Islamic University of Gaza and CARE on campus at Edinburgh University
Palestinian Colleagues in Scotland
On the 17th April the LLIP group from IUG, CARE and University of Glasgow visited the award winning Research and Enterprise of the University of Edinburgh. They met for several hours and listened to a presentation given by Paul Devlin on Company Formation and Innovation. Paul manages the delivery of the LAUNCH.ed Accelerator Pipeline Programme for high-growth startups. His work focuses on start up businesses, where he delivers one-to-one business support as well as start-up workshops.
The following is the email address that can be used for enquiries which has won endless prizes in the early moths of 2013. Fro here there are leads into a number of more specialist areas …
http://www.launch.ed.ac.uk
On Twitter they are https://twitter.com/launch_ed
This is Global Enterprise Week in which Palestinian groups would be more than wecome to participate in … It is a really important event in November 2013. There is a step-by-step guide on-line for potential participants.
http://www.gew.org.uk
Paul’s area is markets and technology, academic and industrial collaborations, foresighting, programme management, business plan development, company formation, and IP commercialisation. He is the Senior Consultant with New Media Partners. Their projects include the delivery of a national advisory service, and market assessment for several technology spin-out companies.
The following are sources of information
This is a students group that might link to Palestinian students for the purpose of developing new initiatives:
http://www.business-school.ed.ac.uk/eclub
This is Scottish Enterprise that links groups abroad to Scottish groups developing innovations …
http://www.sie.ac.uk/home.aspx
Paul co-founded a successful university spin-out company, securing substantial investment from 3i, SEP, Aberdeen Asset and Lockheed Martin. He holds patents in the fields of sensor networks, media streaming and video compression. Open Innovation can be contacted for advice on any Palestinian development at …
openinnovation@edinburgh.gov.uk
Paul agreed to share software with the LLIP project, and Fahid Ribah said he would be following up connections with Paul on start up work and incubators. He email
Paul.Devlin@ed.ac.uk
Paul would possibly link up with some of the Palestinian universities, skype or other interactive medium and explain the latest innovations. Edinburgh is involved in the Open Innovation that brings together business, government and higher education, which involves the following institutions …
Belgium
KAHO Sint Lieven / Catholic University of Gent
Voka Chamber of Commerce East Flanders
France
Laval Mayenne Technopole
IRSEEM Rouen
Germany
Kassel University
Ireland
Dublin City Council
National College of Ireland
University of Dublin, Innovation Research Unit
London
British Library Business & IP Centre
Capital Enterprise
Meganexus
UCL Advances
Scotland
City of Edinburgh Council (Project Leader)
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce
Edinburgh Science Triangle
Herriot Watt University
LAUNCH-ed – Edinburgh Research and Innovation
South West of England
Somerset Chamber of Commerce
Somerset County Council
Southwest One
University of Plymouth
Open innovation is based on a simple principle. This is that, by accessing a broader range of ideas and views than those which exist or are generated within a single organisation, you will dramatically increase the possibility of developing innovative new products and finding effective solutions to challenges of all types.
This principle is applied through a broad range of activities and potential business models. These models offer varying levels of information sharing, interdependence and openness and each business should select the models which are best suited to the way they like to work, their size and the sector in which they operate. Edinbugh University is right at the centre of open innovation.
Palestinian colleagues in Ireland
Ireland has a population very close to that of Palestine. It has a history that is not unacquainted with colonialism. Unemployment is high at 15%. The border region has been burdened with the British military presence and up until recently with armed conflict that effected every detail of Irish life.
Cavan County
On the 19th April, Keith Hammond (UG), Josephine Finn (NUIM), Hatem El Elaydi (IUG) and Fahid Rabah (IUG) visited Cavan County Enterprise Board. The group met and talked at length with James Fox, Assistant Chief Executive Officer.
Cavan county is on the border with Northern Ireland with a population of approximately 73,000. Agriculture is the largest industry – mainly pasture farming, involving around 144,269 hectares. It produces 12.20 Metawatts of wind energy. The unemployment rate is 9.6%. The county has the second largest dairy co-operative with annual revenue of 472 million Euros. The area is now concentrating on the development of its manufacturing sector.
Cavan County Enterprise Board (CEB)
CEB was established by the Irish Government to promote regional economic development and support new and existing enterprise, which includes direct financial assistance and capability development programmes that target small micro enterprise throughout the region. It is supported financially by the Irish Government and the European Union. Its Board and Directors represent a range of public, private and community sector players for the local area and it often collaborates with local education and training institutes
Assistance and support
Support is given to the commercial sphere on the basis of which there is …
· A demonstrable market for the proposed product/service;
· A clear capacity for growth and new job creation; and
· Applicants must be micro-enterprises – having ten or less employees.
Services
Help is given in the following forms
1. First Stop Shop – Information, Advice and Guidance.
2. Enterprise Related Training
3. Mentoring – including Mentoring Clinics
4. Financial Assistance – grant assistance
5. Website Development / Exhibition Support
6. Business Related Seminars/Cavan Enterprise Network
7. Enterprise Awareness and Promotion
8. Tradelinks Micro Enterprise Support Programme
9. West Cavan Fermanagh Regeneration Project
10. Additional Supports
11. Enterprise Centres
12. Cavan Innovation & Technology Centres
Training Programme
The LLIP group were particularly interested in the training. Grant applications in themselves involve skill in completing and providing the necessary information. Training programmes are offered in all aspects of researching an application and putting together the necessary business plans, supported by sound market research. Training programmes begin with where education left off and vibrant business acumen begin …
Technology
New business propositions are encouraged to include the application of appropriate technology, which often requires vocational training. Helping the process is an innovation voucher scheme, which allows people to cash in their vouchers in local training programmes offered in vocational colleges.
Innovation voucher schemes
As part of CEB collaborative work, new businesses and those starting to think about business proposals, this Enterprise body gives vouchers that can be traded in for training in local vocational centres. These vouchers bring together trainers and the unemployed, trainers and women etc and act as a kind of currency tying in all sorts of groups to a single network.
Any of the Irish organizations would help Palestinian organizations. Each are shaped specifically for Ireland but most of these should be able to offer some advice:
Innovation vouchers – www.innovationvouchers.ie
Trade mentoring – gives advice on trading possibilities – www.tradelinks2.com
Business Networks International – www.bni.eu/ireland
Irish Exports Association – advice on exports involving Ireland and Palestine – www.irishexporters.ie
SFA – www.sfa.ie
ISME – www.isme.ie
Google initiative that provides guidance for building your own website using free template – www.gettingbusinessonline.ie
Irish Internet Association – www.iia.ie
Online resources
www.snallbusinesscan.com
www.startups.ie
www.nubie.com
www.allaboutbusiness.ie