Innovate UK Business Connect

Operational support for Innovate UK’s ICURe Programme in Scotland:
•	Build and maintain relationships with Scottish university sector and Public Sector Research     Establishments (PSRE) to maintain a strong pipeline of ICURe programme applications.
•	Liaise with key stakeholder groups in Scotland to build collaborative opportunities
•	Work with key stakeholders in Scotland to bring opportunities to ICURe alumni
•	Support the Head of Hubs team across the UK to promote and deliver ongoing events such as Roadshows, Information Sessions, Communities of Practice to increase the visibility and accessibility of the ICURe programme.
•	To help gather and evidence the impact of the ICURe programme nationally and regionally.
•	Support the development of specific national programmes such as widening participation on ICURe  amongst smaller research intensive and regional universities.

Strategic Support for ICURe and Innovate UK.
Support Innovate UK to enable high potential spin outs and start-ups to access Innovate UK’s range of business support offerings through Startup Connect its new startup community.

Regional Head of Hub Scotland  Innovate UK ICURe Programme

AdvoCard

Independent Advocacy is a way to help people have a stronger voice and to have as much control as possible over their own lives. (Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance)

We take a Human Rights Based Approach when working with people to make sure they have the information they need about their rights and the choices in front of them. We do not make decisions for anyone or tell them what they should do, but we can help support people to express their views and have their voices heard.

As an independent charity AdvoCard is separate from organisations that provide other types of services. We are not part of the Council, the NHS, or the Scottish Government, though they fund some of our services.

AdvoCard are a Fair Work Employer and are committed to providing a fair and equal work environment. 

All our services are free

Board Member

Edinburgh Innovations

To lead the Staff Enterprise team to achieve agreed business operational goals, through the development and delivery of a team plan, with a focus on client success. 
To actively network for EI in the enterprise community at the University of Edinburgh, within the Scottish / UK university group and in the wider community.

Seek to evolve and develop knowledge, understanding and access for our clients to the various Enterprise support grants and other funding streams. A key element of this activity is working in depth with our clients to enable them to become 'investor ready'. 
To manage a portfolio of clients, moving them from initial engagement through to spinout or startup and beyond by:
a.	delivering tailored business creation support and services to  entrepreneurs and other clients at the University of Edinburgh 
b.	leading in the identification of funding for entrepreneurial activity, including the RSE Enterprise Fellowships, Innovate UK etc., lead in bidding activity to these funders.
c.	managing and deliver externally funded entrepreneurial programmes on behalf of Enterprise Services
d.	contributing towards the development and maintenance of resources available to entrepreneurs at the University of Edinburgh;
e.	facilitating relationships between entrepreneurs at the University of Edinburgh and internal and external partners in the enterprise network

Staff Enterprise Team Manager

To contribute to the promotion of enterprise to the staff base at the university. 
To deliver business creation support and services to entrepreneurs and other clients. 
To facilitate relationships between entrepreneurs at the University of Edinburgh and internal and external partners in the enterprise network

Senior Enterprise Executive

Right Track Scotland

My responsibilities are to provide support to the Executive Team, take final responsibility for the annual reporting system, lead the Board in their decision making processes and ensure that Right Track Scotland continues to operate within the framework of the strategic plan and  contracts with our funders.

Chair of the Board

The core client group is disadvantaged young people aged 16-18 years who are outwith mainstream training, education or employment. In addition to this,  we also provide projects that specifically support young people who are outwith mainstream education as a result of prolonged truancy or formal school exclusion.  All of our provision is aimed at stabilising participant lifestyles, addressing core skill issues, raising self-esteem and self-confidence, increasing vocational aspiration, assisting clients to manage a broad range of personal development issues and ultimately empowering young people to secure positive options in mainstream training, education or employment.

ReTweed

ReTweed's purposes are: to prevent or relieve poverty particularly among the women and their families in Berwickshire; to promote training, particularly among residents of Berwickshire; to support the delivery of training programmes focused on skills which will assist the participants in obtaining paid employment and developing their enterprise potential to advance education, employment and enterprise;  and in particular to promote opportunities for women who face poverty and multiple disadvantage. The advancement of environmental protection or improvement and to increase social and environmental awareness. 

