World of Opportunity Programme for SMEs in United Kingdom

Deadline: 23 December 2024

Heathrow is calling for SMEs in every corner of the UK to come forward and pitch their products to the world.

The World of Opportunity Programme helps exporters to get their goods and services sold on international markets.  Heathrow has partnered with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) who will support via promoting the programme to their members and help judge the applications. Winners will be connected to the network of advice via the Export Support Service, offered by the Department for Business and Trade, to assist in their research and export strategies.

This programme follows the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT’s) findings that British exporters feel less confident about seizing international opportunities. The grant aims to address this by providing financial support and expert guidance to help SMEs grow their export potential.

Benefits

Participants are eligible to:
- be connected to the network of advice via the Export Support Service, offered by the Department for Business and Trade, to assist in their research and export strategies.

Funding Information

Participants are eligible to:
- be awarded a £2,000 (two thousand pounds GBP) grant.

Eligibility Criteria

Entry into the Grant Competition is open to Small and Medium Enterprise businesses (“SME’s”) who have their main operations based in the United Kingdom and who are registered in the United Kingdom with a Companies House registration number (or HMRC registration evidence if the SME is a sole trader business. In such cases, the sole trader must be a resident of the United Kingdom and demonstrate the business status with evidence such as UTR or correspondence from HMRC confirming status as a sole trader) (“Participant”).
Relevant Directors, officers and/or employees of the Participants who are engaging with the Grant Competition must be 18 years of age or over. Relevant Directors, officers and/or employees of any Participant must prove their age if requested by Heathrow.
A maximum of one entry per Participant is permitted. Submission of duplicate entries will render all previous entries invalid for the duration of the Grant Competition
This Grant Competition is not open for entry to employees of Heathrow Airport Limited, or of any third party who are connected with the creation or administration of the Grant Competition, or their direct families.

Selection Criteria

Winners of the Grant Competition (“Successful Bidder(s)”) will be selected by a panel of business experts including but not limited to: Heathrow’s Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer. Details of the panel will be made available on Heathrow’s website prior to the selection of the Successful Bidder(s) being made (“Judging Panel”), based on the following judging criterion:
- Criteria 1: Business Overview, Communication Plan and Goals
  - Clarity of business operations and reasons for exporting.
  - Identification and rationale behind specific overseas markets.
  - Description of any current exportation activities in overseas markets, including an analysis of its performance.
  - How realistic are the goals for expansion withing the market.
  - Strategy for engagement with media and local press outlets.
  - Innovativeness and creativeness of the communications plan.
  - Contact information of local press outlet.
  - Identification of a customer base and marketing activities to engage with such base.
- Criteria 2: Budget
  - Justification for allocation of grant funds for trade missions, trade shows, skills and training or market research.
  - Alignment of budget with the goals.
  - Clear and comprehensive budget proposal.
- Criteria 3: Social Mobility and Net Zero considerations
  - Addressing of the social mobility in its current operations and plans for future operations.
  - Clear plan for achieving net zero within the plans.
  - Highlight of any existing or planned sustainability initiatives that support the businesses net zero goals.
- Criteria 4: Impact and feasibility
  - Growth potential.
  - Feasibility and sustainability.
  - Long-term goals and its achievability.