| Invest NI |
Grants |
The start-up financial support is generally limited to businesses that intend to sell outside Northern Ireland. Invest NI approach to supporting businesses is based on three key elements:
• Providing information and advice, directly and through a range of information services.
• Providing support to people wanting to set up their own business and helping new and existing businesses grow and move into new markets.
• Providing tailored support to businesses that can make the greatest contribution to increasing productivity, innovation and export growth in Northern Ireland.
Because their resources are limited they primarily support those businesses that can make the biggest contribution to the economy.
Criteria typically used to determine whether a business can become an Invest NI client includes: Turnover exceeding £250K annually with over 25% being classed as export sales.
If a business based in Northern Ireland can show that it intends to sell outside Northern Ireland, is actively pursuing growth plans and will contribute to increasing productivity and innovation in Northern Ireland, you could become an Account Managed customer with Invest NI.
Detailed financial plans for three to five years will be needed to become an Invest NI Client along with full current accounts.
Once classed as an Invest NI Client you have access to a number of supports including;
- Access to wide range of expertise particular in export trade, IT, Innovation and sustainability.
- Grant Aid for staffing (specific roles including sales and IT roles)
- Grant Aid for ecommerce websites and online sales – typically 75%
- Grant Aid to travelling to Trade Shows and meeting with export customers.
- Branding and Design programmes
- Innovation support from Intellectual Property and patents and product development.
- Mentoring programmes in the area of sales, finances etc.
- Research and development teams and associate grant aid.
- Market research with a full business research library located through Business Information Services.
Range of Invest NI offices across Northern Ireland with a number of Client Executives dealing with businesses and specialist staff based primarily in Belfast. Their Invest Growth Proof of Concept Fund provides grants to individuals, start-up businesses, micro enterprises and small or medium sized businesses to help them fully develop and test their ideas.
Invest NI also have a Proof of Concept programme that offers funding to local universities and research organisations to help researchers take their ideas out of the lab and into the market.
This is now only available for the renewable energy sector. Invest NI will support all types of business; however they are very interested in businesses linked to improving the environment.
Link
https://www.investni.com
Agency Responsible:
Invest NI
Funding:
A suite of six funds totalling more than £170 million to help SMEs with high growth potential, like yours, to forge ahead.
Funding typically is set at 75% of the needed cost dependant on the area of support. |
No |
Regional |
| Intertrade Ireland |
Grants |
InterTrade Ireland helps SME’s across the island of Ireland by offering practical cross border business funding, intelligence and contacts. Grant aid is provided for mentoring support and staff subsidies to any business located on the Island of Ireland who want to begin or grow cross border trading.
They offer support to businesses new to cross border trade with New to Accelerate Vouchers offering support up to value of £10,000.
Go to Tender Programmme: Tendering and procurement training and one to one mentoring for businesses who want to expand through tendering particularly on a cross border level.
Meet the Buyer event: Free event to allow businesses to meet with key buyers from the public sector.
Sales development support: Staff subsides and graduate programmes for companies who want to develop and grow cross border sales. Acumen programme: Offering 50% of sales person salary to a maximum of £15k grant.
Elevate programme offering consultancy support up to the value of £5k specific to growing cross border trade
Innovation in business support for businesses completing cross border trading. Graduate support for developing new product and innovative processes – maximum aid £44,250. Various other supports available if business is eligible.
This is available for all sectors. InterTrade Ireland will support all types of business that are interested in expanding cross border trading.
Link
www.intertradeireland.com
Agency Responsible:
InterTrade Ireland
Funding:
High calibre businesses will only be accepted. Various levels of funding – as detailed above. |
No |
National |
| Northern Ireland Renewables Industry Group |
Advice |
Regional support, covering all of NI and businesses interested in investment to NI. Provides the companies it represents with knowledge and advice on marine and wind renewable energy projects/ ideas. It has well developed sub groups which are capable of dealing any of these areas:
• Planning & environment
• Markets
• Grid
• Marine energy
This support is available for any business looking advice and support in terms of renewable energies can become a member and seek advice.
Link
http://www.ni-rig.org/
Agency Responsible:
Northern Ireland Renewables Industry Group
Funding:
n/a |
No |
Regional |
| Carbon Trust |
Training |
Carbon Zero Northern Ireland provides technology development and innovation support to Industry and will deliver an extensive array of training courses focused on developing a skilled workforce in renewable energy in Northern Ireland.
