Janette is the "perfect fit" to oversee university's business support programme

An award-winning business adviser has joined the University of Warwick Science Park to help deliver support to growing, high-tech firms.

Janette Pallas will be based at the Venture Centre on the main campus at the university and will lead a new business programme offering a range of help and support to innovative businesses based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Janette is an experienced and qualified business coach, trainer and consultant who gets businesses to focus on strategic and business planning to meet their ambitions.

She was awarded the Specialist Adviser of the Year by the Institute of Business Advisers in 2005 for her work in supporting businesses in their use of ICT and was honoured with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion in 2008 for her work with student enterprises and disabled entrepreneurs.

Prior to becoming a business adviser, Janette founded and grew her own IT consultancy and training business which she later sold.

She is now looking forward to her new challenge at the university.

“The team at the University of Warwick Science Park has a well-respected track record in supporting growth businesses," said Janette. "I’m really looking forward to helping build on this expertise and working with local businesses to help them take the next steps in their business growth.

“I look to get companies thinking strategically and support them to raise the right balance of debt, grant and equity funding by helping them to prepare for the different types of funder.

“This is a brand new challenge for me but one I am very much looking forward to.”

David Grindrod, director of the University of Warwick Science Park, said: “We are delighted to welcome Janette to the Science Park. As well as providing flexible space across several sites in the region that allow growing, high-tech companies the freedom to expand at their own pace, we deliver a range of support services from marketing through to angel investment. Janette will oversee those business support programmes to companies not only based on the Science Park but at other locations in the region.

“Janette’s expertise and experience fits perfectly with what the University of Warwick Science Park can offer to businesses and we are extremely pleased to have her on board.”

The new programme is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund with further support from the University of Warwick Science Park and Warwickshire County Council. It is part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme.