KIB Newsletter July 2022

IMPULS Project Update

Webinar 19 July: Maximising International Trade Shows:

Join us on 19th July for our webinar on Maximising international trade shows from 09:30 – 10:45 (BST).

• Get advice and tips on making the most of visits to or exhibition at international trade shows (both virtually and physically)
• The session will focus on Health & Life Science events including Medica and Arab Health

For more details on the webinar please click here.

Exhibit for Free At Arab Health 2023 with IMPULS

Date:  30 Jan-2 Feb 2023

Location:  Dubai

The IMPULS Project is offering 4 innovative Health & Life Science SMEs in Kent,
Hauts-de-France and Bretagne a free exhibition pod at the event.

Exhibiting at international trade shows is a great way to promote your business, products and services to an industry-specific, global audience.

About Arab Health

Arab Health prides itself as being the largest and leading healthcare business event in the Middle East and one of the largest in the world. The event has been running for 47 years and attracts the world’s leading manufacturers, distributors and service providers, displaying the latest technology, innovations and trends within the healthcare and life sciences market. It regularly welcomes over 4,000 global exhibitors, and tens of thousands of visitors from growing markets including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Kuwait and Northern Africa.

What to Expect

• A free exhibition pod on the Medilink UK Pavilion in hall 2 or 3 to showcase your products or services from 30 January to 2 February 2023
• The pod package on offer is worth £4,700 and includes a professionally designed and installed graphic backboard and use of a shared meeting area on the wider pavilion.
• Please note that companies will have to cover the costs of their own travel and accommodation.

Interested?

1. Please click here to complete an expression of interest form.
2. Visit www.kentinternationalbusiness.co.uk/impuls/ to find out more about IMPULS
3. Visit https://www.arabhealthonline.com/en/visit/live.html to find out more about Arab Health 2023

To sign up for the IMPULS project newsletter and be kept up to date with all the opportunities through IMPULS then please click  on this link.

IMPULS is part-financed by the Interreg France-Channel-England Programme. It aims to help SMEs from SE England and NW France to collaborate, internationalise and access opportunities on both sides of the Channel and further afield. It will run until January 2023.

Reconnect with Businesses across the Channel

We are pleased to invite Kent businesses to take part in a UK business delegation visit to Northern France on 16 & 17 September 2022. The visit will combine Franco-British business networking and presentations as well as a joint attendance at a local rugby event. France will be hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup and to mark the year leading up to the event, the Hauts-de-France region and Kent have organised a match between two local rugby clubs; Folkestone and Armentières, in partnership with ‘France 2023’, official organisers of the rugby world cup.

Given that travel and doing cross-border business has been difficult with the recent challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the UK’s EU exit, this event is an opportunity to reconnect across the Channel and strengthen Franco-British business links. Keeping cross-Channel trade flowing remains extremely important for our businesses and economies and the best way to do this is by working together and building on long-established links between France and the UK.

This event will focus on:

1. Helping companies to work through issues that could be a barrier to cross-border trade such as new trade regulations, border controls and customs requirements. With the right support and knowledge, these issues can be overcome so the event will include presentations from various experts in tax, customs and controls to explain solutions to help all types of business to grow their cross-Channel operations.
2. Identifying new business opportunities. Kent and Hauts-de-France share common sector strengths thanks to their geographical proximity. This event is aimed in particular at businesses from 2 key economic sectors: agri-food and transport, storage & logistics, both of which have been impacted by recent events and evolving economic economic trends. There are significant opportunities to link up and grow these sectors on both sides of the Channel.

Why participate?

• Meet experts who can help you deal with post-Brexit trade barriers
• Meet potential new business contacts and partners from both sides of the Channel
• Support the expansion of your business operations in France and mainland Europe
• An opportunity to introduce your business to delegates from France and the UK
• Celebrate the run up to 2023 rugby world cup in France, with a game between Folkestone (Kent) and Armentières (near Lille)

Travel, accommodation and subsistence costs will be fully covered by the project.

Please click here to email us to register.

Celebrate your Export Success:

It’s always good to share your successes. If you’ve recently done well with your international sales, why not apply for an award to get some well deserved recognition:

• The 2022 Queen’s awards for enterprise are open until 6 September and one of the four categories is international trade. Please click here for more information.
• Kent Invicta Chamber awards. KIB has teamed up with KICC to sponsor this year’s Success in International Markets Award. Apply by 9th September. Please click here to find out more.

Could you spare half an hour to share your experiences of the pandemic?

Kent County Council is running a business support project called C-Care (Covid Channel Area Response Exchange). Its French academic partner ‘CESI’ is carrying out some work to determine what  factors can promote business resilience during economic shocks. If you’d be willing to take part in a short online interview about the good and bad sides of the pandemic for your company, this would help us to understand the impact of the pandemic on SME Business Models. If you operate in the agri-food industry, tourism or IT/digital then we’d be particularly keen to hear from you.

Please click here to email us for more information

DIT: Supply Chain Resilience Guidance:

The Department for International Trade has developed new Supply Chain Resilience Guidance, alongside the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI). The guidance aims to support businesses to strengthen supply chains by mapping them, identifying potential risks, and developing plans to help minimise potential disruptions to business operations.  Please click here to view the guidance.

Innovate UK Grants – the environmental sector and healthcare

UK-based SMEs are being invited to apply for innovation grants for projects contributing to achieving net zero and reducing environmental impact through:

• user-centric low carbon heating and cooling solutions
• energy generation, storage, management, and active user engagement approaches to energy efficiency
• zero emission powertrain system development, and digital solutions to optimise transport
• environmentally focused manufacturing, supply chains and circular economy solutions

Successful applicants could claim 100% of eligible project costs up to the maximum of £50,000.

Competition opens: Monday 11 July 2022

Competition closes: Tuesday 26 July 2022 11:00am

The project must lead to new products, processes or services that are significantly ahead of others currently available, or propose an innovative use of existing products, processes or services. It can also involve a new or innovative business model.

The idea must focus on either achieving net zero or self-driven healthcare, and how new technology can enable affordable, adoptable and investable innovations in these areas. Innovate UK is particularly interested in proposals which will help you:

• develop both your idea and your business
• create a new revenue stream
• evidence and enable your market, funding and commercialisation plans
• show what’s feasible, helping you decide whether to pursue your idea further
• catalyse further innovation on your path to commercial success
• respond to changing market conditions

Please click here to find out more.