Fusion - What We Do & What Makes Us Different

Fusion Scotland was set up in 2002 to foster and promote the interaction between the business community, the public sector and the growing academic sector in the Highlands and Islands. Over the following half dozen years Fusion developed into the organisation driving forward the Human Networking agenda and from 2008 across the South of Scotland. 

1. Fusion is about linking rural businesses.

2. Fusion introduces people thinking about starting a business for the first time to Business Gateway, to local industry focussed organisations, the Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, Institute of Directors and where relevant the enterprise board but we ourselves do not do business start ups.

3. Fusion collaborates with industry focussed (e.g. North Scotland Industries Group) or professional organisations (e.g. chartered institutes) and national business organisations (Chamber of Commerce, Scottish Council Development & Industry, Federation of Small Businesses, Institute of Directors) to ensure the views of the members are put across to the relevant politicians at the correct level of influence but we are not a lobbying organisation.

4. Fusion assists members with their aims of speaking to the correct people by linking them with bankers, business angel groups, enterprise bodies or other potential sources of funding within the "Fusion family" but we do not fundraise or seek funding for members.

5. Fusion organises and runs series of events and seminars throughout rural Scotland which seek to bring together members and others who are keen to spend anything from a couple of hours to an entire day working with and listening to others who have the expertise and knowledge they are seeking in a particular field, whether that be simply putting together a basic business plan through to presentation to decision makers or how to make the best of social media and online marketing to give a couple of examples but we are not a training organisation.

6. Fusion works closely with all our members in each industry or sector and whenever possible we encourage them to collaborate either by working together or running sector specific events for their mutual benefit and this will often involve Fusion taking an active interest in sector specific organisations like the Highland Food and Drink Forum and inviting them to present/participate at Fusion evens but we are not an IT or Food and Drink sector based organisation.

7. Fusion will continue to host gatherings ranging from small dinner groups to regional conference through which we aim to bring together rural business owners, decision makers from the public sector in their geographical area and when relevant academics from specialist fields of interest in order to foster the links and spark the ideas which will lead to rural businesses growing, collaborating and/or diversifying but we do not provide business services in competition with our members in the private sector.

Why not come along to one of our events near you and find out what being a Fusioneer is like for yourself?