A little Aussie company making waves in San Francisco

Mason Willoughby-Thomas

Ausbil Investment Management

Witnessing the practical deployment of Audinate’s Dante technology within one of the world’s largest and most recognised organisations provided useful context to help frame and support our investment thesis. 

I had a rare opportunity to walk-through Facebook’s headquarters in San Francisco. From the minute you walk through the door you notice the buzz of activity in a vast open plan complex more akin to a university campus than a more traditional corporate HQ. A casual dress code applied from interns to senior management, all meals were supplied for staff from on premise industrial kitchens, the hallways were lined with free beverage fridges and employees are strongly encouraged to collaborate with use of meeting and quiet rooms of all sizes scattered liberally around the building. My host explained that more flexible and engaging workplaces are essential to recruit and retain the company’s growing cohort of millennial staff and in-demand software engineers.

One of the most impressive features of the building was the c5,000 square meters of event space replete with very high-end audio visual equipment suited to a professional live entertainment venue. Of most interest was the extensive use of Audinate’s (AD8) Dante technology that facilitates the routing of audio signals across an IP network.

 

More flexible and engaging workplaces are essential to recruit and retain the company’s growing cohort of millennial staff and in-demand software engineers 

Facebook’s many audio-visual engineers were universally positive in their assessment of Dante and its capabilities, which is good given there are approximately 5,000 channels facilitated by Dante’s audio networking capability throughout the Facebook campus. Facebook’s technicians praised Dante’s ease of use, avoidance of complex engineering and an intuitive and simple front-end, Dante Controller. Dante Controller (from a layman’s perspective) provides a convenient point-and-click matrix that enables a technician to easily connect inputs (eg a voice signal from a microphone) to desired outputs (eg a Dante enabled speaker) and save configurations as required.

Supporting Dante’s case as facebook’s audio signal networking technology of choice is its adoption by some of the world’s most respected audio-visual original equipment manufacturers including the likes of Solid State Logic (SSL), Yamaha and Shure (all of which are used extensively at Facebook).

Facebook’s event space has been designed to support multiple room configurations. This is the type of situation where Dante’s audio-over- IP technology is ideally suited as signal inputs and outputs can be easily reassigned to appropriate channels depending on the desired room configuration.

From an investors perspective, witnessing the practical deployment of Audinate’s Dante technology within one of the world’s largest and most recognised organisations provided useful context to help frame and support our investment thesis. To see how the technology supports Facebook’s professionally managed live events reinforced our belief in the quality of Audinate’s products and its ability to build a highly profitable global business over time.

 

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The information contained in the article is given by Ausbil Investment Management (ABN 2676316473) (AFSL 229722) (Ausbil) and has been prepared for informational and discussion purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to purchase any security or financial product or service. Any such offer or solicitation shall be made only pursuant to a Product Disclosure Statement or other offer document (collectively Offer Document) relating to an Ausbil financial product or service. A copy of the relevant Offer Document may be obtained by calling Ausbil on +612 9259 0200 or by visiting (VIEW LINK). You should consider the Offer Documents in deciding whether to acquire, or continue to hold, any financial product. Neither this article nor the provision of any Ausbil Offer Document is, and must not be regarded as personal advice or a recommendation or opinion in regards to an Ausbil financial product or service or securities of any other entity including Facebook or Audinate, or that an investment in an Ausbil financial product or securities of any other entity including Facebook or Audinate is suitable for you or any other person. This article and the information it contains is for general use only and does not take into account your personal investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs. Ausbil strongly recommends that you consider the appropriateness of the information and obtain independent financial, legal and taxation advice before deciding whether to invest in an Ausbil financial product or service or in the securities of any other entity including Facebook or Audinate. The information provided by Ausbil has been done so in good faith and has been derived from sources believed to be accurate at the time of completion. While every care has been taken in preparing this information. Ausbil make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided in this article, except as required by law, or takes any responsibility for any loss or damage suffered as a result or any omission, inadequacy or inaccuracy. Changes in circumstances after the date of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information. Ausbil accepts no responsibility for investment decisions or any other actions taken by any person on the basis of the information included. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Ausbil does not guarantee the performance of any Fund or the securities of any other entity including Facebook or Audinate, the repayment of capital or any particular rate of return. The performance of any Fund depends on the performance of its underlying investments which can fall as well as rise and can result in both capital gains and losses. By viewing this article, you agree to be bound by these limitations, terms and conditions set out in the paragraphs above. Unless otherwise specified, any information contained in this publication is current as at the date of this article and is prepared by Ausbil Investment Management Limited (ABN 26 076 316 473 AFSL 229722) (Ausbil). Ausbil is the issuer of the Ausbil MicroCap Fund (ARSN 130 664 872) (Fund). This article contains general information only and the information provided is factual only and does not constitute financial product advice. It does not take account of your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on it, you should seek independent financial and tax advice about its appropriateness to your objectives, financial situation and needs. Securities and sectors mentioned in this monthly report are presented to illustrate companies and sectors in which the Fund has invested and should not be considered a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold any particular security. Holdings are subject to change daily. The value of an investment and the income from it can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the amount originally invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Unless otherwise stated, performance figures are calculated net of fees and assume distributions are reinvested. Due to rounding the figures in the holdings, breakdowns may not add up to 100%. No guarantee or warranty is made as to the accuracy, adequacy or reliability of any statements, estimates, opinions or other information contained herein (any of which may change without notice) and should not be relied upon as a representation express or implied as to any future or current matter. You should consider the Product Disclosure Statement which is available at (VIEW LINK) before acquiring or investing in the fund. 


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Mason Willoughby-Thomas
Mason Willoughby-Thomas
Portfolio Manager, Ausbil MicroCap Fund
Ausbil Investment Management

Mason has over 15 years of financial services experience with companies including Australian Ethical Investment, ING Investment Management, ABN AMRO and AMP Capital Investors. For the past 5 years, he has been focused on small and microcap companies.

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