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WESTBICEU - Business Innovation Centrein
theBorder, Midland and Western Region, Ireland

• Ultan Faherty

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WESTBIC Mandate

• To identify, incubate and support value-added
  enterprise opportunities
• Established in 1987 as official EU BIC
• Company Limited by Guarantee (non-profit) PPP
• Mandated through the Productive Sector O.P of the
  NDP 2000 2006
• ISO 90012000 - Provision of local and regional
  economic development support services

Quality in Service Delivery
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WESTBIC Mandate
NORIBIC
CROSS BORDER BIC
DUBLIN BIC
LIMERICK BIC
CORK BIC
SEBIC
All-Ireland Approach Regionally adapted
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European BIC Network
European BIC Network
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EU Licensed BIC - European Mandate
Allocated by Quality Audit to over 150 selected
BICs in the EU
European BIC Network
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Irish Government Mandate

• Supporting the competitiveness of indigenous
  industry in the start-up and early-stage
  development phases
• Hand-holding innovative and knowledge-based
  enterprises through the business development path
• Entrepreneurship
• Innovation
• Technology transfer
• Internationalisation
• Commercialisation of RD

Commercial Ethos
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Enterprise Support Services Regional Mandate

• Foster/Promote an Enterprise Culture
• In conjunction with other intermediaries/agencies
• Support for Business Development Projects
• New innovative businesses
• Existing companies

Supporting New Business Ideas
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The Cross-Border BIC

• The combined effect of a number of factors
  resulted in the region lacking in economic,
  social and infrastructural development
• Disadvantaged economic and social region as a
  result of
• Political border through an already peripheral
  location
• Ensuing conflict
• Result - reduced infrastructure investment, low
  inward investment, lack of cohesion and
  co-operation - leading to an economic growth
  imbalance between this region and other areas of
  Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

multimedia subcontractor
Cross-Border Business Innovation Centre
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The Cross-Border BIC

• In summary - a lack of investment, low levels of
  local entrepreneurship and a brain drain of
  those with important skills and qualifications.
• Significant levels of unemployment and lower
  levels of new company formation.
• This cycle of low investment and high
  unemployment was a driver for social and
  political instability.

multimedia subcontractor
Cross-Border Business Innovation Centre
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The WESTBIC Tool Kit

• Direct support to Intermediaries
• Collaboration with Third Level Sector
• Development and Management of Incubation Space,
  Enterprise Centres, On-Campus Incubation
• Development of Linkages/Clusters and Networks
• Provision of Seed Capital/Business Angels

Integration with Partners
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Key Success Factors

• EU/National Government Mandate Regional Focus
• Private Sector Culture Ethos
• Partnership, Integration Networks
• Clear Focus Flexible, Holistic Approach
• Client Centred Agile, Mobile, Non-programmed
• Remaining Innovative in Service Delivery

Integration with Partners
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Collaboration with 3rd Level Education Sector

• Project Management
• EPP x 7
• Curriculum Design Delivery
• Masters in Rural Development
• Masters in Business Admin
• B.Comm Degree
• On-Campus Enterprise Training
• Campus Spin-Offs
• Innovation Awards

Integration with Partners
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CEIM Enterprise Development Programme

• 12 month full-time programme managed by WESTBIC,
  offering training, networking opportunities,
  incubation space and financial and other business
  supports to assist entrepreneurs establish and
  manage their own business.
• Offered by Letterkenny Institute of Technology
  and the Institute of Technology Sligo in
  collaboration with Enterprise Ireland and Údarás
  na Gaeltachta
• Funded by ADM-CPA through Peace II Programme.

multimedia subcontractor
CEIM Enterprise Development Programme
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CEIM Enterprise Development Programme

• Targeted at third level graduates and those with
  innovative business ideas who live or wish to
  relocate to the North West region of Ireland.
• Also aimed at potential entrepreneurs with an
  innovative idea who presently live or wish to
  relocate to the North West.
• Projects must have high commercial and export
  potential and be commercially attractive with
  potential job creation and growth.

multimedia subcontractor
CEIM Enterprise Development Programme
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CEIM Enterprise Development Programme

• The programme is multifaceted in that it offers
• Training in all areas of business
• Possible grant aid to eligible applicants
• Mentoring from experienced business advisors and
  practitioners relevant to participants projects
• Access to office and other business incubation
  facilities
• Networking with other entrepreneurs and business
  development agencies
• Introduction to seed and early stage capital
  investment organisations.

multimedia subcontractor
CEIM Enterprise Development Programme
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Atlantech Project

• INTERREG IIIB (Atlantic Area) Pilot Project
• Objective
• The ATLANTECH network aims at supporting and
  promoting international technology transfer
  alongside with cooperation between companies and
  Research and Development actors within the
  European space.

