SLI Systems

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SLI Systems is an internet company specializing in site search for e-commerce websites which learns from the users searches. SLI stands for Search, Learn and Improve. SLI was founded in 2001 by both New Zealanders and Americans.

With offices in Christchurch, New Zealand, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, California and London,^[1] SLI Systems has over 25 employees, with the majority based in their Christchurch office^[2]. They have over 100 clients internationally, ranging from retail stores to government websites. Some of their clients include New Zealand electronics store, Dick Smith Electronics and the Christchurch City Council website. Other clients include NBC, Tupperware, Hot Topic, and Qantas.^[3]. In 2006 their revenue was $4 million, which Shaun Ryan expects will be doubled by the end of 2007 to $8 million.^[4]

SLI Systems is a privately owned company, some of the stakeholders, include the chief executive officer, Doctor Shaun Ryan; his brother Doctor Grant Ryan as the co-founder and chairman; and Steven Marder who is a stakeholder and co-founder of SLI Systems.^[5] Dr Grant Ryan is the co-founder and chief scientist for Eurekster, which is also a user-based search engine in Christchurch. Marder is the CEO and also a co-founder of Eurekster.^[6]

The first company the brothers started up in 1998 was Internet company, GlobalBrain. It was later acquired by the internet arm of US media company, NBC, called NBCi in April, 2000 for US$32 million. However after a couple of months all their millions "disappeared" with the dot-com crash, Shaun Ryan said.^[4]

In an interview with DM News, Shaun Ryan said: "Normally, U.S. customers don’t notice that our technical stuff is done in New Zealand." "We normally don't tell them."^[2]

SLI Systems was recognized as a "fast growing company," by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu recently.^[7]