Talking about us

Lots of people want to see Northern Ireland companies grow and succeed. But how do you translate goodwill into firm actions? If smaller, private investors/ex-pats wanted to help support local start ups, how do they go about doing that? How can NI best support the next generation wantrepreneur?

These questions, and more besides, were part of an email conversation going backwards and forwards this week. Involved in the conversation were some NI-born hi-tech and highly successful entrepreneurs now living abroad, and a few local people involved in local tech and innovation – here’s a snapshot of what things look like from their perspective…

Ex-pat: “Over the past decade in general, and the last two years in particular, I’ve noticed – from my little perch on this side of the pond – that there is considerable talent of, and opportunity for, technology entrepreneurs from NI. And there is a growing NI diaspora that wants to reach out and grab those entrepreneurs by the scuff of their necks and throw them onto the world stage.

“I’ve also noticed that, without clear vision and bold leadership, many brilliant opportunities are left fallow, in many cases simply because it is not clear how to progress those opportunities. In the past six months I’ve personally seen some world-class opportunities that “just don’t fit” into a standard envelope, requiring cross functional this, or cross organization that, or didn’t have the right boxes ticked.

“NI is just too small to waste opportunities like this, or wait while the window closes. May I humbly suggest that there is a crying need for a steering committee (no, not a “steering committee”) that can simply guide these opportunities into the right hands? Or see across a number of opportunities and raise awareness, divert resources, or align priorities?”

One local expert: “A recent survey has identified Northern Ireland as a leading FDI region for software investment – the story was barely picked up in the local press – News Letter was the only one I saw. BBC and Radio Ulster in particular still after all these years give a hallowed position to Agriculture news – technology appears to be “threatening” or “weird” often “funny”. Yet there are people within [the media] with a good understanding of the potential impact on our economy.”

Another ex-pat: “Absolutely, for a small province which exported entrepreneursip to so many parts of the world for so long, it’s about time that more/ some of it started to grow back at the original base. Having just started trying to interact with some of the venture base in the North coming from outside, it isn’t awe inspiring.”

The email trail ended by highlighting four actions to help grow innovative hi-tech companies.

 

• If NI was a product, and you were the Product Manager, how would you launch it? We need a value proposition and a Go-To-Market plan for NI technology and companies, and a strategic marketing plan to position NI to beat the competition. Form a product launch team to reintroduce NI to the world stage.
• Reach out to the diaspora. Invite them in. Listen to them.
• Have the funding industry pitch to entrepreneurs and startups, make it a buyers’ marker. Get some real operational experience into the industry – if you haven’t run the operations of a big ($100M+) successful company, you can’t be judging those that are trying to.
• Take three of the most likely NI technology companies and PROMOTE them in the US for the next 100 days. Put everything behind these three (as opposed to spreading funds to thinly over a great number) and bet big.

How do these sound to you? If you are into local tech and innovation, take these thoughts on board and begin your own conversations and email trails. What’s the best way for NI to raise awareness, divert resources, align priorities? Where do we go from here?