NORIBIC - The Northern Ireland Business and Innovation Centre

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I am CEO of NORIBIC, an EU Business Innovation Centre (BIC) based in Northern Ireland and I have been working in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation support since 1989. I have a first degree and PhD in Physics and an MBA. I am a qualified EFQM Assessor and also a registered Growth Wheel Business Assessor. NORIBIC specialises in the provision of project evaluation and development, business modelling, planning and sourcing finance. Through our services, we support the generation and development of new innovative enterprises and assists existing SMEs to innovate through the provision of high quality specialised business consultancy and incubation. As CEO of NORIBIC since 2001, I have worked with a small team to develop, deliver and manage over £9m of SME innovation and growth support programmes aimed at improving the capability of the SME sector across Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland. In this time, over 2,800 SMEs participated in our programmes. Prior to NORIBIC, I spent three years with Innovation Centre Belfast, assessing SME applicants for the Northern Ireland Innovation Programme seed capital fund. This work involves assessing both business and product potential against existing market competition and potential market demand and providing the necessary support to optimise success for the business. I extensive experience working across all business sectors in evaluating business ideas and growth plans in terms of the potential for business exploitation. NORIBIC also runs Digital Media Works, an incubator for digital content businesses in Derry, Northern Ireland. We provide business growth advice and support to our incubatees and help them to develop products that will succeed better in the marketplace. This work involves assessing both business and product potential against existing market competition and potential market demand and providing the necessary support to optimise success for the business. I have a good level of computer literacy and have previously taught ICT and computer programming at 3rd level.