InterTradeIreland is to invest £16.5 million in over 300 cross border technology transfer projects over the next 5 years, creating additional local economic benefits.

The announcement from InterTradeIreland came during a visit to Tyrone Fabrication, a FUSION company, by the Enterprise Minister Simon Hamilton MLA and InterTradeIreland CEO Thomas Hunter McGowan.

The investment will be channelled into the hugely successful innovation technology transfer programme, FUSION, one of InterTradeIreland’s most successful programmes to date.

FUSION enables SMEs to employ science, engineering and technology graduates for a 12-18 month period to create and develop technologically innovative and commercially viable projects and services. 

InterTradeIreland is offering support of up to £31,000 for a 12 month project (typically in the area of process improvement) and up to £44,250 for an 18 month project (typically in the area of new product or service development.

The Finals of the InterTradeIreland All-Island Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition 2016, established to help companies make their business investor ready and improve their chances of securing venture funding and now in its 14th year, takes place on Wednesday 23^rd November 2016 at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall.

Details of the 24 finalists have just been released. 

Two winners from each region (Dublin, NI, Munster & Connacht/Leinster) will be announced in early November and will secure a cash prize of €20,000. The overall Competition winners will be announced on the 23^rd November, winning a total cash prize fund of €150,000 between them.

Amidst all the speculation, rhetoric and debate that has followed the UK’s vote to leave the European Union, one of the few things that can be said with any degree of certainty is that uncertainty abounds. 

Aidan Gough, Director of Strategy & Policy reflects on the latest results from the InterTradeIreland All-Island Quarterly Business Monitor (April-June 2016) which illustrate that the outcome of the referendum on Britain’s exit of the EU has caught a large majority of businesses offside and shares some tips on how businesses can navigate the uncertain current landscape by focussing on the things they can control.

 It is 100% funded by InterTradeIreland and the application process is very simple.

• Be a small company with less than 10 employees;
• Be a manufacturing or tradeable service company with an annual turnover below €1.2m/£1m;
• Have a satisfactory track record and a trading history in their home market (minimum of 18 mths);
• Be focused on winning new cross-border sales;
• Have not generated more than 30% of their total turnover in the target cross-border market;
• Have the capacity (human, financial and production) to deliver the project;
• Have a sufficiently unique product that does not displace existing products in the market place.
• Have not previously participated on InterTradeIreland 'Acumen' programme

• Have you ever thought about business angel investing but don’t know where to start?
• Are you interested in learning how you can support & invest in some of Ireland’s most exciting start-ups?

HBAN will host a series of informal talks across the country for all new and potential Business Angels on the week commencing the 7th November.

The seminars will be short briefings, during which attendees will hear insights from leading Irish business angels on their experiences, the benefits of investing in a syndicate, the risks and rewards of business angel investing and finally they will have the opportunity to network with like minded individuals from the region. 

InterTradeIreland also recently published a report on Busines Angels titled The Business Angels Market on the Island of Ireland which may also be of interest.

The ISME Annual Conference is THE Conference for owner managers. The theme of this year’s conference is: Challenging Times - New Opportunities and the line-up of speakers is stronger than ever. Conall ÓMoráin will Chair the Conference. 

Speakers include - Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh, Founder of Aer Arann & Serial Entrepreneur, Chris Horn, Partner at Atlantic Bridge and Philip R. Lane, Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland amongst others.

Cost - €110 ISME Member / €190 Non ISME Member

Alison Ritchie is CEO within Polar Ice and was awarded with the WMB Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award at an event held in The Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin on the 3rd October. The event recognises the achievements of Ireland’s businesswomen and entrepreneurs.

Established in 1996, Polar Ice has expanded to become the leading dry ice brand in Ireland.   They manufacture several dry iceproducts including solid blocks, slices and pellets.  Manufacturing is completed on a JIT basis and when combined with operating their own transport fleet, they are ideally placed to guarantee a premium service.

Today Polar Ice Ltd customers in Ireland range from Small to Medium enterprises, the major manufacturing and service companies including Engineering, Food, Electronics, Medical Device and Pharma /biopharma sectors.