So, what does NSBI need to do to continue delivering results over the next five years?

As the organization moves forward, it must continue to be smart, effective and business-driven. Like the first five years, NSBI must understand where it wants to go and how it plans to get there. In developing the next five-year plan, the organization has not lost sight of its core focus of working directly with businesses to deliver results for the province. That’s what NSBI does best.

To achieve this, the organization offers customized, client-focused solutions through its business units: trade development, business advising, business financing, venture capital and investment attraction.

The trade development team collaborates with other agencies and organizations that share the common goals of increasing exports from the province. Not only does the trade development team work cooperatively with its partners to deliver results, it also directly administers programs. These programs, including NSBI-led trade missions, are specifically targeted at assisting Nova Scotia exporters to
explore new business opportunities in export markets.

Located in offices across the province, the business advisory team is the frontline contact for Nova Scotia companies. Business advisory personnel work closely with the trade development, business financing, venture capital and investment attraction teams to jointly meet client needs. The team takes a proactive approach to business development and is highly skilled at building partnerships and assisting businesses through a variety of services.

NSBI’s business financing team offers flexible financial tools ranging from loans to guarantees. The team works directly with companies to structure financing packages with terms and conditions tailored to their specific needs. NSBI’s financial solutions assist in bridging financial gaps in the marketplace and are often provided in partnership with other financial institutions.

As a mid- to late-stage investor with the ability to do follow-on investments, NSBI’s venture capital team focuses on a variety of sectors and growth opportunities. The team provides capital, strategic direction and advice to help promising companies achieve their full potential.

Attracting sustainable, exportoriented and value-added business investment to the province is the main objective of the investment attraction team. NSBI takes a targeted and aggressive approach to attract businesses that have a strong “fit” with Nova Scotia‘s key assets. In doing so, NSBI proactively promotes the competitive advantages of doing business in Nova Scotia.

These business units work collaboratively to build on NSBI’s core focus: Working directly with businesses to deliver results for the province.

Guided by this core focus, NSBI will continue to aggressively: 

• Pursue new business investment for the province.
• Retain and expand locallybased companies and multinationals with a presence in Nova Scotia.
• Assist Nova Scotia businesses to target new and existing export markets.
• Respond to business needs for new approaches to lending and finance.

These will be achieved by continuing to develop an actionoriented organizational culture that encourages and supports high performance. To support the core focus of delivering results, the organization has identified five additional areas. These areas were discussed during the province-wide consultations and will play important roles in shaping the province’s economic growth.

• Regional Growth
• Competitiveness
• Talent
• Leadership
• Collaboration

In addressing these five additional areas and how they impact NSBI’s core focus, the organization must ask itself:
How does NSBI need to act?