Our History
Impact Hub Inverness, Serving the Highlands and Islands, started life as Highland and Islands Social Enterprise Zone (HISEZ) in 2003. HISEZ was a pilot project set up with the aim of supporting the development and growth of SMEs and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands. It did this though providing a combination of:
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Training
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Advice and business support
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Networking opportunities, and
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Signposting
HISEZ quickly showed there was a need for, and value to, its services and approach and in 2005 it incorporated, becoming the first CIC in Scotland. In 2008 it secured the business support contract for social and community enterprises in the Highlands and Islands. HISEZ subsequently became a founding member of the Just Enterprise consortium in 2011 and continues to deliver support to SMEs and social and community enterprises across the north of Scotland through this contract and many others. In 2018, HISEZ joined the Impact Hub network and became Impact Hub Inverness, a year after buying its first coworking space in Castle Street, Inverness. In 2024, a second property for dedicated office space was purchased on Academy Street.
