The Northern Ireland Spin Out (NISPO) initiatives support start-up and early stage businesses in Northern Ireland. The support includes a £5 million venture capital fund, the Invest Growth Fund, which focuses on seed and early stage businesses with high growth potential and a £3 million proof of concept fund, the Invest Growth Proof of Concept Fund, which is funded by Invest NI to provide funding to very early, non-university projects.

Investment Readiness Programme

Innovative and interactive workshops aimed at the management teams of Northern Ireland’s high growth potential businesses. The Programme sets-out to provide entrepreneurs, who have ambitions to raise investment finance, with an understanding of the investment process; how to prepare for investment; and how to subsequently utilise investment funds to best effect.

Invest Growth Fund

The Invest Growth Fund is a new £5m venture capital fund, which has been established to invest in start-up and early-stage businesses based in Northern Ireland. The Fund Manager, E-Synergy, is looking to invest in numerous 'seed' and early stage companies over the five year period leading up to March 2014.

Invest Growth Proof of Concept Fund

The Invest Growth Proof of Concept Fund is funded by Invest NI and set up as a pre-commercial grant-awarding fund managed by E-Synergy. The Fund enables individuals, start-ups, micro-enterprises and SMEs to establish the commercial potential of a concept resulting from in-house research and ideas.

Intellectual Property Exploitation Unit

The IPEU is funded by Invest Northern Ireland and acts as a licensing guidance unit for individuals, start-ups, micro enterprises and small and medium enterprise. In addition to providing guidance the IPEU also organises events that allow the showcasing of ideas that could be exploited through licensing deals to individuals experienced in such deals.

Queen’s University Belfast Innovation Fund (QUBIF)

The Queen’s University Belfast Innovation Fund (QUBIF) is a £1 million venture capital fund, set-up to invest in post Proof of Concept, pre-commercialisation spin-out companies. The Fund will make a number of 'seed' and early stage investments over the four year period leading up to March 2014.

Ulster Innovation Fund (UIF)

The Ulster Innovation Fund (UIF) is a £1 miilion venture capital fund, set-up to invest in post Proof of Concept, pre-commercialisation spin-out companies. The Fund will make a number of 'seed' and early stage investments over the four year period leading up to March 2014.