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  • About Us
    • Enterprise Strategy
    • Charity Trustees
    • The Team
  • Start Up
    • World of Enterprise
    • Go For It
    • Start Up Seed Fund
    • Chamber Membership
  • Retail Ready
  • 4i Innovation
  • Business Property
    • Business Hub
    • Galgorm
    • Ballykeel
    • Ballee
  • Shop
  • Community
    • Ballymena South NRA
    • Manufacturing Task Force
    • Michelin Development
    • The Youngpreneur
    • Ballymena Business Awards
  • Contact

4i Innovation

​​ideas don't stop at start up, they begin!

you've heard of innovation but aren't sure how to use it within your business? you may have a new idea but need to understand what the risks are in bringing it to market? you're not sure you have the time and or money to invest in a new project?

The thing is we are all natural innovators, we solve problems every day using our own creativity to achieve it. However, we are all creative in different ways. Understanding how we look at things differently reveals our own unique thinking preferences which can help understand how we approach a challenge or solve a problem. When we combine this understanding within a framework for innovation, and new and powerful ways to look at your business model, we can create real sustainable value for your customers, with increased profits.  

4i Innovation is designed to help the micro and small businesses across all sectors in Ballymena adapt to changing times and become more agile within the turbulent market conditions, by helping businesses innovate.  4i Innovation uses personal innovation thinking profiles alongside the latest business methodologies, to clearly understand your business model and define your value propositions for the success of new business ideas.

4i Innovation up to 3 participants per business will benefit from:

4i Innovation Application Form
4i_innovation_participant_criteria.pdf
File Size: 117 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

For more information contact
Stephen Scullion 4i Innovation Manager
stephen@ballymenabusiness.co.uk
  • FourSight Profiling and Training -The FourSight four-step framework identifies where your thinking preferences lie with regards to problem solving. It’s intuitive language transforms the way individuals and groups work together to solve problems.
  • Innovate NI Innovation Accreditation Programme - Discover where you are on the Innovation Framework with a company Diagnostic Survey & Certification
  • Business Model Canvas and Value Proposition Canvas - Using the latest business modelling tools from Stratgyzer.com to analyse the market fit of your business innovation.
  • Individual Business Innovation Coaching
  • Signposting and Referral to other relevant Business Support
  • £500 Innovation Fund for Participating Businesses​

How 4i Innovation helped me innovate and grow my business...

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Angela Patterson of Gold & Browne's "4i Innovation has helped Gold & Browne's to take an idea, assess its merits through the Business Model Canvas. Achieve 'Silver Level Innovator' through InnovateNI and receive funding through the Economic Recovery Innovation Grant provided by Invest NI to bring the idea to market."
www.goldandbrownes.com

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plotbox.io
​Aileen Curry of Plotbox "We have found 4i Innovation extremely beneficial and are delighted to utilise the tools provided to organise and advance our business ideas. The framework allows us to efficiently address and analyse specific problems or gaps and carry them through a lifecycle in a holistic way. We can confidently review our ideas using the business model canvas knowing that we have considered all aspects and possible outcomes."

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Eileen Russell of WayMaker Child Therapy 4i Innovation programme has been one of the best business support programmes I have completed. It was very specifically relevant to my business helping me understand innovation and how to launch any new service or product. The programme also had a lovely mix of networking opportunities, learning, and one-to-one support. Very worthwhile and a huge thank you to Stephen.
www.waymakerchildtherapy.co.uk

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www.b-spokeengineering.com
Paul McGuckin of B-Spoke Engineering Ltd "We found the 4i Innovation Programme encouraged us to look outside the box and to recognise talents in our company that we were not aware of before. The final day, when we examined the Value Proposition and the Business Canvas Model was of particular interest and highlighted many issues. Overall a very worthwhile experience."

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Peter Gillan of Revolut Business Ltd "The 4i Innovation program has helped us gain a better understanding of our value proposition. It allowed us to become certified as silver level innovators by InnovateNI. Through the program, we've developed a business model canvas that helps us focus on the most important areas for our business and understand how our innovation will impact our customer's lives. We're excited to apply what we've learned as we bring our new products to market."

