Industry NZ Helps Close The Entrepreneur Gap

16 November 2001

Industry NZ Helps Close The Entrepreneur Gap

Industry New Zealand is working to remove some of the barriers to entrepreneurship identified by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report.
“The GEM study shows we have the talent, innovation and entrepreneurship to create world competitive businesses,” Industry New Zealand Chief Executive Neil Mackay said today.
“The challenge is to turn these intangible assets into successful businesses,” he said.
“Industry New Zealand has a number of programmes, which tackle the issue from different directions, that do this.”
These are:
BIZ which provides free practical training, business advice and management up skilling for small and medium size businesses. (BIZ receives an average 120 calls a day on its 0800 number)
BIZinvestmentready which runs seminar-style training for innovative businesses and entrepreneurs on capital raising and investment training. (33 companies have raised over $18.6 million)
BIZenterprise awards which provide grants, usually to bring in outside expertise, for small businesses with expansion plans. ($1.9 million has been awarded to 271 companies in the year to the end of June 2001)
The Incubator Development Programme which helps business incubators mentor and guide entrepreneurial companies through their start-up phases and move them into commercial operation. ($950,000 has been awarded to 12 business incubators)
“Every day at Industry New Zealand we help the nation’s entrepreneurs through these programmes with practical advice, passing on contacts, clearing road blocks and where necessary funding,” Mr Mackay said.
“New Zealanders with bright ideas, the know how and the focus to succeed must be nurtured, encouraged, supported and celebrated.”

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