Local IT services giant Volante has lost it open source strategist Pia Waugh who decided to go it alone after some four years with the company.

Waugh will now focus on starting an IT research company aimed at helping end users develop an open source strategy.

Waugh said her strength is vendor neutrality and her ability to stay in touch with the open source market. "I will be working with small Australian companies to help them succeed with open source businesses," Waugh said, adding that her company's research will also offer corporate and government customers a "skills matrix" for choosing the best open source vendors.

"I will be working with customers to give an insight into the commercially supportable open source technologies that can streamline business processes and cut costs."

Waugh also has some 20 politicians on her radar to approach for funding to bridge the digital divide for rural community centres.