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The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator visits InterTradeIreland
 

This was Michele Barnier’s first visit to Northern Ireland, and his first stop was to InterTradeIreland’s offices in Newry. He met with several local businesses who use our services, as well as local stake-holders including business organisations from both sides of the border. 

 

While Mr Barnier was in Newry, he reinforced the message that this is the time for SMEs to prepare for Brexit to ensure they are in the best position to future-proof their business.He re-iterated the fact that firms can take steps now, despite the shape of Brexit being in flux, to give them the best possible chance to succeed.


 

 

Targetting an €80BN research and innovation fund
Written by Chris Shiels, Horizon 2020 Programme Manager
 

Since the Horizon 2020 programme commenced in 2014 the track record of North South collaborative applications has been impressive. Some 52 separate projects have secured over €63m in Horizon 2020 funding. 

 

 

 


“Business is holding its breath.”
 

The latest InterTradeIreland Business Monitor would appear to indicate that we are beginning to enter a critical phase of the economic cycle, with businesses across the island taking a collective pause on many key decisions.


Meet the buyer, Armagh, June 13th
 

Opportunities often come attached to people. That's particularly true when you have the chance to meet someone who could be interested in buying a service from you.

 

InterTradeIreland is hosting a FREE event in Armagh, where you can meet and talk to key public sector buyers in Northern Ireland. It could make a difference to your business.

 

Representatives from the main NI business development agencies can also advise you on current funding opportunities and business supports available.


Get a discount for FutureScope, Dublin, May 31st
 

FutureScope, Ireland's only tech event dedicated to creating collaboration and new business opportunities for start-ups, multinationals, innovative businesses and the research community, is back in the Convention Centre Dublin on Thursday, 31st May. 

 


FutureScope, Ireland's only tech event dedicated to creating collaboration and new business opportunities for start-ups, multinationals, innovative businesses and the research community, is back in the Convention Centre Dublin on Thursday, 31st May. 

As a network partner, InterTradeIreland has secured a discount ticket for our network which you can find below.

 

THEMES FOR 2018

The themes being explored at this year’s event include Internet of Things, Data Analytics, AI and the business applications of VR/AR – all of which will be explored across multiple stages and deep-dive breakout sessions.

Related topics, such as Digital Transformation, Smart Cities as well as the ‘Future of...’ Series (work, data, learning and money), will feature throughout. The dedicated Entrepreneurship Stage will host pitches, investor panels as well as market access and access to finance segments.

 

WHO WILL BE THERE

The event is very well represented by the multinational community with the likes of Vodafone, Microsoft, Esri Ireland, Facebook, Google, HCL participating and by Ireland’s most successful start-ups and scale-ups, for example, NewsWhip, Bizimply, Sytorus, Blueface and Davra Networks.

InterTrade Ireland will be at FutureScope, along with other ecosystem enablers and investors including Dublin City Council, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, HBAN, European Space Agency and Animation Ireland, to promote collaboration opportunities for entrepreneurs, researchers, indigenous companies and multinationals. 

 

WHY SHOULD YOU THINK ABOUT GOING?

A key element of FutureScope is the bringing together of leaders from the technology ecosystem to share perspectives on emerging technologies and how they will shape our future world, providing crucial insights to developing businesses at all stages of the innovation lifecycle. Contributors on the FutureScope Insights Stage include the World Economic Forum, Vodafone and Esri Global and artificial intelligence expert, Professor Barry O’Sullivan - each giving their take on global macro-economic trends.

 

GET YOUR DISCOUNTED TICKET BELOW

Now in its fifth year, FutureScope is limited to 1200 attendees to enable quality networking.The full list of participants is available at www.futurescope.ie 

FutureScope tickets give full day access to all four stages (each dedicated to each of the FutureScope themes - Insights, Collaboration, Innovation and Entrepreneurship), breakout sessions and includes a networking lunch.

As an InterTradeIreland subscriber, you can avail of a Start-up Access Ticket (discounted to €89) here.

Plus you can catch last year's video below.

FutureScope Highlights 2017

Scenario planning for Brexit
Written by our Brexit Manager, Mark Sterritt
 

It doesn't hurt to be prepared. If you start to scenario plan now for Brexit, you could also view it as an opportunity to take stock of your business in a general sense. What questions should you start to ask? We can provide you with some help with this. Also hear how McMahon Associates availed of £2,000 of funding from InterTradeIreland to get ready for Brexit.


Scenario Planning

 

Planning can begin with basic questions around the freedom of movement of goods, services, people and how that impacts a business.  What might the impact be if tariffs or non-tariff barriers are introduced?  What is the potential tariff that could be levied on my products? Do I know what rules of origin certificates are and what they cost?

 

In answering these questions, and InterTradeIreland’s new service can help with this process, the next step is to act, or at least to prepare alternative scenarios and actions depending on what emerges from the negotiations.  Innovation, the application of Lean techniques, diversification are just some options to build higher margins within a business model and support is available from InterTradeIreland and other industrial development support agencies to assist in all these areas.

 

How do I get started?

Critically we are encouraging business owners to engage widely throughout the Brexit process.  Talk with industry representative bodies, with industrial support agencies like InterTradeIreland, lenders, your workforce, customers and suppliers.  Policy makers are also intensely interested in direct feedback from the business community to inform negotiating stances.

 

InterTradeIreland’s message is simple while we recognise the pressures facing small business owners dealing with the here and now, there is, nevertheless, a window of opportunity now that must be grasped to prepare for the challenges and indeed the opportunities that will be presented by a new cross-border trading relationship that is set to emerge over the next few years. 

 

Where can I get help?

InterTradeIreland is a one-stop-shop for help, support and events on Brexit, as we work across so many areas - from policy and strategy to sales and marketing in the cross-border arena, we are in a unique position to provide information and guidance. www.intertradeireland.com/brexit or contact brexit@intertradeireland.com

 

Hear how McMahon Associates based in Armagh availed of £2,000 of funding from InterTradeIreland to get ready for Brexit.

 

How we can help your business prepare for Brexit

 

SME IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Vennetics
 

Let me begin by asking you a question.  Have you  ever a rented a movie only to discover later that the same movie was available to view on Netflix, Amazon or another catch-up service? Belfast based Vennetics has designed a solution. It also provides immediate price comparisons, ensuring that you never pay too much for a film again.


Let me begin by asking you a question.  Have you  ever a rented a movie only to discover later that the same movie was available to view on Netflix, Amazon or another catch-up service? Belfast based Vennetics has designed a solution. It also provides immediate price comparisons, ensuring that you never pay too much for a film again.

 

The app was built by the Vennetics team with investment from Intertrade Ireland in both its Dundalk and Belfast offices.  What’s more the app named “Sure on Demand” is available to download free of charge from the App Store and the Google Play Store today.

 

The Sure on Demand app provides an aggregated search capability that spans all of the leading Video on Demand (VoD) and Catch up TV services, from Netflix to the BBC iPlayer. Allowing you to search and discover movies and TV shows across the leading services simultaneously.  It even takes you directly to the movie or TV show on the content service provider’s App- letting you spend more time enjoying your favourite movies, rather than trying to find them.

 

Digital support to start a business: HMRC webinar
Funding For Growth Workshops - 15th May L'Derry and 22nd May Sligo
Meet the Buyer: Selling to NI government: Armagh June 13th
3 step framework to sell with confidence
Taken from the postive economist
 
Susan Hayes-Culleton
Susan Hayes-Culleton

In this article Susan Hayes-Culleton  explains how to approach selling with confidence . She explains 'Real confidence comes from taking this diagnostic and building on the areas where you can improve.'


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