Atlantech Project
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Atlantech Project Partners

• WESTBIC Ireland
• Coventry University Enterprises Midland UK
• CPIN Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Portugal
• Eurocei Andulusia, Spain
• CEIN Navarre Region, Spain

Atlantech Project
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Atlantech Methodology

• Assemble profile of each participating region
  both from strong industry and technological
  perspectives
• Identify public and private RD providers
  including universities and private projects
• Identify companies in each region with the
  capacity and potential to internationalise
• Identify potential matchings between companies
  and RD facilities as appropriate or combinations
  of both
• Organise thematic missions for each partner to
  visit and become familiar with economic and
  academic activity
• Facilitate the matching process as much as
  possible

multimedia subcontractor
Atlantech Project
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Technology Sectors / Actors Targeted

• RD Institutes/Centres and private companies
  working in
• the fields
• Information and communication technologies
• Life sciences
• Genomic biotechnology
• Automotive transport
• Building technologies
• Chemical, rubber plastic
• Electrical electronics and optical
• Energy environment
• Food beverage.

multimedia subcontractor
Atlantech Project
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Research and Development Capability Map
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Atlantech Approach to Implementation

• Conclusion Gaps in our own knowledge of
  research development capability and activity
• Solution currently being addressed through
  Atlantech programme via expertiseireland.com a
  web-based portal a gateway to Irelands
  knowledge base.
• Eventually to become linked to E.U. wide portal

multimedia subcontractor
Atlantech Project
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Atlantech Promoting Participation

• Networking with institutes and university
• Consultation initially with client companies in
  our region
• Focused promotion with SMEs who had achieved a
  level in their growth cycle
• captured their national market
• understood their business
• Were ready for the next step, i.e.
  internationalisation
• Significant selecting out at each stage

multimedia subcontractor
Atlantech Project
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Atlantech Conclusions re Participants

• Project partners provided an excellent
  introduction to the economic, cultural, social
  and geographic landscape of their respective
  regions
• Each region identified companies, facilities and
  expertise that have been utilised and can
  continue to be utilised into the future
• Project brought together and consolidated a
  network of partners with whom other projects
  could easily be advanced
• The diversity of each partners economy
  highlighted that for R D transfer to be
  successful a multi-sectoral rather than specific
  focus is required.

multimedia subcontractor
Atlantech Project
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Atlantech Conclusions re Participants

• There is still a significant gap between the
  language of Academia and that of Business
• Effective co-operation processes can only take
  place in the context of personal networking.
  Tools and databases while theoretically workable
  cannot replace human interaction
• The value of good intermediaries familiar with
  their region cannot be underestimated. A local
  contact person can provide valuable information,
  organise itineraries and thereby significantly
  reduce the time researching and organising market
  entry.

multimedia subcontractor
Atlantech Project
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Atlantech Matchings to Date

• 3 Touch (Ireland) - Hergos (Portugal)
• Company to company - technology to technology
• Chamco Foods (Ireland) Bordas (Spain)
• Company to RD facility to research application
  of bioflavonoids
• Tower Precision (Ireland) Maxsystems (UK)
• Company to company to distribute and possibly
  produce new fuel saving device
• Agency Consumer Products (Ireland) - Tutti Pasta
  (Spain)
• Company to company assisting entry to Irish and
  UK multi-national retail outlets

multimedia subcontractor
Atlantech Project
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Atlantech Website
www.getinternational.biz
Atlantech Project
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Contact Details

• Ultan Faherty
• WESTBIC
• Business Development Centre
• Letterkenny Institute of Technology
• Letterkenny
• Co. Donegal
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• E-mail ultan.faherty_at_lyit.ie
• Website www.westbic.ie