What is the Open to Export Action Plan Competition?
The deadline for the UK-only spring competition passed on May 4th.
More information about the International Business Awards
You can still complete and submit your Export Action Plan at any point to be considered for the next competition.
UK entries will be considered for both our upcoming international version of the competition, and the next domestic competition later in the year.
Enter the Export Action Plan Competition for the chance to win £3000 and more towards your ‘Roadmap to Export Success’.
Sponsored by Global Trade Review and NatWest, 10 finalists will be invited to the showcase final at the UK Trade & Export Conference in London on June 7th.
Entry is eligible to companies who submit their Export Action Plans and meet the competition criteria. You can start your action plan whenever you want and if you need to leave it, the pages will automatically save it for you so that you can come back to it later.
What is the Export Action Plan?
The Open to Export Action Plan is an intuitive online planning tool which takes you through 5 key steps to export success. It is simple to use and works by asking you to complete tasks and set actions, helping you to establish what you need to know and do to start selling overseas. Once you have completed the steps, you will generate an action plan which is a brilliant showpiece to take to your bank, business advisor or international trade advisor.
How do I enter the competition?
Once your Export Action Plan is complete, simply tick the competition box to enter.
Alternatively, you can send your generated PDF report to admin@opentoexport.com.
What could I win?
For the most recent competition there was a £3000 cash prize and some brilliant research and ecommerce support from the British Library and Thrive Digital worth an additional £2000.
The package also included 2 free places on an Institute of Export public training course worth £700. Each of the finalists got a year’s free small business membership with the Institute.
A new prize package – including the £3000 cash prize – will be announced in the spring.
The UK Trade & Export Finance Conference
Welcoming close to 500 delegates from across UK industry in 2017, the UK Trade & Export Finance Conference is an annual highlight for domestic exporters, financiers and trade specialists, a place where fresh perspectives are gained and new business relationships formed.
With discussions ongoing as to the UK’s trade relationship with the EU, identifying new export markets is a key task for UK corporates seeking to broaden their export horizons. Sources of finance for SMEs and larger corporates, developments in regulation & compliance, advancements in the fintech space and an overview of the UK’s manufacturing sector will all be on the table at 2018’s event, as the nation looks to increase its competitiveness and global reach over the coming years.
Benefiting from strong links to the UK’s primary trade bodies and leading export-focused institutions, this is a crucial forum for any UK company involved in international trade.
Who can enter?
The competition is open to SME businesses based in the UK who are planning to enter new markets.
Sponsors and supporters
Sponsors: Global Trade Review
Established in 2002 and with offices in London and Singapore, GTR is the world’s leading trade and trade finance media company, offering a one stop shop of information, news, events and services for companies and individuals involved in global trade.
Sponsors: NatWest
NatWest provides everyday banking services for over 14 million customers in England and Wales. At NatWest we proactively strive to pioneer and innovate in order to give our customers the excellent service they expect from us. Today we support all types of customers – ranging from personal accounts through to the largest commercial and corporate businesses.
Whether it’s by helping new ventures to address new business opportunities through our partnership with Entrepreneurial Spark, or providing award-winning invoice and asset finance or more traditional funding for more established businesses, we’re dedicated to supporting the ambitions of UK enterprises both large and small, wherever in the world they choose to do business.
https://www.business.natwest.com/business/startups-and-SME.html
The Institute of Export & International Trade – prize donators and supporters
The Institute of Export & International Trade‘s mission is to enhance the export performance of the United Kingdom by setting and maintaining professional standards in international trade management and export practice. This is principally achieved by the provision of education, training and practical business support services.
The Institute of Ecommerce – prize donators and supporters
The Institute of Ecommerce’s purpose is to help increase wealth, jobs and exports through online trade. The main activities of the Institute of Ecommerce are to:
- Gather statistics with the aim of understanding current position, trends and identifying opportunities.
- Providing video and written case studies designed to help educate and inspire businesses to trade successfully using the Internet.
- Provide training, guidance and advice to companies and individuals to help plan, implement and optimise their businesses.
- Provide certified courses to help create a new generation of professional ecommerce practitioners.
- Foster a community of best practice and support through membership.
In addition to this, the Institute of Ecommerce will have an impact at a Government level, by encouraging policies around ecommerce.
The Institute of Ecommerce has agreed to provide the winner of the Open to Export competition with a place on its Ecommerce Foundations I and Ecommerce Foundations II courses, as well as helping the winner to create an ecommerce feasibility study with the Institute of Ecommerce’s Ecommerce Feasibility Testing (EFT) framework. This will provide the winner with actionable advice for improvements and ongoing strategy.