Facilitating Business Start Ups (Fab)

School of Geography, Politics & Sociology

University of Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 7RU

ERDF Objective 2 Programme

FACILITATING BUSINESS START UPS

This is an ambitious project that aims to engender and progress an entrepreneurial culture in the North East. It is being achieved through a collaborative programme which links ideas with entrepreneurs and then makes available atailored and fantastic range of support. This bespoke provision is driven by specific and individual needs to meet the prerequisites of innovative business ideas across the region. The target beneficiaries are Individuals in the process of a business start up or SMEs(less than three years old). However, in most cases a business will qualify for help with the advancement of innovative ideas – contact SERU to find out more.

This partnership has a successful track record in facilitating business start-ups and in the commercialisation of innovative product and processes. They will build on this success through the provision oflong term assistance including an appropriate combination of 1:1 counselling/information/financial advice (AIM or full Stock Market Listing), IPR and Patent, company diagnosis and benchmarking, technical expertise (guidance and facilities), access to a framework of support to identify business needs, prepare marketing and business plans, find and develop new markets/products/services, etc. Feasibility and risk assessment can be undertaken so that entrepreneurs can discover new business opportunities or business partners including international collaboration. Assistance can be provided where there is a requirement to respond to global trends through organisational development techniques (e.g. Investors in People). Business start-ups will be encouraged by matching technical product/process innovators to experienced businessmen and women (and vice versa) with a view to forming new enterprises with the requisite mix of business competencies and technical skills’

Individuals and SMEs that have been established less than 36 months are eligible for support and in many cases they can access funding that supports technical innovation. For example, SMART (in association with GONE), the Spirit of Innovation Award Scheme (NE-BIC) and the CRAFT Programme in collaboration with Beta Technologies Limited (National Contact Point).

Sponsor: Government Office for the North East (GO-NE), European Regional Development Fund Objective 2 2002-2008 Programme.

Duration:17 June 2000- 30th December 2003

Project Co-ordinators:

SERUUniversity of Newcastle

Partners:

NE of England BIC Ltd

Marketing Information Service

SERU Consulting Ltd

Carol Beattie Associates

For further information please contact:

Professor Pooran Wynarczyk

Director of Small Enterprise Research Unit (SERU)

University of Newcastle

Tel 0191 222 7739/7734

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