Scottish entrepreneurs supported to lead buisness growth

One of the world’s leading entrepreneurs from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management is in Scotland today (June12) to speak at the launch of a Scotland wide entrepreneurial programme.

Bill Aulet is a highly successful business leader and Managing Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. For over 25 years, he has raised more than $100 million in funding for his companies and has directly created hundreds of millions of dollars in market value.

He is the keynote speaker at an event in Inverness to launch a £1.7 million three year programme, developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and delivered in partnership with Scottish Enterprise.

HIE is building on a strategic 10 year relationship with MIT which has seen hundreds of businesses supported across the Highlands and Islands. The new programme, designed to build on this success, is being launched at Eden Court Theatre today (Wednesday 12 June) at a business breakfast.

Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HIE, said: “Our programme over the next three years will focus on developing several strands of work which will support existing entrepreneurs and build networks across Scotland.”

“Successful businesses are the lifeblood of any economy. In the Highlands and Islands in particular our geography has led to an innovative culture where developing new ideas and ways of working are second nature. We aim to support ambitious entrepreneurs across our region in leading and growing world class businesses.

“Through our partnership with MIT, we can offer specialised access to internationally renowned experience and networks in entrepreneurship. We are also able to draw upon the MIT global community.”

“Bill’s visit to Scotland is a great opportunity for our businesses, not least as he is in such high demand across the world. It is thanks to the close links we have built up over the years with MIT that we can get specialists with such international credibility to come and share their expertise and work closely with our companies.”

MIT is one of the world's pre-eminent research and entrepreneurship universities, dedicated to advancing knowledge and educating students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the world in the 21st century. They are specialists in innovation and entrepreneurship and deliver some of the best executive education programmes in the world.

While he is here Bill is wrapping up the first marketing workshop being delivered as part of the new programme.

The Entrepreneurship Masterclass programme is one strand of the opportunities available. Businesses account managed by HIE can benefit from other streams including entrepreneurs networking events, sponsored places on the MIT Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP), and access to experts and knowledge at MIT through HIE’s membership of the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP).

Eleanor Mitchell, director of commercialisation, at Scottish Enterprise, said: "We know that companies that have an understanding of international markets and customers, and that develop solutions to significant opportunities are more likely to succeed on a global scale. It's our role then to help companies achieve this and central to our efforts is our new three year programme with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Delivered in partnership with HIE, this new programme will offer Scottish companies the opportunity to work with and learn best practice from some of today's most successful and inspirational practitioners in this space."

The new partnership programme of Entrepreneurship Support 2013-15 will complement existing national initiatives. This includes the Scottish EDGE, a £1 million fund from Scottish Government for entrepreneurs in young businesses, HIE’s Leadership for Growth Programme, as well as General Strategy Workshops, Marketing Strategy Workshops and International Strategy Workshops.

Bill’s current Marketing Masterclass is based on the teachings in his first book, due to be published in August, which is expected to make the New York Times Best Seller list. It is titled Disciplined Entrepreneurship (www.disciplinedentrepreneurship.com).