TECHNOLOGY entrepreneur Nathan Buzza is back in Perth looking for new opportunities, 21 months after selling the company he co-founded, Commtech Wireless, to US-based software giant Amcom Software.
TECHNOLOGY entrepreneur Nathan Buzza is back in Perth looking for new opportunities, 21 months after selling the company he co-founded, Commtech Wireless, to US-based software giant Amcom Software.
Since being named the WA Business News 40under40 First Amongst Equals in 2003, Mr Buzza established Commtech Wireless offices in Sydney, Jacksonville, Boca Raton, London, Denmark, China and Hong Kong.
Along the way, Commtech, which specialises in nurse calling systems for use in hospitals, deployed more than 7,500 call systems, primarily in healthcare.
Mr Buzza relocated Commtech’s head office to Jacksonville in 2007, after the firm added to its traditional base of healthcare communications technology and was awarded a multi-million dollar contract from the US secret service to develop a mobile emergency distress platform for the US president.
That deal caught the interest of Amcom Software, which offered to buy Commtech in January 2008.
By December 2008 the deal was done for an undisclosed sum, and Mr Buzza took on an 18-month contract post-sale to manage the company.
“Initially, when I sold the business, I thought I’d just work for another couple of years, then I’d just retire and spend time with my family’,” Mr Buzza told WA Business News.
“Everyone tells you that you won’t be able to retire, but I was convinced that I’d be able to and would go out and play golf, exercise, and drink coffees.
“But after four months, there are only so many hours in the gym you can spend, so many coffees you can drink and so many diapers you can change.
“So I’m looking to either find a business that I can purchase and build, or alternatively look for something to do.
“I want to find something to get my teeth into, but there are not a lot of electronics-oriented businesses in Perth, the fun part of technology.”
Looking back on Commtech, Mr Buzza said the 40under40 Award in 2003 was a great launch pad, acting as a networking tool and creating awareness about Commtech’s services.
“Overall the awards night was great for our public relations; it raised my personal profile successfully in Western Australia, and through that it channelled more business our way,” Mr Buzza said.
“It’s just a case of getting your name out there and people taking interest in what you do.
“For a company that’s involved in innovative technology, you need to educate the market, you need to create market demand, and so from that point of view it treated us very, very well.”
