A dot com millionaire who has gone from Colne Valley to Silicon Valley has dreams of creating the next global social networking phenomenon.
Technology entrepreneur Simon Milner, 46, who grew up in Wellhouse, Golcar, left Britain for the United States 18 years ago.
The Bradley-born father-of-two has a string of hi-tech business successes behind him.
Now – thanks to his pet cat Zila – he is about to launch a remote device which keeps absent pet owners in touch with their home-alone dogs or cats.
Simon’s latest start-up company Petzila, based in Silicon Valley, California’s technology heartland, is about to launch PetziConnect.
The device, a plug-in box with a video camera and treat dispenser, is activated by smart phone, tablet or computer.
The gadget allows people to check on pets by calling them to the box. The two-way audio and live video link allows pet and owner to interact.
Owners can then reward their pets by dispensing a treat at the touch of a button.
Simon, who attended Wellhouse School and Colne Valley High School, said: “It could be the next big thing.”
Simon has produced a prototype and plans to manufacture his first batch for launch in December.
The devices are available to pre-order at a special price of $99 and more than 400 have been sold.
Simon, who has a series of patents for other devices, is now seeking major investment in the States.
Speaking to the Examiner from his home in San Jose, California, Simon told how the inspiration for his device came from tabby cat Zila.
“I lived in an apartment which had a private elevator and whenever the elevator was activated there was a beep,” he said.
“I started to notice that whenever I arrived home Zila was there to meet me and I realised she was responding to the sound.
“We are a technology company and it’s in our DNA. I was aware of all this technology and was looking for ideas on how to apply it.”
Simon also started experimenting with Twitter, tweeting on behalf of Zila, and that’s where his dream of creating the next Facebook or Twitter came from.
“My dream is to become the next big social network,” said Simon.
“We don’t want to replace Facebook, our strategy is to get pets on the net.”
The global pet market is worth $83 billion a year and Simon reckons his social network, smart phone apps and communication devices will collect buying preferences and information hugely valuable to pet product retailers.
“People post a lot of annoying stuff on Facebook but you are never bothered by too many pet photos, and everyone likes cute pet pictures,” he said.
“There’s a phrase in Silicon Valley that cats rule the net. Pets have the power.
“Of course, it’s not really a pets’ social network, it’s an owners’ network.
“If I went on Dragons’ Den I would say I want to become the go to place for pets.
“The pet industry has no information but we would know what pet someone has, how old it is, what products they buy and how often they buy it.
“If they know I have a 20lb tabby and I buy food and litter they can work out how quickly the products will be used and send a reminder when it’s time to buy some more.
“That’s where the real value comes in.”
Simon studied at Huddersfield Polytechnic and Manchester Polytechnic.
Bob Cryan, now vice-chancellor at the University of Huddersfield, was one of Simon’s lecturers and was his PhD professor in Manchester. Together they published 18 papers.
Later Simon joined a Japanese technology company and went to train in the USA.
He was there at the start of the dot com boom and with wife Heather and daughter Lucy, then just three, and a baby son Tom, he decided to move to the States and make a new life.
He joined a fast-growing start-up company, MMC Networks, which expanded from 30 employees to 300.
Within four years it went public and floated before being acquired for $4.6 billion.
The 300 employees, including Simon, all became millionaires.
“All I will say is that mine was a meagre share,” said Simon.
However meagre, Simon used that success to build more and admitted: “I can’t sit still.”
Simon has since divorced and daughter Lucy, now 21, lives with her mum in the States. Son Tom, 18, is studying in Manchester.
Simon’s dad Ken, 82, lives in Golcar and his sister Lisa in Kirkburton.
A big Giants fan Simon used to play rugby for Paddock and still has lots of friends in Huddersfield.
“I only get back to the UK about once a year, and maybe then only for a weekend if the Giants get to Wembley,” said Simon. “But I never forget my Yorkshire roots.”
