Polish Tech Bridges - we build marketing strategy for SMEs expansion

SMEs create more than a half of the Polish GDP, the biggest participation – 30,2 %. The engine of the economy is the sale of national products and services abroad. Since Poland has entered the European Union our export tripled from almost 60 billion euro (2004) to 185 billion euro in 2016. A record of 200 billion euros in foreign sales of Polish companies was to be achieved in 2017, to 2020, it may increase up to 293 billion euro (PKO BP data). Our major partners are Germany and the UK, but non-European markets have been eyed by the Polish business for a while. That is why Polish Investment and Trade Agency implemented a six year project of tailored support for SME in the internalisation of their innovative offer outside the EU – Polish Tech Bridges.

– The percentage of Polish companies that are exporters has been increasing continuously, but some of them consider it a challenge still. The Polish Tech Bridges provides SMEs with professional tools that prepare them to exit outside Europe and effectively operate in a completely new business environment, in as many as 20 markets, assisted by the PAIH trade offices. High quality of consultancy is guaranteed by the synergy of knowledge and experience of the agency experts and external partners – Krzysztof Senger, vice president of PAIH, who supervises the project, points out.

The beneficiaries of the new Agency project could be SMEs with a high potential of internalization of their products, service or technology. Among them are entrepreneurs whose activity is part of the so-called National Smart Specializations. The program will also benefit small entrepreneurs who plan to increase the volume of exports or consider investments in foreign markets. Grants may also be obtained by innovators, seeking foreign partners to carry out research and development projects as well as external financing sources for this activity. The maximum grant for one SME reaches PLN 200,000, while the total value of the support amounts to over PLN 176.5 million. The project will be implemented in the de minimis aid formula.

The Polish Tech Bridges project will be carried out in two modules: domestic and foreign. Applications assessment will be followed by an open marketing strategy workshop. The strategy will be created with the help of Polish and foreign experts from the target countries: the United States, Canada, Mexico (call for applications will be held in Q2, 2018) Vietnam, China (including  Hong Kong), Japan (Q3, 2018), the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Kenya (Q4, 2018), Turkey, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, Russia, Republic of South Africa – These are fast growth markets, chosen by the Polish government as the most prospective for the national entrepreneurs – Senger points out. Most importantly, entrepreneurs will benefit from the unique expertise at every stage of the project's implementation - while buidling relations with local business partners, and also within so called post-project care.

The Polish Tech Bridges project is financed from the European Regional Development Fund under Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020,  Measure 3.3 “Support for promotion and internationalisation of innovative enterprises”. The project will be carried out in years 2018 – 2023.

Do not hesitate to ask questions regarding the project: pmt@paih.gov.pl.