Applications open for First-Time Exporters Accelerator Programme

A practical, fully funded programme of support including mentoring and training in export strategy development, export market analysis and business networking opportunities.

Delivered by experienced export professionals with input from successful cross-border exporters and professional membership bodies, this programme has been designed to:

• Quickly provide you with the knowledge and confidence you need to demystify export success.
• Develop a leadership focus on driving your business to achievable cross-border sales.
• Provide funded support to overcome the varied export obstacles faced by SMEs.

Aims

• The First-Time Exporters Accelerator aims to give ambitious business leaders the knowledge and skills to increase export capability and cross-border sales.

What can you expect from the First-Time Exporters Accelerator?

• A series of 4 online and in-person workshops providing clear direction on how to export.
• Personalised one-to-one mentoring to progress you in the right direction with confidence.
• Sales driven market research to identify clear opportunities for your business.
• An actionable cross-border export plan ready for implementation.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible, participating businesses must:
  • Be an SME with less than 250 staff.
  • Have a minimum annual turnover of £100,000 and not exceeding £40 million per annum (or Euro Equivalent).
  • Be an indigenous business registered in Ireland or Northern Ireland.
  • Be active in the manufacturing or tradable services sectors. By tradable services, InterTradeIreland requires the business service to be delivered in the cross-border market, and not just to attract customers from the cross-border market to their service business in the home market (see list below of ineligible sectors).
  • Have a minimum 12 months trading history.
  • Have more than 75% of sales in their home market.
  • Have cross-border sales in the opposite jurisdiction of less than 7% of company turnover.
  • Be able to complete the First-Time Exporters Accelerator project within a maximum 6 months of approval.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Businesses involved in the following sectors are generally not considered eligible for Trade support: Wholesale, retail, distribution, tourism, hospitality, primary agriculture, personal services and professional business services (professional business services are not excluded from Go-2-Tender).
• Applications from the sectors above may be considered if the business has developed a unique product, system or process that provides additional value to the core business activity.
• Businesses involved in practices associated with gambling, health risks or immoral activity or any other activity that may be negatively perceived and bring the reputation of InterTradeIreland into disrepute will not be supported.

For more information, visit InterTradeIreland.