A £2 million initiative aiming to help Cornish companies to do business worldwide starts rolling out its support today, with the announcement of a series of free workshops.
The UKTI Globalisation Project, which has received ERDF Convergence investment, is designed to give fast growing businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly a timely boost into lucrative international markets.
The support will commence with a programme of three, two-day events giving eligible companies free, practical advice to help them succeed on the global stage.
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “These workshops are breaking new ground in Cornwall. This is the first time there has been such intensive investment focussed on helping businesses trade overseas. The ERDF Convergence investment will help businesses discover how to enter world markets and build profitable international business. These workshops will help businesses that have the appetite and the capability for growth to really maximise their potential.”
The first workshop will take place over two days on January 18-19 at the Fowey Hall Hotel and will be free of charge to eligible businesses. Dinner and overnight accommodation will also be provided free of charge, providing a valuable opportunity for high growth businesses to network.
Called ‘Marketing for International Growth’, the workshop will be run by renowned expert on building overseas business, Gary Jennings from GJ International.
Ray Gore, Services Development Manager at UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), says: “These inspiring workshops are a first for Cornwall. These will provide valuable insight and information that will help set Cornish businesses firmly on the path to profitable overseas trade. In turn, this will lead to higher quality jobs and help boost prosperity in the county.”
On February 9 and 23, there will be a workshop on ‘Supercharging Agents and Distributors’ taking place over the two days at Woodland Valley Farm near Truro.
On March 24 and 25, a workshop on ‘Entrepreneurship in Export’ will take place at The Bay Hotel in Newquay.
Adam Chambers, Chief Executive of Peninsula Enterprise, said: “With new technological advances, the barriers that used to prevent businesses from trading internationally are being removed. We are seeing increasing numbers of businesses in Cornwall trade profitably overseas and this is an extremely exciting and important trend that we want to help accelerate.”
Businesses that are interested should email lynn@brandinnovation.co.uk or call Lynn File on 07968 015731 as soon as possible as places are strictly limited.
