Ormeau Business Park

From Startup to Scale-up: 3 Surprising Lessons We've Learned Here at Ormeau Business Park, we've had a front-row seat to the journey of countless startups as they've grown into successful businesses. Along the way, we've picked up some insights that might surprise you. Here are three key lessons we've observed: 1. Feedback is the real MVP The most successful companies we've seen don't just tolerate feedback - they actively seek it out. It's not about having thick skin; it's about recognizing that each piece of constructive criticism is a golden opportunity for improvement. These businesses use feedback to refine their products, services, and strategies, turning potential setbacks into stepping stones for growth. 2. Culture isn't just a buzzword - it's your secret weapon Here's a truth that might raise some eyebrows: your company culture is just as crucial as your business plan. The thriving scale-ups we've watched didn't wait until they were successful to focus on culture - they prioritized it from day one. They understood that a strong, positive culture attracts top talent and fosters innovation. In the long run, this focus became their ace in the hole for navigating the challenges of rapid growth. 3. Local roots can fuel global ambitions Surprisingly, the companies that have gone on to make the biggest splash globally often started by embedding themselves deeply in the Belfast business community. They became local champions, building strong networks and refining their offerings based on hometown feedback. This solid foundation gave them the launch pad they needed to catapult onto the world stage. Sometimes, it seems, you need to be a big fish in a small pond before you can swim in the ocean. At Ormeau Business Park, we're continually amazed by the innovative ways businesses navigate the journey from startup to scale-up. These insights remind us of that success often comes from unexpected directions, and that the most valuable lessons are learned through experience. We're curious: What's the most surprising lesson your business journey has taught you? Share your experience in the comments - your insight could be just what another entrepreneur needs to hear! Sensoteq PartB Locate a Locum Movetru®_Default Steve Lazars Enterprise Northern Ireland PTM Calibration Limited ICONI Software Ltd Caldwell Solicitors Patricia McNeill Chris Black #BusinessGrowth #StartupInsights #ScaleUpLessons #BelfastBusiness #ormeaubusinesspark

We will be closed starting from December 24th at 12 PM and will reopen on Friday, December 27th. Additionally, please note that we will also be closed on New Year's Day. Happy Holidays to Everyone!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a season filled with joy, peace, and gratitude! This year, we’re celebrating the spirit of giving by sharing a special gift with our tenants—a calming diffuser created in collaboration with the wonderful Leo and Lyn. Supporting this local business is extra special to us, as they were once our customer, making this a beautiful full-circle moment. Here’s to partnerships, community, and spreading holiday cheer!

We are excited to announce the launch of the Tom Beare MBE School’s Bursary, a collaboration between Ormeau Business Park, Wellington College, and St Joseph’s College. This £20k bursary, named in honour of our late Chairman, will support students from South Belfast as they transition to higher education or vocational training. Additionally, tenant Michael Burke has generously contributed to the prize fund to further support students from St Joseph’s College who will begin their university studies in September 2024. Over the next three years, the bursary will help remove financial barriers, allowing talented young people to pursue their career aspirations in key industries aligned with Northern Ireland’s 10X Economy strategy. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this initiative will have on our local community.

Ormeau Business Park proudly supported Chetan Hari and Simon White in the "What's the Big Idea 2024?" competition. Chetan, along with his partner Deepti Kasi, received the ‘Most Innovative Idea’ award for their project, Myelo Map, a non-invasive solution to monitor blood cancer treatment resistance. Simon White and his team earned the Best Overall prize. This year, £7,000 was shared among 10 exceptional student businesses, with categories recognizing innovation, social enterprise, and climate impact, all aiming to bring impactful ideas to life. Queen's University Belfast

Our CEO Patricia is absolutely delighted to donate some money to the incredible local charity, Lagan Dragons, and to finally meet the amazing Captain Karen Dougan! It’s been such a pleasure seeing the positive impact they’ve had on the community. We're so proud to support their amazing work, and it's exciting to see how far it will go in helping the team and the cause. We are looking forward to catching up with the brilliant Estelle Leckey and Maura Canavan, who are doing great things with the rest of the team. And a massive congratulations to Rachel Reid, coach of Lagon Dragons, who was a finalist in this week’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero category! Such a well-deserved recognition for all the hard work, passion, and dedication she’s shown. Truly inspiring!

