HOVIP - Heads of the Valleys Innovation Programme

• Innovation Workshops
• Implementation Support
  • Project Implementation Assistance (PIA)
• Innovation Strategy & Action Plan
• Partner Services
• Innovation Awards
• Innovation Marketplace Event
• Best Practice Promotion
• Practice Enterprise Network

Testimonials

"Superb – far above expectations. Really enjoyable and informal. To have other people helping you to develop your business was excellent. It has given me direction and focus. I can't recommend it enough."

PJ Cavalli, Owner, PJ Cavalli Training

Useful Links

• London 2012 Opportunities

  CompeteFor is a ‘business dating agency’ that will match companies in Wales to opportunities subcontracting and supplying London 2012 contractors. Find out more at www.sell2wales.co.uk/olympics.html

• ACAS

  The ACAS Helpline is the place to go for both employers and employees who are involved in an employment dispute or are seeking information on employment rights and rules. The Helpline provides clear, confidential, independent and impartial advice to assist the caller in resolving issues in the workplace.

  Monday–Friday, 08:00–20:00 – 08457 47 47 47
  Monday–Friday, 08:00–20:00 – 08456 06 16 00 (Minicom users)
  Saturday, 09:00–13:00 – 08457 47 47 47

  http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1410

• The Alchemy Suite, Brynmawr

  Turn your ideas into gold at the Alchemy Suite, near Brynmawr. This provides ‘budding entrepreneurs’ with the ideal environment to develop their business. For more information please contact Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council on 01495 355700 or download this The Alchemy Suite brochure(PDF 1.18 MB).

• Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC)

  The National Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) Centre for Wales has been established in the Faculty of Advanced Technology at the University of Glamorgan, it is the first regional centre of its kind so far established in the UK operating under the guidance of the European Centre of Excellence for AIDC. It aims to bring Welsh businesses up to date with the latest technology in the field of intelligent data capture.

  The Centre, which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, aims to increase awareness of the business benefits of engaging technology such as linear bar coding, matrix coding, radio frequency tags (RFID), optical identification, smart cards and biometric recognition, to name just some of the available methods. For more information contact: Hywel Williams:

  Tel 01443-654542 email hwillia5@glam.ac.uk website www.aidcwales.org, or download the AIDC flyer (PDF 759 KB).

• Blaenau Gwent Business Development Services

  The Business Services Team is dedicated to helping businesses start, grow and develop within Blaenau Gwent.  The team offers guidance and support in relation to sites and premises, financial assistance and general business issues. For information please browse www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/business/30.asp

• BT Community Connections

  Do you know a community or charitable organization that is looking to extend its work through the use of the internet and ICT? If so, they could apply for a BT Community Connections award today. Round One applications by: 11 June 2009. Round Two applications by 7 January 2010.

  Visit www.btcommunityconnections.com or download information here.Information Sheet(PDF 1.64 MB) or Flyer(PDF 1.1 MB).

• Business in Wales – media opportunity

  Download information here (PDF 632 KB)

• Caerphilly Business Development Services

  Please browse www.caerphilly.gov.uk/site.aspx to find out more about business support and advice, business property and sites, doing business with the council and the conference facilities available in Caerphilly County Borough.

• Chwarae Teg Agile Nation

  New ways of working in the 21st Century. Find out more about this exciting new project which promotes gender equality, support career advancement and contribute to the reduction of the pay gap. Visit www.agilenation.co.uk.

• Community Enterprise Wales

  Provide support and guidance for social enterprises (‘a private business with a social conscience’) across Wales. For information please browse www.cewales.org.

• Europen - Pen International

  Europen - Pen International is the worldwide practice firms network with over 5500 practice firms in 42 countries. A practice firm is a virtual company and a centre of vocational learning that runs like a "real" business silhouetting a "real" firm's business procedures, products and services. Each practice firm trades with other practice firms. See www.europen.info for more information. HOVIP is currently in the process of securing funding for a related International Trade Fair, to be hosted in Merthyr in Easter 2011, in partnership with Europen – Pen International and Coleg Morgannwg (the UK holder of the practice firms franchise, www.colegmorgannwg.ac.uk). Relevant Trade Fair updates will be added to www.hovip.org.uk/latest-news.php

• Flexible Support for Business

  Flexible Support for Business is the Welsh Assembly Government programme that provides support to businesses in Wales to help them grow and prosper and is absolutely FREE.

