UK SBS PS150228 ‘Entrepreneur Mission’ to Foreign Markets

Tender description

This contract is for an organisation to act as the Delivery Partner for Innovate UK activities to help young businesses in the smart cities/urban living sector access overseas markets and investment. The aim of the exercise is to find a partner who is able to work effectively with start-ups and SMEs to prepare them to take part successfully in an overseas trade mission, and to maximise the opportunities that such participation will offer. The mission will be run in partnership with UKTI as a hybrid of a standard trade mission and an Innovate UK entrepreneur mission. It will take 10-15 young, innovative UK companies (in a total delegation of 20 companies) to overseas markets to rapidly build their networks, know-how and ambition as they forge new business. Places on the Mission will be competitive and applicants must demonstrate a scalable smart cities solution, a strong team and a fit with the market in the Mission location. The balance of the places on the mission will be taken up by larger more established firms who might also be potential clients for the entrepreneurs. This Smart Cities mission will take up to 15 of the UK’s best young, innovative, high-growth potential companies to overseas markets to help them grow faster. The Mission will achieve this by supporting the SMEs to: • Network with potential customer, partners and investors • Improve their profile through PR coverage • Refine their pitch to potential investors and to suit the target market • Gain insight into what it takes to do business in the target market • Raise their ambition and accelerate their plans