Case studies

Texam, a Northern Ireland SME, who specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of conveyor systems, has been assisted by Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) at Invest Northern Ireland to develop a business partnership in Germany.

The company used EEN as part of a drive to expand its product portfolio and grow sales. EEN helped Texam to identify a business opportunity through the EEN website which has an online database of companies seeking partners throughout Europe. 

A Northern Ireland digital marketing specialist, Digishare360 has been assisted by Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) to develop a business partnership in Poland.

The company, has developed an online marketing system which integrates email and Facebook to increase business. Digishare 360 had a meeting with an Invest NI Innovation Advisor to discuss R&D Support. The advisor quickly realised that an additional route of support for the client could be the EEN, and referred the company to the EEN team.

EEN is an EU funded initiative delivered by Invest NI to help local companies to explore business in Europe.

Scientists from the Agrifood and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Belfast have been looking at new ways of keeping foods fresher, tastier, safer and nutritious for longer.  One of their most exciting projects is using very high pressure as a food preservation method.

The Enterprise Europe Network helps a British research centre team up with a German University to examine water management across the EU. With €3.5 million in EU funding, the ATWARM project will provide scientific knowledge and training to 16 young researchers.

The aim was simple: lead rather than follow. In 2011 Enterprise Europe Northern Ireland attended the Week of Innovative Regions in Europe event (WIRE 2011) in Debrecen, Hungary, seeking partners to complete consortia for two major European R&D funding bids. The trip, an initiative of Invest NI, Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland, was about showcasing all-island talent to the world. And Enterprise Europe Northern Ireland's Robert Bunn made it clear that his project bids were the elite projects to join, and not compete against.

In the early part of 2011 EEN NI worked closely with researchers and the Innovation Office in the local University of Ulster (UU) to compile a series of Technology Offers relevant to various aspects of their medically related research..

In June 2011 they submitted a Technology Offer to the EEN related to Insulin-Releasing Human Pancreatic Beta Cell Lines.

At the end of June EEN NI received an email from EEN Swerea in Sweden to inform us that they had received an Expression of Interest  through their own profile distribution web pages from the University of Bari in Italy.

A robbery at a neighbour's home inspired an Italian inventor to devise a novel locking system. Now Enterprise Europe Northern Ireland is helping the company open doors to new markets and new opportunities.