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Roy Smyth of Outdoor Adventure "Courses away from shop allowed a fresh new look at what we do and how we can do so much better by better working methods. Working smart not Hard! We took many tasks back to first principles and made small changes which over a year saved many hours of labour and money! Removed printing of documents and used electronic copies to further cut costs. Very simple ideas but saved on data protection issues and additional shredding costs as a result! Its about being given simple tools to stand back and see a bigger picture!"
www.facebook.com/OutdoorAdventureNI/

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www.instagram.com/garethhamilton
Gareth Hamilton of G&A Fitted and Freestanding Furniture​ "I started G&A Fitted and Freestanding Furniture in Feb 2021 with the intention of supplying furniture to customers in Northern Ireland. I wasn't fully utilising the CNC machine in the workshop or my skills in digital design. Taking part in the 4i Innovation programme gave me the confidence to look at a global market and rather than making all the furniture myself it allowed me to think about supplying the blueprint for the furniture for others to make. Essentially this meant I could now start designing furniture that people could manufacture themselves without the additional costs of labour and shipping. With this concept, the furniture plans could then be purchased globally and increase my catchment area."

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Emma Sherry of Serenity Blue "4i Innovation has enabled me to really believe in what I am doing and to help me to offer trauma support to front line workers namely midwives. The support, advice and workshop have been invaluable and the tools I now have to grow my business will enable me to keep moving forward."
www.serenityblue.co.uk

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Tony McClements of Slemish Business Hub "4i enabled me to move from basic to innovative provision of Business Improvement."
www.slemishbusinesshub.co.uk

4i Innovation Official Launch

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L-R: Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI; Stephen Scullion, Ballymena Business Centre, 4i Innovation Manager; and Lauren McAteer, The Gallaher Trust.
The 4i Innovation project will offer coaching to businesses in the hope of improving the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s overall innovation ranking within Northern Ireland.

Managed by Ballymena Business Centre and in association with Innovate NI, the project will support Ballymena firms through Innovate NI’s framework using the latest business modelling tools from Strategzer.com, FourSight individual profiling, innovation coaching and business support including access to potential funding.

Lauren McAteer from the board of The Gallaher Trust, which has committed £168,000 toward the project, said: “We are confident that this project will help businesses to learn to adapt to changing times and to become more agile in the face of turbulent market conditions.  “Not only that but the project will also improve employment opportunities for those living in the wider Ballymena community, which is one of the trust’s main objectives.”

Stephen Scullion, Ballymena Business Centre’s 4i innovation manager said: “We’ve established the 4i Innovation project in a bid to address low levels of innovation.  “We’re aiming to demystify what innovation is and create a common language to help businesses understand how to apply innovation and in turn, how to utilise innovation to grow and expand their business."

“Ballymena Business Centre has been a one stop shop in terms of supporting businesses since 1989 and this project is another example of how we provide business solutions tailored to meet the current economic demands and opportunities.”  Invest NI’s innovation director, Dr Vicky Bell, added: “This unique partnership will provide businesses with a valuable insight into how to turn their ideas into value – working through the Innovation Framework will guide companies through the four essential stages of successful innovation – ideation, selection, development and commercialisation.”
Ballymena Business Centre [Galgorm]
62 Fenaghy Road
Ballymena BT42 1FL
Telephone: 028 2565 8616
Email: melanie@ballymenabusiness.co.uk
Midtown Makers and Business Hub
51 - 53 Church Street
Ballymena BT43 6DD
Telephone: 028 2568 9430
Email: jim@ballymenabusiness.co.uk
Ballykeel Business Centre
18 Crebilly Road
Ballymena BT42 4DN
Telephone: 028 2565 1765
Email: hilarymcmillan@btconnect.com

Ballee and Harryville Business Centre
20 Antrim Road
Ballymena BT42 2BJ
Telephone: 028 2565 8616
​Email: melanie@ballymenabusiness.co.uk
Northern Ireland Charity No: 101472; Company Registration No: NI024613; Company VAT No: 516 753 635