The courses will cover the areas of:
• Renewable energy awareness for homes and business
• Renewable energy technologies including Wind, Solar, Biomass and Hydro
• Waste management
• Responsible sourcing of materials
• Sustainable construction
Current R&D under the Carbon Zero NI programme will position Northern Ireland as an international player in the sustainable development and clean energy sectors
This is a sector wide initiative by the Further Education sector under the leadership of the South West College in Northern Ireland and is supported by the Department of Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland through the Innovation Fund, Employer Support Programme.
Courses developed under the Carbon Zero NI programme will address the ever increasing need for skills and knowledge in the area of clean energy development in Northern Ireland.
For more information on the courses offered by each Further Education College under the Carbon Zero NI Programme click on any of the College logos below:
• Belfast Met
• Northwest regional college
• South West College
• Southern Regional College
Research
The technical research will focus on three key areas of growth in Northern Ireland:
• Wind Energy
• Energy from Waste
• Clean Energy Storage
These technologies have been identified as areas that require immediate support in relation to dedicated research and development as they are evolving rapidly at both a local and international level.
This support is specifically available for all types of renewable energy.
Link
http://www.energiavirasto.fi/en/web/energy-authority/feed-in-tariff
Agency Responsible:
Energy Authority
Funding:
Tariff depends on the target price and average three-month market price of electricity. The system is temporary, until the combined capacity of the generators is exceeded. (wind 2500 MVA, biogas 19 MVA, wood fuels 150 MVA or 50 generators). |
Yes |
Regional & Local |
| CAFRE – College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development |
Training |
CAFRE offers a range of support services to ensure your time at College is both educational and enjoyable. At all campuses the support of students is a priority for College staff. College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise is a public tertiary level land-based college offering training in agriculture, food technology, horticulture, equine and agri-business operating at three sites in Northern Ireland. This training is based on all types of businesses related to agriculture and environmental sector.
Link
http://www.cafre.ac.uk/
Agency Responsible:
CAFRE – College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development
Funding: |
No |
Regional & Local |
| Invest NI Innovation Vouchers |
Grants |
An Innovation Voucher offers small or medium sized busineses £5000 to ‘purchase’ specialist knowledge from one of 39 respected universities, colleges and research organisations throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This will help you to develop solutions to business issues, or improve or create products, services and processes that will help your business compete more effectively.
Typical projects we support include:
• Ideas for new or improved products, processes and services.
• Product and service testing.
• Access to information and expertise on new materials.
• Tapping into research and scientific research
The Innovation Voucher Scheme, run by Invest NI and Enterprise Ireland, is designed to help you tap into specialist knowledge to develop forward-thinking solutions or ideas to expand, improve or create new products, services and processes. You do not need to be an Invest NI or Enterprise Ireland client company to apply. This is available to all businesses.
Link
http://www.investni.com/support-for-business/funding-for-business/funding-for-innovation-and-research-and-development.html
Agency Responsible:
Invest NI
Funding:
£5000 |
No |
National |
| Tech Start Up |
Advice |
As a team, we work tirelessly to help our companies win customers, make key hires, and develop strategies and tactics to achieve the fastest possible growth in the value of the company. We seek to be trusted peers and partners to help entrepreneurs realise their vision with experienced and timely support. With our backing, Founders can focus on customer development and validating their business model. In a competitive basis this fund seeks to support entrepreneurs with grants directed towards exploring the viability and commercial potential of an innovative concept. This support is based on all types of Technologies.
Link
http://www.techstartni.com/
Agency Responsible:
TechStartNI
Funding:
"Concept" grant (of up to £10k) and a "Concept Plus" grant (of up to £25k). |
No |
Regional |
| Action Renewables |
Advice |
Action Renewables support commercial renewable energy development, develop and support European Projects, offer quality assurance to the renewable energy industry (Micro-generation Certification Scheme MCS) and provide advice and information to Government. As an organisation we deliver a wide range of services and activities which include supporting commercial renewable energy development, developing and supporting European Projects, offering quality assurance to the renewable energy industry and providing advice and information to Government. In addition to our current list of services we are also happy to undertake bespoke services for our clients.
Link
http://actionrenewables.co.uk/
Agency Responsible:
Action Renewables
Funding:
N/A |
Yes |
Regional |
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