Northern Ireland companies are being encouraged to explore opportunities in the US market at a free enterprise event in Derry this Friday (18th September), attended by a delegation of business and city leaders from Northeast Ohio.
Led by Team NEO in partnership with AwakenHub/AwakenAngels, the Goals Beyond the Pitch event at Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium gives local businesses from across Northern Ireland the chance to hear directly from companies who've already made the leap into the North American market and those in the process of doing it. Two panel discussions will cover what worked, what they'd do differently, and the practical support available to businesses ready to take that step themselves.
Clare McGee, CEO of AwakenHub and AwakenAngels, will moderate The Route to North America: Is the U.S. the Right Market?, featuring Moira Loughran, Head of Exports at Invest Northern Ireland; Tim Dillon of OS Doors; Jim Nash of Wild Atlantic Distillery; and William McColgan of McColgan Foods.
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A second panel, Making the Move: Resources, Relationships & Support, will examine the tricky in-between stage when a company has spotted an opportunity in North America but isn't quite ready to commit. Panellists include Ed Johnston (Partner, Clark Hill), Cormac Diamond (Bloc Blinds), Vicki Finlay (Menopal), Claire Nixon (Adepta Partners), and William McColgan (McColgan Foods), who will share their own experiences and practical advice, with Mark Owens, moderating.
Newly appointed US Consul General to Northern Ireland Chris Rendo will address the event, which is also being attended by Derry native and Ireland’s Honorary Consul in Ohio, Mark Owens. Representatives from AwakenHub and AwakenAngels, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Invest Northern Ireland, the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, NWRC, Ulster University and Manufacturing NI will also attend.
The US delegation's visit to Derry follows the first high-level Ohio trade mission to the city in April, which saw AwakenHub and AwakenAngels’ CEO Clare McGee host meetings between local NW industry and education stakeholders and economic development representatives in the US.
Encouraging businesses from across NI with an interest in trading in the US to attend Friday’s event, Clare McGee, said: “Through our US trade missions we have been working hard to build relationships with the people and organisations who can provide practical routes into the US market for businesses here. Our engagement with Northeast Ohio grew out of that work, and the first delegation visit to Derry in April gave companies here an opportunity to start making those connections directly.
“This return visit is about continuing that work and opening the opportunity to more businesses across NI. We would encourage any business to come along on Friday if the US is a market they are considering, even if that may be down the line. Our event is an invaluable opportunity to hear from companies with first-hand experience, ask practical questions and meet people on the ground in the US who can help them assess the opportunities for their business.”
Mark Owens, Derry native and Ireland's Honorary Consul in Ohio, said: "Coming back to Derry with this delegation means picking up exactly where we left off in April, with real conversations and introductions and real momentum. What's happening between Derry and Northeast Ohio shows what's possible when people, not just policies, drive a relationship forward, and that's exactly what businesses will see at Friday's event."
The Goals Beyond the Pitch takes place at Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Friday, September 18, from 12pm to 2.30pm. Businesses from across Northern Ireland can register to attend at https://luma.com/ucjj7ky1 or email hello@awakenhub.com for a registration link.
Following the event, a North West delegation and AwakenHub/AwakenAngels trade mission will travel to Ohio from September 26-30.
The business delegation will be accompanied by representatives from Derry City and Strabane District Council, Invest NI, the Community Wealth Building Partnership, Ulster University, NWRC, the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, and AwakenHub/AwakenAngels.
The visit will include engagements with Cleveland Clinic, the City of Cleveland Mayor’s Office, the Ohio Ireland Trade Commission, NASA, The Democracy Collaborative and attendance at VC Fest, alongside networking and one-to-one business meetings.
Speaking about the outward trade mission, Clare McGee added: “The next stage on our journey to build relationships and active trading between the NW and the US is to bring a local delegation to Ohio, where we will be giving businesses and organisations the opportunity to develop these relationships in-market. We’ll also be supporting companies around making useful introductions, improving their access to contacts and market knowledge and identifying where genuine business, investment and partnership opportuniti exist for them.”
North-West-based businesses interested in joining the September 26-30 Ohio mission at this late stage can also contact AwakenHub at hello@awakenhub.com
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