Groningen: a beautiful province with many active entrepreneurs! Everything is there for growth and flourishing. The knowledge, the talent, the technology, the research and the resources. But how do we ensure that companies find each other? And that they know which entrepreneur, organization or specialist can help them further with a particular issue? That they don't get caught up in the supply? Or even buy products and services abroad when a fellow entrepreneur in Groningen could also be of great help? In short: How do we help entrepreneurs in Groningen develop further with the help of others in Groningen?
GroBusiness
The answer to this is GroBusiness," says Kees Tuin, program manager of GroBusiness. "GroBusiness is an independent liaison point for entrepreneurs, particularly focused on SMEs in Groningen. We help entrepreneurs find the right party for an ambition or challenge. We connect Groningen companies with each other and with parties that can help the company move forward. In doing so, we accelerate growth and indirectly contribute to more jobs, more activity, and a more attractive business climate. And thus a viable and vital province of Groningen. In short: we are strengthening Groningen.
Large network
Kees: 'The great strength of GroBusiness is our huge network. Do you want to innovate? Digitize? Become sustainable? Or do you need funding? And don't know where to go or which first steps to take? These are exactly the topics we can help you with. And ultimately we don't do that ourselves, but we refer you to a company or business in Groningen that will help you further.'
Question behind the question
This is not to say that you should think of GroBusiness as some kind of home page for topics of interest to entrepreneurs. 'We really are much more than that,' Kees explains. 'We have a lot of in-house knowledge and expertise on the topics of innovation, digitalization, sustainability, funding and more. And our experience is that a question always involves or requires more than just that one question. For example: a company that wants to innovate may first need to catch up digitally. And may also need additional funding. But where do you start? With our experience and expertise, we are good at figuring out the question behind the question. Sometimes an entrepreneur also just doesn't know exactly what he needs.
On the road by yourself
Kees: "Our network is our great strength. And we maintain and expand that. For that we also go out ourselves. Within the themes we deal with, we try to get to know and help as many entrepreneurs as possible. This means that our specialists talk to a lot of people. On the one hand, this provides very good contacts that can be useful for other entrepreneurs. On the other hand, we learn what kind of questions and challenges these companies are facing. This way we are well informed about what is going on in the market and we work on expanding our network. Together with that network, we also organize activities and events. Think of webinars and workshops on sustainability, smart industry or innovation. Or network events with specific themes. We distribute valuable knowledge and bring people into contact with each other'.
Getting acquainted? More information?
Are you a Groningen entrepreneur with growth plans? Do you want to innovate? Become more sustainable? Or do you have other questions? Then contact GroBusiness.
We are very happy with GroBusiness. In Fryslân and Drenthe, YnBusiness and Ik Ben Drents Ondernemer have been functioning as the first point of contact for SME entrepreneurs for some time now. Many entrepreneurs are thus helped further, often through a referral to, for example, an advisor, a subsidy expert or to NOM. The conversations also provide a wealth of information that provinces and municipalities can use to improve their services to entrepreneurs. Particularly during the first corona period, these organizations proved to be an indispensable link between entrepreneurs and all the schemes available at the time!
Sander Oosterhof (NOM)
GroBusiness
GroBusiness is a five-year initiative of Economic Board Groningen, funded by the Province of Groningen and the National Program Groningen. At grobusiness.nl you can find all the collaborative partners.
Themes GroBusiness can help you further:
- Funding
- Digitization
- Preservation
- Growth
- Innovation
- Business
- Doing business internationally
- And more!