  The service can provide:

  • information and signposting to any kind of business  whether they are looking to set up a business (Pre-Start) or are trading already (Post Start)
  • provides direct business advice and support to Post-Start Businesses (either with a Turnover of up to £100k or employing up to 5 (full time employees).  This is an ‘either /or’ rule so support can be provided to businesses with a higher turnover than £100k as long as they have 5 or less full time employees)
  • Specialist advice on Environmental Management issues
  • Specialist advice on Equality and Diversity issues

  A sample of the support that can be offered includes:

  • Strategic and Business Planning
  • Sales and Marketing support
  • Financial facilitation
  • Business Management Advice
  • Operational Financial Management
  • Business Diagnostic Reviews
  • Change Management
  • Succession Planning
  • Pre Inclusion and diversity support
  • Training and development
  • Resourcing of offices and workspace
  • Environmental support
  • Export and international services
  • IT and web advice and consultancy
  • Management development
  • Market research facilities
  • Specialist Mentoring
  • Social Enterprise support
  • Resourcing of Consultancy
  • Business Networking

  Businesses in the Heads of the Valleys area can call 01685 352726 for further information. Or visitwww.business-support-wales.gov.uk
  Or download Flexible Support for Business (FS4B)

• Flexible Support for Business (FS4B) – NEW website

  On 1 February 2010 the Welsh Assembly Government’s Flexible Support for Business (FS4B) website will become the FS4B Supersite. This will provide Wales’s businesses with an unprecedented level of tailored online information and support.  Visit http://fs4b.wales.gov.uk

  The Site will provide a raft of guides, tools, transactional services and directories which will be of great value to:

  • businesses and citizens; and
  • business support advisors, relationship managers and customer service staff.

  The Supersite will be provided from the same address as the current FS4B website - fs4b.wales.gov.uk.  However, the site will have a different “look and feel” including changed branding and strap-lines. 

  The new website combines information previously found at Business Eye (www.businesseye.org.uk), Becauseyoucan (www.becauseyoucan.org) and www.business-support-wales.gov.uk.

• Finance Wales

  Finance Wales makes commercial investments in Wales-based businesses with the potential to grow. They will invest in SME’s, social enterprises and creative commercial projects.

  www.financewales.co.uk/default.aspx

• Global Academy Prince of Wales Innovation Scholarships

  Targeted at the best graduate talent across the World, the Prince of Wales Innovation Scholarships will provide 100 prestigious 3 year PhD scholarships in welsh businesses between 2009 and 2012. The aim of the project will be to help improve business access to research and development and cutting-edge thinking and, from this, generating new products, processes, patents and services. Download Global Academy Business Opportunity flyer.

• Go Wales

  Graduate Opportunities Wales is an employability and business development programme that encourages businesses and graduates in Wales to get the most out of working together. Offers businesses the opportunity to offering work experience to a student or graduate, take advantage of the cash support for staff training, recruit a student or graduate through a work placement or advertise a vacancy free of charge.

  www.gowales.co.uk
  0845 225 60 50

• Heads of the Valleys Regeneration Initiative

  The Heads of the Valleys Programme is a 15 year regeneration strategy, from 2005, developed in full partnership with five local authorities, (Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Blaenau-Gwent and Torfaen), and other local stakeholders to tackle the root causes of economic inactivity and other key issues in the area within the context of the Wales Spatial Plan.
  See www.wales.gov.uk/headsofthevalleys

• Inside Welsh Industry Scheme

  A programme to promote industry best practice in Wales
  Visit www.insidewelshindustry.org.uk

• International Business Wales

  Offers a wide range of services to assist Welsh companies to achieve success in international markets.
  www.ibwales.com

• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

  KTPs: 60% subsidy to employ high calibre staff to help YOUR business succeed.

