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Support for developing your ideas
Where to get help to develop new product ideas if you're looking to manufacture, market, sell or license your inventions
Grow your business
Browse our key guidance to help you find growth funding in Northern Ireland, and learn how you can scale up your business and grow
Business growth and premises
As your business grows and takes in more staff, you may need to assess your options for larger business premises
Avoid problems during business growth
Common issues that businesses often face during growth, and tips for overcoming these difficulties through proper planning and management.
Business growth: market research
Use market research to drive business growth and innovation and to stay ahead of the competition
Business growth strategy and planning
Maximise the chances of business growth success by carefully planning your growth strategy
Business growth: developing skills
Developing effective leadership skills and making the most of other people's abilities can help you grow your business
Financial considerations when exporting
Understand how exporting could affect your cashflow.
Challenges of exporting
Challenges of exporting include market research, export paperwork and financing.
Decide your approach to importing
Keeping importing simple by dealing with experienced exporters in developed countries and using agents
Plan your import objectives
Setting goals and deciding your import objectives.
Negotiate the right import deal
Negotiating the right import terms, planning ahead and reaching a clear agreement.
Assess your skills and resources for exporting
Exporting demands extra time, money and skills.
What does importing involve?
Dealing with suppliers, controlling risk, handling import paperwork and foreign currencies.
IP rights: copyright
What is copyright, when does it apply, and how you can use it to protect your intellectual property
IP rights: trade marks
What are trade marks, and how to register trade marks to protect your brand, products or business
IP rights: designs
An overview of design as an intellectual property asset and advice on how to use unregistered and registered designs to secure your IP
IP rights: patents
What is a patent, how to apply for one, and how to use and enforce it to protect your business' intellectual property
Types of business growth: rapid and organic
There are many different ways to grow your business, and at different paces - some strategies are riskier than others.
Business growth implications
Growth can have many implications for your business - it will affect your premises, equipment, staff and IT systems.