Two Open Calls have been launched today for Outline Applications under the West Midlands European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme 2007 to 2013. The Open Calls are in relation to

Priority 2 – Stimulating Enterprise Development: Small Business Loans The call for Priority 2 is seeking applications from organisations to manage and co-ordinate Small Business Loans activity across the West Midlands. Small Business Loans are defined as loans of up to £50,000 to start-up and early stage businesses.

Priority 3 – Achieving Sustainable Urban Development.The call for Priority 3 seeks to bring forward projects which will address the outputs and results where Priority 3 is under achieving, in particular jobs created, new or upgraded floorspace and premises upgraded to BREEAM standards. Activity will be restricted to the newly expanded Priority 3 areas, defined as those Super Output Areas which are within the 25% most deprived nationally and are not currently within existing package areas. Additional projects may come forward from the Coventry and Nuneaton Package area.

The Open Calls invite Outline Applications from any interested organisations able to deliver activities stated above. Organisations intending to submit an Outline Application should discuss their project concept with the Programme Delivery Team beforehand to confirm likely eligibility under the calls.

The closing date for Outline Applications for the calls is 12 noon on Friday 4th May 2012.

For more information on the ERDF contact persons please send an email to BAWE joanna@bawe-uk.org and you will be happy to help!

The Programmes that are funded by EU and are directly related to DG Enterprise and Industry are:

1. Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme
The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) aims to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises. With small and medium-sized enterprises as its main target, the programme will support innovation activities, provide better access to finance and deliver business support services in the regions. It will encourage a better take-up and use of information and communications technologies and help to develop the information society. It will also promote the increased use of renewable energies and energy efficiency.

2. Eco-Innovation
With 3.4 million jobs in eco-industries and a growing demand for environmental products and services, Europe has the potential to meet the environmental challenges of the future. The EU’s Eco-innovation initiative was set up to tap this potential to the fullest by giving clever ideas and new environmentally-friendly solutions a chance to reach an EU-wide market. Eco-innovation boosts economic growth whilst protecting the environment.
The cross-cutting initiative provides funding for projects in various sectors that mitigate environmental impacts or promote a more efficient use of resources. Priority areas include material recycling, buildings, the food and drink sector as well as greener business. Ecology goes hand in hand with innovation. Projects must be environmentally beneficial, innovative and economically viable in the medium to long-term. Eco-innovation funding is only there to help ideas get off the ground – the project must be able to carry on without EU funding.

3. EU Gateway Programme
The EU Gateway Programme organises and funds Business Missions in high technology and design sectors for European companies to develop their business in Japan and Korea. The Programme offers financial and logistical support, strategic preparation and a tailored search for business contacts. With support provided at every step of the way, EU companies are coached by a team of professionals in the business etiquette of these dynamic markets. Since the beginning of this Programme, the European Commission has helped many companies reap the rewards of entry into the Japanese market. Since 1994 more than 2,500 companies from the EU Member States have participated in an EU Gateway Business Mission in order to:
• Expand market share in a cost-effective and efficient way
• Make new contacts and strengthen existing relationships
• Identify potential suppliers, subcontractors, representatives, importers and distributors
• Discover current and future trends in the Japanese and Korean markets
• Research and compare the characteristics of local and competitive products
• Get immediate feedback when introducing your products and technologies face-to-face
• Discuss challenges and trends with other industry professionals
• Raise the profile of their company with an official European Union mission

4. Intelligent Energy Europe
The Intelligent Energy – Europe (IEE) programme is giving a boost to clean and sustainable solutions. It supports their use and dissemination and the Europe-wide exchange of related knowledge and know-how.
Targeted funding is provided for creative projects putting this idea into practice.
The projects help to further the three main objectives:
• Promoting energy efficiency and encouraging the rational use of energy sources;
• Increasing the use of new and renewable energy sources as well as encouraging energy diversification;
• Stimulating energy efficiency and renewables in the field of transport.

5. Jeremie (Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises).
The JEREMIE initiative developed in co-operation with the European Commission, offers EU Member States, through their national or regional Managing Authorities, the opportunity to use part of their EU Structural Funds to finance small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by means of equity, loans or guarantees, through a revolving Holding Fund acting as an umbrella fund.

6. Jessica (Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas)
This is an initiative of the European Commission developed in co-operation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB). It supports sustainable urban development, investment, growth and regeneration through financial mechanisms.

7. Jasmine (Joint Action to Support Micro-finance Institutions in Europe)
JASMINE helps small companies start up by encouraging the supply of micro-credits, and supports the development of non-bank micro-finance institutions. Typically loans averaging around €7,700 have been made to people starting their own businesses.

8. Marco Polo II
Marco Polo is the EU’s funding programme for projects which shift freight transport from road to sea, rail and inland waterways. Companies aiming to avoid or reduce road transport, or offering support services like management systems, cargo control and common IT platforms or special training programmes may also benefit.

9. Northern Ireland Competitiveness and Employment Programme
The programme aims to promote investment in the development of a knowledge-based, innovative and business-friendly region with a highly skilled workforce supporting a high quality of life. The total budget is €614 million, with €307 million of investment from the EU. It includes setting up six new centres of excellence in research and development and contributing to starting up 250 new businesses. The Managing Authority is the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

10. Seventh Framework Research Programme
The Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development is the EU’s main instrument for funding research in Europe and is designed to respond to Europe’s employment needs, competitiveness and quality of life.

The British Library invites you to come and hear about the rool-out of the Business & IP Centre to major cities across the UK, helping to transform city libraries into enterprise hubs. The Centre will also be announcing the results of their latest economic impact study.

The keynote speaker will be Rosa Wilkinson, Director of Innovation, the Intellectual property Office and Tim Campbell, Apprentice Winner ans succesful social entrepreneur whose Bright Ideas Trust was born in the Business & IP Centre.