  • Do YOU want to increase YOUR profits, cashflow or sales?
  • Do YOU want to employ high calibre staff for a minimum of 12 months?
  • Do YOU want them to deliver a specific project with agreed targets and results?
  • Do YOU want to benefit from a 60% subsidy to employ them?
  • Do YOU want us to manage the recruitment process?

  If the answer is "yes" contact Jeff Harris, University of Glamorgan Commercial Services at Merthyr Tydfil College. T: 01685 724150 or E: ugcs@merthyr.ac.uk and quote: KTP

• KTS Owens Thomas: Enterprise Managers Incentive Scheme

  In essence, an EMI (Enterprise Managers Incentive Scheme) may be suitable for owner managed businesses that are looking to offer a tax efficient way to award employees shares in their business.

  For further information contact KTS Owens Thomas on 01685 872028 or visit www.ktsowensthomas.com

• Merthyr Tydfil Social Enterprise Network (MTSEN)

  MTSEN events offer relaxing and welcoming opportunities to network, share experiences, do business and make a real difference to social justice and local community regeneration. Join our network and you will find a diverse range of interactive workshops and seminars relevant to your organisation's needs, with key speakers discussing issues of crucial concern to the sector. For information please browse www.mtsen.org

• National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA)

  NESTA invest in early-stage companies, inform and shape policy, and deliver practical programmes that inspire others to solve the big challenges of the future. Please browse www.nesta.org.uk to find out more about our investments portfolio, policy and research work and approaches to innovation.

• National Minimum Wage Helpline

  0845 6000 678

  www.hmrc.gov.uk/nmw

• Open University 'Winning Resources and Support'

  Focusing on the skills and knowledge necessary for successful fundraising, this six-month course leads to the Institute of Fundraising's Certificate in Fundraising Management (CiFM), subject to membership conditions. With a strong emphasis on ethical issues, you will learn how to identify and communicate a compelling fundraising case and how to plan and implement a fundraising strategy. You will look at evaluation, problem-solving and working with others, in particular, how to develop productive relationships with individuals and organisations. You will also explore a more long-term strategic view of organisational survival and growth. Primarily aimed at fundraisers, the course offers valuable professional development to anyone working in public relations or campaigning in the public and non-profit sector with some involvement in winning resources and support.
  Visit www.open.ac.uk for more details.

• Orbit Business Centre, Merthyr Tydfil

  For meeting rooms / conference facilities please contact reception on 01685 352 700. For office space enquiries please contact Sharon Phillips on 01685 725 016. See www.orbitbusinesscentre.co.uk or download the Orbit Business Centre brochure (PDF 512 KB) for more information.

• ProAct programme

  For further information ProAct pdf (English) (PDF 137 KB) or ProAct pdf (Welsh) (PDF 138 KB)

• Rhondda Cynon Taf Business Club

  Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT business club provides a relaxed and welcoming environment in which new contacts can be made, wider networks established and business opportunities increased. For more information about the Club and other RCT business development services please browse www.rctbusinessclub.co.uk.

• Sell2Wales Directory

  Promote your business free to the biggest buyer in Wales – the public sector. Keep ahead of the game with automatic alerts of suitable opportunities. Register now.
  www.sell2wales.co.uk

• Supplier Development Service

  Up to 10 hours free face-to-face support to help you win public sector business opportunities plus a range of other related services.For details click here for SDS flyer or visit
  www.business-support-wales.gov.uk/tender_wales/supplier_development_service.aspx

• Torfaen Business Development Services

  Please browse www.torfaen.org if you are or want to be a business based in Torfaen and need support and advice.

• Welsh for Adults

  The below website gives regional Welsh for Adults centres

  wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/wfasub/welshforadults/learners/wheretolearn/?lang=en

• Workforce Development Programme

  For information on skills support available to your organisation then please download this flyer or contact our Business Skills Hotline on 0845 60 661 60.
  Download Workforce Development Programme Flyer