Developing and selling products made from recycled fabric from the shop in Eyemouth, the project promotes environmental awareness and benefits of recycling fabric into beautiful products.

https://www.retweed.com/pages/what-we-do

MS Society Scotland

Over 100,000 people in the UK have multiple sclerosis (MS). It’s unpredictable and
different for everyone. It’s often painful and exhausting, and can cause problems
with how people walk, move, see, think and feel. It can make it hard for people to work,
and do the things they enjoy. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The MS Society is a community of people living with MS, scientists,
campaigners, volunteers and fundraisers.  They understand what life’s like with MS,
and we support each other through the highs, lows and everything in between.  They are driving research into more – and better – treatments for everyone.

In my role as Local Networks Officer, I will work with branches and other local networks partners to increase the reach and impact of the MS Society's services and support for people with and affected by MS; I will act as the Society’s key point of contact with a number of branches;  I will ensure that branches and other local networks deliver in line with quality standards and follow MS Society policies and procedures; I will support branches and other local network partners in measuring the reach and
impact within an overall governance and risk framework.

Local Network Officer

Converge 

In January 2015, I took up the role of Enterprise Outreach Manager for the Converge Challenge, Scotland’s premier business competition with a prize fund of over £150,000 each year. Converge Challenge is a high profile pan-Scotland company creation competition and entrepreneurship development programme for staff, students, and recent graduates of Scottish Universities and Research Institutes aimed at creating a new generation of entrepreneurs in Scotland.

Converge brings together the most ambitious and creative thinkers from academia, research & business. We work with any industry sector, product or service-based ideas at any stage of the development.

The long term goal of the Converge Challenge is to provide students and staff of all Scottish universities and research institutes with practical commercial skills enabling them to bring to market novel products and services, thus creating sustainable profitable companies and helping Scotland grow as a CAN Do competitive economy.

Developing intrapreneurial and entrepreneurial skills within the Higher Education Sector is the driving force behind the competition. Converge exists as a pathway for university entrepreneurs, meaning that the innovators of the future receive the right support at the right time to ensure profitable businesses for Scotland.

Enterprise Outreach Manager

Heriot-Watt University

I joined Heriot-Watt University as a Business Development Executive. This role gave me the opportunity to work with research of the highest quality, and to gain insight into how research impacts on industry. Working across the University to support the development of the Impact Case Study element of the Research Excellence Framework submission, I learned a great deal about how R & D carried out within the Higher Education system is crucial for industry to remain competitive in the marketplace. There is much goodwill between the partners, and industry representatives were very happy to provide corroborative support to the University, acknowledging the fundamental contribution made by our research. 

The process of compiling case studies required written communication skills, the ability to build effective working relationships and organisational skills to ensure that I met tight deadlines. In the first six months of my contract, I was based at the Institute of Petroleum Engineering. While based there, I had the opportunity to develop skills in communications and marketing. I worked with a small group of academic and support staff, including Corporate Communications, to pull together a communications strategy and marketing collateral within a very tight timeframe.

Between January and December 2014, I held 2 part time roles at Heriot-Watt University. Industrial Outreach Officer for the Centre for Laser-based Production Processes, which involved supporting strategic partners to feed in to the development of a National Roadmap, support the delivery of workshops and industrial meetings of potential partners in laser manufacturing R & D. 

The second part time role was Implementation Project Manager for Heriot-Watt in their role as administrative university for the Oil and Gas Innovation Centre. The Centre is based in Aberdeen, and my role was to support the OGIC Board to deliver the infrastructure required to set up a new business unit.

Industrial Outreach Officer and Implementation Project Manager

Access To Industry Limited

Access to Industry, is an organisation that exists to widen access to new learning opportunities for disadvantaged and excluded groups to promote social justice and inclusion. My role, as Board Member, is to support the strategic development of the organisation to ensure it remains fit for purpose and well managed

Scottish Business in the Community

Part of a small Senior Management Team with responsibility for operational delivery of the company’s strategic aims. I had responsibility for the development, delivery, business buy-in and sustainability of SBC’s programmes to enable businesses to maximise the social, environmental and economic impact of their community investment. I manage a team and ensure compliance with the needs of the funders, businesses and community based partners across Scotland.  I managed relationships with SBC’s public sector funders to ensure appropriate investment, as well as SBC Business members to create relevant programmes. As important aspect of my role was the regional delivery of products and services across Scotland. I Account Managed relationships with key SBC members to maintain appropriate support and challenge businesses to increase activities which have greater impact. Key areas of interest included employability for disadvantaged groups, increasing corporate volunteering and demonstration of impact on the community

Head of Regions and Services

Experienced project manager with a passion for people, enterprise and entrepreneurs

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