Get the knowledge and skills to increase export capability and cross-border sales
The First-Time Exporters Accelerator programme from InterTradeIreland is for SMEs who have little or no experience of trading cross-border.
It’s a practical, fully funded programme of support including mentoring and training in export strategy development, export market analysis and business networking opportunities.
The First-Time Exporters Accelerator aims to give ambitious business leaders the knowledge and skills to increase export capability and cross-border sales.
Participating businesses will experience a stimulating and fully supported, training and mentoring programme designed to accelerate cross-border sales.
Your export journey will be centred around the following key steps identify, research and analyse market segments suitable for selling, develop an actionable export plan and – most of all – focus on profitable sales for your business.
Programme activities
Delivered by experienced export professionals with input from successful cross-border exporters and professional membership bodies, this programme has been designed to
- Quickly provide you with the knowledge and confidence you need to demystify export success.
- Develop a leadership focus on driving your business to achievable cross-border sales.
- Provide funded support to overcome the varied export obstacles faced by SMEs.
What can you expect from the First-Time Exporters Accelerator?
- A series of 4 online and in-person workshops providing clear direction on how to export.
- Personalised one-to-one mentoring to progress you in the right direction with confidence.
- Sales driven market research to identify clear opportunities for your business.
- An actionable cross-border export plan ready for implementation.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, participating businesses must
- Be an SME with less than 250 staff.
- Have a minimum annual turnover of £100,000 and not exceeding £40 million per annum (or Euro Equivalent).
- Be an indigenous business registered in Ireland or Northern Ireland.
- Be active in the manufacturing or tradable services sectors. By tradable services, InterTradeIreland requires the business service to be delivered in the cross-border market, and not just to attract customers from the cross-border market to their service business in the home market.
- Have a minimum 12 months trading history.
- Have more than 75% of sales in their home market.
- Have cross-border sales in the opposite jurisdiction of less than 7% of company turnover.
- Be able to complete the First-Time Exporters Accelerator project within a maximum 6 months of approval.
Apply now
The deadline for applications for the first cohort of participants is 5pm on Friday 2 May 2025.
Apply for the First-Time Exporters Accelerator.
For more information please contact [email protected] or 028 9069 1027.
First published 29 April 2025
