Heathrow Airport helps SMEs take off into a World of Opportunity
Airport partners with Department for International Trade’s (DIT) ‘Exporting is GREAT’ Campaign to award 20 SMEs with grants to fund trade missions, trade shows and foreign market research ‘World of Opportunity Programme’ is open and accepting applications now until 14 July 2017
Recognising the vital role SME’s play in keeping the UK an outward looking trading nation, Heathrow and the Department for International Trade’s ‘Exporting is GREAT’ Campaign have launched a new programme to help British businesses identify and reach new markets for their goods or services.
Heathrow’s ‘World of Opportunity Programme’ will award 20 grants to British SMEs of £2000 each to fund vital trade missions and research. As part of the partnership, DIT will provide mentoring guidance from an International Trade Advisor to help their research and missions and promote the competition. Successful applicants will also receive a Plaza Premium lounge pass to begin their trip in style.
A panel of business experts including Heathrow Chairman Lord Deighton, DIT’s International Trade Advisor Keith Moses and Daily Express Small Business Correspondent Maisha Frost, will select the 20 grant recipients amongst the list of applicants.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “As the UK’s gateway to the world and its biggest port by value, Heathrow wants to do all it can to help British businesses spread their products around the globe and grow international trade. “We are delighted to be launching our World of Opportunity SME Grants Programme, in partnership with the Exporting is GREAT Campaign, to help our
SMEs succeed and show the world that Britain is open for business.”
International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, said: “Heathrow plays an important role in supporting UK businesses to reach international markets. Building on our partnership, I’m pleased that as international economic department, through the Exporting is GREAT campaign, we will work with Heathrow on this important programme that will help small businesses up and down the country to access new markets. We will continue to work together to not only promote exports from the airport but also the UK as an attractive place to invest in.”
The ‘World of Opportunity Programme’ is part of a plan to guarantee British businesses benefit from the economic opportunities provided by Heathrow, the UK’s only hub airport. In addition to this programme, for the past 20 years Heathrow has run a successful series of Business Summits, giving SMEs the opportunity to engage directly with members of the airport’s supply chain and find out more about the opportunities that exist at the airport and around the world. So far, an estimated £93.4 million of new deals have been won as a result of the partnerships formed at the
Summits.
For more information or to apply to the ‘World of Opportunity Programme’, please visit their website.
