15th July 2013

July Member of the Month: Oxford Innovation

 

 

 

Oxford Innovation is the UK’s leading specialist business coaching company and is proud to deliver the Welsh Government funded High Potential Starts programme which provides eligible businesses with up to 15 days fully funded intensive coaching and assistance to support the realisation of their growth potential.

Oxford Innovation is working with the Welsh Government to grow the life sciences sector in Wales and the High Potential Starts programme offers funded support to start up or early stage life sciences businesses with ambition to drive growth in the sector.

Eligible businesses will receive:
• Initial appraisal meeting
• Access to our GROWTHMapper® business assessment tool
• A place on a 2 day Greenhouse workshop with specialist sessions and a hands on practical business model challenge and development**
• One to one intensive coaching
• Further workshops, access to specialist networks, access to finance
• Peer group interaction with established and other young Life Science businesses.

The business is built upon the excellence of our people. Our team of highly experienced coaches has over 600 years of senior level front line business experience and extensive networks to share. All Oxford Innovation coaches are trained and accredited in the latest coaching techniques, have a background of proven commercial success at senior levels and many have also built their own businesses.

Oxford Innovation Programme Manager, Chris Sheehan says, “Many of the companies we have worked with over the last year value the impartial feedback on their businesses and a chance to explore issues in a confidential and professional way. We encourage other life sciences companies in Wales to explore our approach – I’m sure we could add similar value to their growth plans”.

Feedback from our client companies includes the following:
• “Coaching has broadened my perspective and given me the courage to sign international distributors”.
• “My coach never gives me an opinion but gives me confidence in my own opinions so that I make better decisions and am more able to lead my team.”
• “The Meet the Expert days provided me with the information I needed at the level I required”
• “Meeting the finance expert made me realise that I don’t need outside finance I just need to get to market quicker. My coach has worked with me to realise that goal and become self financing”
• “I have direct access to Welsh Government resources that have been able to navigate me through the various government schemes relating to finance, IP, recruitment and training.”

Oxford Innovation also delivers a range of business support including the recently launched national Growth Accelerator programme, a high growth life sciences programme in Wales and a Bio-incubator project in Saudi Arabia. Our three Investment Networks raise funding for start-up and growing companies throughout the UK. These networks have helped over 90 companies raise £19.5m during the last five years.

MediWales is a key network of businesses at all stages of growth and is an excellent way of building and maintaining an entrepreneurial Welsh life science sector.

 

 

One of Oxford Innovation’s companies, QoL, with Managing Director Sara Wynne demonstrating their waterproof injury protection product