Super happy to share that I’ve officially graduated from Queen's University Belfast with an MSc in Marketing (Distinction)! 🎓 This past year has been such a whirlwind, and I’m so proud of everything I’ve managed to achieve. From getting the Future-Ready Award to being a Global Student Ambassador, it’s been an incredible ride. One of the biggest highlights was landing an internship in my third semester, which turned into a full-time role as a Marketing and Business Development Officer at Ormeau Business Park. Huge shoutout to my professors, especially Ofer Dekel Dachs, for guiding me every step of the way. And of course, massive thanks to my CEO, Patricia McNeill, for her amazing support—she’s been a total game-changer for me! Lastly, a big thank you to my friends and family for always cheering me on, even from afar. Moving to a new city and starting this chapter wasn’t easy, but it’s been 100% worth it. Here’s to what’s next! 🙌 Queen's Business School SU Enterprise Careers Queen's University Belfast

Big congratulations to our amazing Marketing and Business Development Officer, Mariya James, on graduating with an MSc in Marketing (Distinction) from Queen's University Belfast 🎓🎉 Mariya joined us as an intern during her third semester and absolutely rocked it, quickly earning a full-time role here at Ormeau Business Park. Her energy, creativity, and dedication have been nothing short of inspiring, and we’re so lucky to have her on our team! We’re also super proud of her other incredible achievements, like bagging the Future-Ready Award. She’s been shining both in and out of the office, and we know this is just the beginning for her. Way to go, Mariya! The whole team is celebrating with you, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll continue to achieve! 🌟💪

Huge congratulations to all of our incredibly talented finalists and winners yesterday at our ‘What’s The big Idea?’ Competition. This final event saw 10 student businesses walk away with a share of a £7000 prize pot 💰 - Overall Winner: Simon White & Team with ‘Smart Numnah’ - Most Innovative Idea Winner: Chetan Hari & Team with ‘Myelo Map’ - Best Use of AI in a Business Idea: Michael Loughran & Team with ‘Amnis AI’ - Best Idea for a Social Enterprise: Kirsty Graham with ‘The Little Learning Centre’ - Best Idea from a Postgraduate Student: Joshua Thompson with ‘Transac’ - Best Idea from MHLS Faculty: Chetan Hari & Team with ‘Myelo Map’ - Best Idea from EPS Faculty: Barry Herron with ‘Proxi Pulse’ - Best Idea from AHSS: Nicole Kaczmarek - Best Idea from the Creative Industries: Shane McClelland - Best Climate Impact Idea: Samuel Rowan & Team with ‘Waste 2 Wildlife’ Remember that our door is always open for you to discuss next steps, however the first one for all of you should now be to enter our Dragon’s Den competition to take your idea to the next level 📈 Link to apply on our website 🔗 Thank you to our Judges who each took time out of their busy schedules to score the applications and to our Sponsors without which this competition would not be possible; Ormeau Business Park Kainos Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity + Water

🎉 Big shoutout to two amazing teams from our School of EEECS who absolutely crushed it at today's SU Enterprise "What's the Big Idea?" competition! Out of over 60 entries, our teams took home some serious hardware! 🏆 🚀 Best Overall Idea (£2000) – Congratulations to Ben Sloan, Simon White, Cameron Worbey and Thomas Lowry for their innovative Smart Numnah idea! 🐴💡 🤖 Best Use of AI in a Business Idea (£500) – Huge applause for Michael E. Loughran, Michael Bezborodov, Orla Quail, Oisín Braniff, and Joshua Priestly for their game-changing Pharmacy Stock Auditing solution! 💊🤖 These talented students were part of the Engineering Entrepreneurship module and their hard work and creativity really paid off! 👏 A massive thank you to SU Enterprise for organising such an incredible competition, and to Ormeau Business Park for being the main sponsor. 🙌 Let's hear it for these future entrepreneurs! 🚀🌟 #QUB #EEECS #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #AI #SmartTech #FutureLeaders