Find the right matches for your business to grow

The Enterprise Europe Network Scotland is hosting a Matchmaking Event at Scotland's Technology Show - where thousands of technology professionals will gather for business inspiration, networking and learning. 

Don't miss the opportunity to find the right matches for your business to grow - at the Scotland's Technology Show!

The Matchmaking Zone brings together organisations seeking to collaborate and is an ideal way to source new suppliers, new technology or research partners and new customers by allowing companies to meet and screen potential partners in short 20 minute sessions.

The Matchmaking Zone brings together organisations seeking to collaborate and is an ideal way to source new suppliers, new technology or research partners and new customers by allowing companies to meet and screen potential partners in short 20 minute sessions.

Industry innovators and technology professionals from a broad range of sectors will be at the SECC in Glasgow on 11 June 2013 for Scotland’s Technology Show (STS13).

As well as keynote speakers, there will be cutting edge technologies from companies such as pureVLC, SELEX ES and Holoxica, which recently demonstrated its 3D holographic software on Channel 5’s, Gadget Show. Other demonstrations include Mode Diagnostics and Touch Bionics, whose i-limb software allows users to control their prosthetic with their phone.

You have the unique opportunity to make valuable connections for your business!

Following last year's success, Enterprise Europe Network Scotland will again host the Matchmaking Zone at Scotland's Technology Show 2013. Last year 365 meetings took place on the day.

Participation is FREE and will provide you with the opportunity to feature your company profile on the Matchmaking website. However, you must register for Scotland's Technology Show in order to take part.

Register now and don't miss this opportunity to make valuable connections for your business.

For more information or help registering contact the EEN Scotland team.

Would like to meet...

The Enterprise Europe Network offers a range of services to companies in Scotland, one of which is providing support to find European business partners. In this blog, Elizabeth McNeil highlights upcoming opportunties for you to meet your ideal customers, suppliers or partners.

With Valentine’s Day next week our thoughts turn to finding or renewing connections with loved ones. But have you ever considered matchmaking for your business?

Often described as “speed dating”, our matchmaking events allow you to book pre-arranged meetings based on a profile submitted to the event’s website. This gives you the opportunity to meet potential customers, suppliers or partners face-to-face to explore business opportunities through targeted meetings.

Over the coming months Enterprise Europe Network is hosting a number of matchmaking events and we invite you to join us and find your perfect match!

Find out what’s hot in sustainable energy

Sustainable Energy: Challenges and Opportunities for the Supply Chain is the focus for this year’s sustainable energy event on 20 and 21 March at Edinburgh’s Napier University. Companies with green interests at heart can connect with like-minded companies at the industry-led brokerage event.

Participants are urged to create an online profile prior the event to highlight their capabilities and to maximise the chance of finding their perfect business match. The free event will provide a platform for Scottish companies to meet international contacts to talk about their innovative products and services.

For more information or to register for the brokerage event please visit the website.

Fish around the global seafood market

Companies within the food and drink industry are already cooking up their plans for the largest seafood trade fair in the world, the European Seafood Exposition, which takes place 24 to 26 April in Brussels.

Again this year the Enterprise Europe Network team will be hosting a matchmaking event. Last year’s event attracted 104 organisations - from sole traders to multinationals - from countries including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Turkey and Iceland.

To find out more or to register please visit the ESE Brokerage Event website. 

Tap into the latest technology advances

The Scottish Technology Showcase consistently brings together some of Europe’s top industry minds. Technology leaders will flock to Glasgow on 12 June to take part, offering a chance to network with over 1,500 like-minded experts.

Enterprise Europe Network is keen for Scottish companies to make the most of the associated matchmaking event and forge potential partnerships and business links. Keynote speakers will also discuss the latest technology developments and how these can impact on your business.

For more information or to register please visit the matchmaking website. 

For more information on these matchmaking events please e-mail me at elizabeth.mcneil@scotent.co.uk.

My top 5 places to find FP7 projects that need partners

Ken Gordon

Part of the service provided by The Enterprise Europe Network is in supporting organisations that want to take part in EU collaborative R&D, particularly FP7 and Eurostars. 

For organisations wanting to engage for the first time, the search can be daunting. In this post Ken Gordon gives you his 5 top tips in finding projects that need partners.

I am often asked by Scottish organisations who want to join an FP7 project as a partner,

“What place can I look to find projects that are looking for partners?”

My largely unhelpful answer is that there is no single place to look, but the good new is that most of the places you will find such projects, are free and easy to use. 

Here are my top 5 places to find FP7 projects that need partners (in no particular order).

1. The first suggestion is easy. The Enterprise Europe Network manages the world’s largest business partnering system and among the many commercial opportunities, there are FP7 and Eurostars projects looking for partners. Register on our website and you will automatically get email notification of projects looking for partners.

2. Engage in the UK FP7 community by joining the UK home of FP7, the Connect site. It is free and easy to join and it is managed by the UK FP7 National Contact Point Network, the people in the UK who know most about each FP7 theme. While you are in there, look out for the FP7 thematic partner search tools. This link gives you a list of some of them.

3. Register (if you haven’t already) as a potential FP7 project partner on the CORDIS website . It is long established, and still a "go to” Site for project partners. Also register on the new Research Participant Portal site for all you need to know about FP7 calls.

4. Are you a member of a local or national technology network? Use that to raise your profile and make connections. Someone in your network might be preparing an FP7 project. LinkedIn contains many FP7 Groups to join and a request placed in a relevant LinkedIn group can work.

5. Attend info days about FP7. In Scotland alongside Scotland Europa, we host around 10 of these a year. If you can go to the FP7 information days in Brussels, there is always a chance to network and often formalised FP7 project partner brokerage activities.

To sum up, successfully finding projects that need partners is largely about networking and making people aware of your organisation and what it does. I hope the above short list is helpful. 

Remember the Enterprise Europe Network is here to help you so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you are thinking seriously of joining FP7, Eurostars or other Funding programmes.

The Network Effect

The Enterprise Europe Network is a European Commission funded project that provides business and innovation support to local companies looking to access new and exciting markets. In this post Elizabeth McNeil explores what it means to be part of this Network.

We define ourselves as a Network but what does that really mean?

The Enterprise Europe Network spans 50 countries and is made up of close to 600 partner organisations employing 3,000+ advisors. The organisations include chambers of commerce, enterprise agencies, regional development organisations, research institutes, universities, technology centres and innovation centres.

Our Network covers the 27 Member States and, contrary to the name, extends far beyond Europe.

The European Commission has recently extended the reach of the Enterprise Europe Network by opening new contact points in Japan and doubling its presence in China.

We now reach southern Mediterranean countries, with eight contact points in place in Tunisia, a longstanding partnership renewed in Egypt and Moroccan branches to be set up soon.

Other new countries to have recently joined the Network include Ukraine, Moldova and Mexico.

At the heart of this is free business and innovation support for SMEs looking to access new and exciting markets. All done through our network of colleagues.

If you are looking for market information or have questions about doing business in a new country; need assistance in accessing EU Funding; or want to identify business opportunities based on technology compatibility, trade or manufacturing requirements the Network can help.

We have trusted colleagues that we can call upon to assist you in finding the information and local business contacts you need.

This is the Network effect!

For more information and a list of the countries we cover please visit the Enterprise Europe Network’s website.

Please e-mail me at elizabeth.mcneil@scotent.co.uk if you would like information on doing business in any of our partner countries.