SMES across Northern Ireland are being offered the opportunity to access expert practical advice on seeking financial investment by the Ulster University Business School’s SME Centre.
A series of SME Finance Clinics are to be held in Belfast, Newry and Londonderry with the aim of upskilling and educating SMEs about the range of alternative finance options available, how to access them and how to plan the amount of finance required at various stages of an SME’s development.
Supported by SME Centre Patron Keys Commercial Finance, the clinics will involve one-toone sessions with accountancy academic staff from the Ulster University Business School; presentations focussing on the why, what, when, where and how of finance for SMEs; and expert advice from John Trethowan, head of the Credit Review Office in the Republic of Ireland.
Kirsty McManus, director of the SME Centre explained: “We work with hundreds of small to medium-sized businesses across Northern Ireland, helping them to move projects forward quickly by accessing a level of expertise that would otherwise be unachievable for a company their size. Time and time again the issue of accessing finance is raised — often as a challenge but more frequently as a barrier to growth.
“As a result we have created these very focussed clinics to deliver practical advice which will equip SMEs with a much broader knowledge of what funding is available, from which sources and how they can more successfully access it.”
Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Jonathan Bell said: “Small and medium-sized enterprises have a huge role to play in growing our future economy.
“They are a source of innovation and new ideas, wealth creation and employment.
“While inward investment is essential for any country or region striving to make its mark in a competitive world, of equal importance is indigenous industry both in terms of the growth of existing firms and the need to encourage a greater number of people to start new, innovative and globally focused businesses.”
The clinics are free to attend and the first event will be held in the MAC, in Belfast on June 12, followed by sessions in Newry on September 17 and Londonderry on September 22.