11 December 2023
Coin South expands to help existing businesses
Small and medium businesses in Southland will be able to use the expertise of professionals that startups have used to succeed.
Coin South, which has focused on providing skills, expertise and funding to startups, has expanded its services to existing businesses in the region, by hiring Brian Bell and Saskia van der Geest as senior innovation leads.
The pair will assist businesses in finding new opportunities for growth, with the help of tools such as design thinking and innovation strategies.
They will start with a focus on the manufacturing and engineering cluster and enable the businesses they help to support new technologies and industries (such as aquaculture).
Van der Geest said that its expansion would mean “more higher income jobs coming to the region”.
Both Bell and van der Geest were looking forward to helping Southland’s businesses from a strategic point of view.
Coin South general manager Cathy Peters said small businesses may not necessarily have innovation teams within their organisations.
“So it’s being able to bring in a fresh perspective and a particular skill set into those businesses that they can’t or won’t be able to have internally.”
Bell said their new roles were similar to that of a coach or mentor when it came to guiding businesses. They would provide strategic advice and support which would be different from those within the organisation, he said.
“It’s really refreshing when you can assist somebody and see them succeed. These are the best jobs in the world,” Bell said.
Van der Geest is a new product development specialist with over 20 years of experience in the field and a Master’s degree in Industrial Design Engineering, while Bell has 25 years of experience in leading innovation and product, people and project management.
Their appointments were the result of funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in May as part of the region’s Just Transitions programme to support Coin South’s expansion.
Peters said under the Just Transitions programme, there was scope to support emerging industries and diversify the region’s businesses.
“Innovation is a really good way to be able to do that,” Peters said, adding that businesses can utilise their service through a “contribution”.
Coin South has also added SBS Bank chief transformation officer Shane Evans to its board.
“Shane brings considerable expertise in driving transformational change, which will be invaluable in helping to steer Coin South in this next phase of innovation and growth,” said Coin South chairman Neil McAra.
Coin (Collaboration and Innovation) South began in 2019 as a not-for-profit network which provides assistance to new businesses in the form of funding, business development and workshops.
Source: The Southland Times – 11 December 2023