Heathrow Airport has teamed up with the Department for International Trade (DIT) on the Exporting is Great campaign, which provides financial support to 20 exporters looking to reach new long-haul markets with their goods or services.
The World of Opportunity program will award 20 SMEs with grants worth £2,000 (US$2,680) to cover the cost of trade missions, participation in trade shows and foreign market research. DIT will support each winner to help their research and missions and to promote the initiative. In addition, Plaza Premium will provide complimentary lounge passes for the winners as they leave Heathrow on their journeys.
The program received over 290 applications from SMEs. To win a grant, successful applicants will be asked to demonstrate why it would be appropriate to expand their business’s export capability and outline why they have identified their target market to be overseas.
A panel of exporting experts, including Lord Deighton, Heathrow’s chairman and Parveen Thornhill, head of London and devolved administrations, DIT, will select this year’s winners.
Commenting on the campaign, Lord Deighton said, “We are delighted to open the World of Opportunity SME grants program for the second year in a row.
“Last year, we helped a wonderful range of British exporters – from beauty products to specialist tires and snow sport instructors to architects – from all across the nations and regions of the UK. We helped them explore new markets, progress their exporting ambitions and look forward to helping more SMEs this year. These SMEs are showing the world that the UK is open for business – and I am confident this year’s winners will be just as impressive.”