

“Once you achieve innovation success, there are continual offers for schemes and unscrupulous investment. People come and go with game plans and theories, so you can pick out the ‘dodgy brothers’ pretty easily!” Sahid said.

“But if you have a good solution, people will pay for it. Our technology is so easy and affordable, that anyone can use it - and you don’t need to be an automation guru.”

Sahid said he shared the same goal with Martin and Chief Operating Officer Jon Wilson – bringing technology to the market that benefits people. And while they have differing viewpoints in the process, the goal remains - to provide good technology to improve decision making and communication, and augment staff abilities.

The company has engaged with the local innovation community by being a guinea pig for student teams from the business and computing areas, and with Curtin-Muresk on an aquaculture project.

“Our trial with Curtin-Muresk allowed the efficiency and capability of that research to be improved, which benefits us and them. We see interaction in trials or with business and technology students as part of the responsibility and modus operandi of an innovative company,” Martin said.

The GPAC is being trialled in the aquaculture industry, which faces challenges such as low awareness that monitoring and controlling water quality is essential in managing risk and attracting investors.

“This is intensive farming and we don't have a great culture of intensive farming here, so the principles are not well applied. Fish can die within an hour if the water is not oxygenated, and investors perceive risk in the industry as there can be sudden stock loss,” Martin said.

“The GPAC achieves quality and risk management principles in an affordable way. It also generates further innovation by facilitating those trying to develop process improvement in industries that presently do not automate.

“Business and research can directly benefit from improved quality and efficiency from our products. Further, as a company structured for growth, we will need many highly skilled individuals and graduates committed to delivering real value to customers through technology.”

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