One-stop site gives small firms a start

By KEVIN TAYLOR

Small businesses are welcoming a website offering one-stop-shop information on Government business help programmes.

The Herald asked two small firms and an Aucklander wanting to start a manufacturing firm to assess the website www.innovation.govt.nz.

It offers information on Industry NZ, Trade NZ and Technology NZ programmes covering financial help, access to tools and resources and advisory services.

Industry NZ spokeswoman Debbie Gee said the website was set up after confusion over what was available.

It was already being developed last November when the Business Herald highlighted confusion over the many help schemes the Government had launched through multiple agencies.

Many are the creation of the Government, particularly through Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton's "job Machine" Industry NZ.

Independent Business Foundation executive trustee Ralph Penning led the criticism, saying few small and medium enterprises knew what the Government offered.

The new website asks what type of business the user has, from pre-startup to high growth, and what the problem is, from accessing investment to training and upskilling.

Clicking the search button displays the programmes that match the user's business and problem.

Bob Covell, co-owner of organic wine grower Covell Estates Wines near Rotorua, thought the website was user-friendly, but had no more information than was available in leaflets.

"What you need to know now is how user-friendly it is when you come to apply for the grants," he said.

He did not have a complaint with the money such programmes offered, but he thought it was spread too thinly among too many initiatives.

Aucklander Catharine Cole wants to start a company making mineral paints.

She is looking at further developing formulas and seeking help with set-up costs. She found the website user-friendly.

"Being able to choose the phase of business I am in is great.

"Then being able to scroll down and choose the applicable options and clicking straight to the next site was easy and specific to me."

Mark Thomas, parts manager at Auckland-based turbocharger importer and distributor Simms Diesel, also thought the new website was easy to use and self-explanatory.

Now he knew about it he would take a closer look at the help the Government offered.

But Penning was not so impressed. Though the site was well set-up, he said it required the user to be web-savvy.

He did a trial run with an inquiry about venture and development capital.

He expected the website would refer him to two programmes - VCapital and the MINE (Mentor Investor Network Events) business angels run by Industrial Research - but found himself in an "information dead-end" after 30 minutes on both the innovation and Industry NZ websites.

www.innovation.govt.nz