This document summarizes a presentation given at the 6th National Science Cities Summit about the Bristol Enterprise Network (BEN), a network for high-tech businesses in the Bristol region. It discusses BEN's background and history, challenges facing businesses it serves, and how businesses can benefit from networking. Specifically: 1) BEN was formed in 2003, has over 1,900 members, and holds 20+ free networking events per year around topics of interest to members. 2) Surveys found members' top challenges were acquiring sales leads, converting leads to sales, and market research. 3) BEN helps businesses connect to customers, suppliers, universities and investors. A case study highlighted how BEN helped a

1. 6th National Science Cities Summit
9th October 2009
Assembly Rooms, Bath

2. connectivity and open
innovation case study
Networking
Martin Coulthard
Director, Bristol Enterprise Network
Science Cities Summit, October 2009

3. Networking
 background – what is BEN?
 challenges facing businesses
 how businesses can gain from
networking
 how does a network embed itself
into a community?

4. 1. background

5. Bristol Enterprise Network
 network for high tech, high growth
organisations in the Bristol region
 formed 2003 by Bristol University
 successful series of evening networking
events (~20/year), based around a theme of
interest to tech organisations, with expert
speakers
 membership and events totally free! (funded
by Bristol University and other sponsors)
 currently has 1900 members, half are active

6. Active BEN members
by type

7. Active BEN members
by location

8. BEN events
 22nd September:
‘Marketing: Harnessing the Power of the Internet’
 8th October (with NHS Innovations South West):
‘The Personalised Healthcare Revolution’
 22nd October:
‘The Role of Non-Executive Directors’
 12th November:
‘Green ICT’ (with Bristol Environmental Technology
Sector)
 26th November:
‘Entrepreneurs' Question Time’
 see www.bristolenterprise.com – please come!

9. BEN transformation
1. spin-out BEN from Bristol University to become
an independent, business-led organisation
• an initiative of Science City Bristol
• financially sustainable and moving towards self-
funding
• transformation supported by the Universities of
Bristol, Bath and West of England, and SWRDA
2. increase focus on the needs of smaller
technology businesses
3. extend geographical coverage beyond Bristol to
Bath and the region around the 2 cities

10. 2. challenges
facing businesses

11. BEN survey
biggest business challenges?
tech businesses other members
acquiring sales leads 55% 36%
converting leads to sales 41% 30%
market research 34% 12%
technical development 34% 6%
finding funding 31% 27%
also many mentions of operational issues
Conclusion for BEN:
 increase focus on sales and marketing themes
(market creation), while still covering funding,
tech/development and operational issues

12. making the right connections
often remote customers
often local
technology
businesses
professional
services and networks
other suppliers
government,
universities councils and
agencies
investors

13. 3. how businesses can
gain from networking

14. how BEN helps make the connections
Remote, diverse customers
Often local
technology
businesses
professional
services and networks
other suppliers
Bristol
Enterprise
Network
government,
universities councils and
agencies
investors

15. Case study - Hydrate for Health
 business founded by
Mark Moran, after
personal experience in
hospital
 invented concept of the
Hydrant (bottle with clip
and bite valve), so
patients in bed can drink
unassisted
 potential benefits: patient
care and recovery,
professional care and
efficiency savings,
leading to cost savings

16. Hydrate for Health – the challenge
 no experience in healthcare industry
 how to develop and test the product and bring
it to the market?
How BEN helped
 in 2007 Mark attended a
BEN event on the NHS and
innovation, where he met
Rachel Clark, Enterprise
Lead at University Hospitals
Bristol NHS Trust
 she helped Mark get expert
advice from healthcare
professionals, run ward-
based evaluations and
develop a roadmap

17. BEN survey
most value about BEN?
tech other members
businesses
cross-sector technology 73% 79%
business networking
learning from the expert 60% 61%
speakers
close connections with 30% 32%
universities
website 3% 3%
Conclusions for BEN:
 focus on events, rather than web systems
 consider other event types that offer networking
and learning opportunities

18. benefits from (BEN) networking
1. connect - directly and indirectly
2. learn – from experts
3. enjoy – get inspired, share problems
Benefits are:
 very granular – many and often small
 can be medium or long term before
they are realized
 specific outputs/impact hard to collect
and document – but we need to try!

19. 4. how does a network embed
itself into a community?

20. embedding into the community
5 step plan
1. who are the stakeholder groups in
the community?
2. what do they want/need?
3. how can the network help meet
these needs?
4. consistently deliver offerings to meet
those needs
5. monitor feedback/outputs and
improve

21. BEN in the Bristol technology community
1. stakeholder groups: various, but smaller tech
businesses are core (and other groups want to
engage with that core group)
2. needs: connect, learn and enjoy, at events
relating to their core challenges
3. how can BEN help?: networking events, many
critical success factors:
• theme
• expert speakers
• attendees
• venue, food & drink, audio-visual
• organisation, admin
4. ~20 events per year, over 6 years

22. Where is BEN headed?
Build on BEN USPs
 brand – due to history and scale of successful
networking events
 cross-sector technology networking events – explore
new event types, such as entrepreneur workshops and
business reviews; collaborate with other more focused
networks
 across Bristol and Bath region
 university connections
Develop revenue streams/business model to
support this!
connect locally, compete globally

23. 6th National Science Cities Summit
9th October 2009
Assembly Rooms, Bath