Anyone that wishes to attend this event, contact BAWE joanna@bawe-uk.org

COMEDIENNE and business trainer Ruby Wax will help the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce re-launch its Women In Business programme this month. Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are keen to kick-start our Business Is Good For Women programme and what better way.

Wax will be the guest speaker at a lunch at the Chesford Grange Hotel on March 27 and further events will be staged throughout the year under the Business Is Good For Women banner. You can book the event here.

Ruby is best known for her T.V. documentaries and interviews, She was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for 5 years and has studied psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling and is currently studying for an MSt in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy at Oxford University.

Ruby facilitates leadership groups to improve their communication skills as well as coaching and advising individual executives. She has just launched a website called Blackdogtribe.com which helps mental illness sufferers to get help, information, to communicate with each other and to break the stigma.

BAWE National President Deborah Leary enjoyed her participation at the GEC2012 held in Liverpool. The Global Entrepreneurship Congress, the largest gathering of start-up champions from around the world, is about “unleashing potential and the will to win, inspiring people to realise their ambitions, and exciting them to make it now” according to the official website.

March 13th was a busy day, full of sessions of speeches, panel discussions and debates at the main GEC event. Almost three thousand existing and potential entrepreneurs, academics, policy makers, corporate leaders and people from other walks of life gathered in the Liverpool Arena to listen to a fantastic line-up of some of the world’s best business minds, including Richard Branson, Terry Leahy, Martha Lane Fox, Lord Heseltine, and Ashok Rao.

March 14th was dedicated to women entrepreneurs with fringe events taking place throughout the city. Deborah Leary spoke on both the Business Mastermind and the Enterprise Policy Group Roundtable organized by the Women Organization.

The Policy Group Roundtable brought together the leading policy influencers, entrepreneurs and business support practitioners from across the UK to discuss how enterprise policy and practice can be developed to effectively support female entrepreneurs. The policy group activity aims to support and influence national initiatives that promote the interests of the female enterprise start and growth and will be reviewing and showcasing new gender specific support initiatives.

The Women’s Business Mastermind brought together successful women business experts to answer quick fire questions on business problems posed by a worldwide female entrepreneurial audience. This exciting event was attended by 150 women business owners. Deborah was joined by Bev Hurley (YTKO), Anna Heyes (Active Profile), Carrie Green (The Female Entreprenuer Association) and Debra Blisson (Former Director of Enterprise and Business Support at Advantage West Midlands). Jeanette Kehoe Perkinson (Just for People Ltd) chaired the session, which included questions streamed from around the world.

BAWE was invited to the WIE Symposium [Women: Inspiration & Enterprise] at the Hospital Club, London. The event was a huge success in terms of the organization and the panels which featured entrepreneurs and comedians. The Symposium was a gathering of female role models sharing their stories and working together to achieve social change. The line-up of speakers included Jo Malone, Kathy Lette and Lynn de Rothschild.

Additionally the Symposium launched the WIE Mentorship Scheme – an initiative designed to coach and aid young female entrepreneurs through a year of advice and counsel from leading business women. WIE first launched in New York in 2010, and over the years has featured a stellar lineup ofnspeakers including Donna Karen, Nancy Pelosi, Queen Rania of Jordan and Christy Turlington.

More information here

Growing Companies can now access more than 1000 private investors in one place following the merger of two of the largest alternative finance networks, which now manage an asset portfolio of £120m.

BAWE Member Claire Madden is delighted to announce that last month Connection Capital acquired Hotbed, the private equity and property investment business which the Connection Capital team set up and grew from 2002 to 2008. The acquisition was completed alongside joint venture partner Riverside Capital Group a specialist commercial property business founded in 2010 by the former Hotbed property team.

Under terms of the deal, Connection Capital and Riverside have taken over the monitoring of Hotbed’s investment portfolio which includes property, venture capital and private equity investments. Hotbed’s Private Equity and Property portfolio teams have also made the move to Connection Capital and Riverside respectively.

The acquisition provides additional resource to enable the novel scheme to transact an increased number of private equity investments as well as providing their clients with the opportunity to consider commercial property investments sourced and managed by Riverside Capital.

For more information contact

Claire Madden
Partner
www.connectioncapital.co.uk
T: 020 3178 2453

The Business & IP Centre in London at the British Library has a majority rules! of women entrepreneurs currently at 59% which they are incredibly proud of. They are
hosting their latest Inspiring Entrepreneurs event on Monday 19/03 called Mothers of Invention. “Mothers of Invention” brings together a great panel of inspirational women who have all founded their own successful British businesses.

For those of you that could not get tickets, the event is being webcast live so anyone anywhere can benefit from hearing these fantastic real-life stories. The event starts at 6.30pm until 8pm.

Don’t miss your chance to listen to their experiences, get their advice and put some of your questions to a group of pioneers in their fields. In addition, this will be a fantastic opportunity to make some useful contacts by networking with other entrepreneurs.

As from yesterday BAWE is on air broadcasting its business on YOUTUBE.
BAWE has its own channel BAWE UK Channel where you can find our latest videos from events, workshops, roundtables, members and much more…

BAWE members can upload their videos by sending us the relevant feeds
Non BAWE members can send us their greetings and wishes

Stay tuned for the next episode!

BAWE has a full day ahead on the 101st International Women’s Day 8th March.

In the morning comes the MARCH Attack.
BAWE is joining forces with joinmeonthebridge.org to support women in business and march along Thames River. Just check for the pink ballons!

In the evening comes the LAUGH Attack.
BAWE will dress up and make you laugh in a comedy charity challenge by Funny Women.

Told you its a full day! But we are so looking forward to it!