Distributed Systems Technology Centre - Spin-offs

Spin-offs

Several spin-off companies were created from DSTC projects :

• In 1997, Active Tools commercialised Nimrod, a tool for performing parameterised computations in a grid, as EnFuzion. EnFuzion is now owned and distributed by Axceleon.
• In 2001, Wedgetail Communications commercialised several security products including μPKI, a PKI library for small devices, and a Java Crypto and Security Implementation (JCSI) Single Sign-On product. In 2004, the company was bought by Vintela, which in 2005 was in turn bought by Quest Software.
• In 2003, Mantara commercialised Elvin, a light-weight event notification service.
• In 2004, Extensia Solutions commercialised the RecordPoint shared electronic health record system.
• In 2006, distIP purchased some of the remaining intellectual property assets of DSTC. Trading as Veriluma, it commercialised the Sheba modeling system for intelligence assessment.

In addition to these commercial ventures, one of DSTC's greatest legacies is its alumni, some of whom have taken on prominent positions in academia, whilst others have found employment in some of the world's leading ICT companies. DSTC also made a massive contribution to computer science education, playing a major role in the education of many computer science students (including a large number of PhDs) in Australia, and particularly in Brisbane.

The CEO of DSTC in the early years had a prominent position in Queensland politics, which lead to DSTC getting a few mentions in the Queensland parliament. Queensland premier Rob Borbidge dismissively referred to DSTC as "a sort of gigabyte playpen for a few propeller heads" (Hansard 1996), which DSTC staff adopted as an informal motto.