Whats Happening?

Regional Partners - Foster Business Capability

A major change is under way in how New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) will help small to medium enterprises (SMEs) build their business capability.

Central government funding assistance will now be targeted to businesses committed to co-investing in improving their own success and growth prospects. As a first step a commercially neutral regional partner will take a SME business through a free assessment process that will inform the development of an agreed Action Plan for building their business capability.

Then some of these businesses in each region, which are assessed as strategically important or with export prospects, will be eligible to receive a Capability Development Service voucher. This entitles the bearer to a contribution of up to 50% towards the fee of Qualified Capability Development Services that meet their agreed development needs.

Following an RFP process NZTE, in partnership with the Foundation of Research Science & Technology (FRST) has just appointed 14 Regional Partners as local one stop shops for assisting business throughout New Zealand. They are required to act in a commercially neutral way so their business development needs can be assessed objectively. They may then be eligible for capability development service vouchers from NZTE or financial grants for approved innovation projects from FRST.

By early 2011 these programmes and the infrastructure to support them will be in place and through this website we will provide you with contact details so make a note in your diary to check back with us when you return to work in the New Year.