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New Enterprise Ireland “Prepare to Export Scorecard” for companies with global ambition

17th August 2018

Interactive online tool helps potential exporters assess their export-readiness

A new Prepare to Export Scorecard has been developed by Enterprise Ireland to help Irish entrepreneurs and business owners with global ambition to self-assess how prepared they are to start exporting. The interactive online facility is a free, easy-to-use tool which acts as a starting point for companies interested in exporting and reaching overseas markets.

The Prepare to Export Scorecard analyses answers submitted to a range of questions and generates an immediate report. The on-the-spot assessment focuses on the company’s level of export-readiness across six key business pillars: business planning, people management, operations, sales and marketing, innovation, and finance. Users can opt to submit their report and request to be personally contacted by the Enterprise Ireland exporter development team.

By focusing on key aspects of business, the Prepare to Export Scorecard helps emerging and potential exporters to consider where to start as well as defining the practical steps that can be taken to plan and begin their export journey. The tool also includes a peer learning element allowing users to access video case studies in which fellow SME teams share their learnings from planning and implementing their export strategies.

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD said: “Many Irish companies have the talent and ambition to succeed in global markets, but do not know how to get started. Therefore, I welcome the launch of Enterprise Ireland’s new Prepare to Export Scorecard, which aims to help companies not only assess their current position, but to identify practical steps that they can take to become export ready.  I particularly welcome the on-line tool showing good practices in export strategies. To be resilient in the face of potential economic shocks, such as Brexit, Irish exporting companies need to be innovative, competitive and have a diversified global footprint. The new Prepare to Export Scorecard is an important addition to the existing range of supports available through Enterprise Ireland in that regard.”

Garrett Murray, Manager, Exporter Development, Enterprise Ireland said: “Enterprise Ireland is focused on supporting new and emerging exporters to expand their global reach and diversify into new markets. With the prospect of Brexit and the associated challenges and opportunities, we are working to help existing companies to commence exporting and to achieve their global ambition. Companies thinking about exporting may be unsure about how to make that first step. Our new Prepare to Export Scorecard is a useful starting point for SMEs looking to assess their export preparedness for expansion into new overseas markets.”

Find out more about the Prepare to Export Scorecard. Further details on Enterprise Ireland’s supports for exporters can be found at www.globalambition.ie

ENDS

For further information:

Conor O’Donovan, Head of Communications, Enterprise Ireland 01 7272912 / 087 9671342 conor.odonovan@enterprise-ireland.comBrigid Burke, Press Office, Enterprise Ireland 01 7272430 / 087 1803995 brigid.burke@enterprise-ireland.com 

 

Notes to the editor:

Brexit Advisory Clinics:

Enterprise Ireland has launched its next series of nationwide Brexit Advisory Clinics advising Irish companies on the supports available to help them address their Brexit exposure. The clinics, which include one-to-one meetings with independent experts, will continue in Galway (Tuesday 2nd October),Dundalk (Monday 22nd October), Waterford (Thursday 8th November) and Limerick (Wednesday 21st November). Companies will be briefed on the broad implications of Brexit, specifically around customs, strategic sourcing, financial management, employment law and the movement of people.

Enterprise Ireland is actively supporting Irish companies to respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by Brexit. Achieving market diversification is a priority. Key Initiatives include:

    1. Enterprise Ireland launched its Eurozone Strategy with the strategic ambition to increase Irish exports to the Eurozone by 50% to €6.15bn by 2020. Enterprise Ireland recently announced that its clients recorded export sales of €22.71bn in 2017, representing a 7 per cent increase on 2016. Exports to the Eurozone region, which account for 20 per cent of all exports, saw strong growth of 9 per cent to €4.61bn in 2017. Enterprise Ireland supported 89 Irish companies to export to the Eurozone for the first time in 2017. In addition, close to 300 new contracts were secured for Irish companies in the Eurozone with Enterprise Ireland assistance.
    2. Trade Missions – we will undertake over 200 international and domestic trade events by the end of 2018 to accelerate the number of Enterprise Ireland clients diversifying into new markets, beyond the UK and into the Eurozone and global markets. The number of trade events being undertaken represents a 50% increase on 2017, reflecting the serious challenge that Brexit poses for Irish businesses.
    3. New Market Discovery Fund - In support of the international trade event programme, Enterprise Ireland has introduced the new Market Discovery Fund to support Enterprise Ireland backed companies when researching new markets for products and services.  The new fund is designed to help companies of all sizes to meet the key challenges of market research.  There are three levels of funding available to companies: up to €35,000, up to €75,000 and up to €150,000.
    4. New Enterprise Ireland Brexit Unit established to support Irish companies to prepare for Brexit.
    5. Prepare for Brexit information campaign launched in 2017. We are leading a massive drive to support Irish companies to start preparing now. (Brexit Roadshow, Brexit SME Scorecard. Funding for Brexit Response Plan, Brexit Advisory Clinics).
    6. New fast track Agile Innovation Fund launched in 2017, gives companies rapid fast-track access to innovation funding; up to 50% in support for product, process or service development projects with a total cost of up to €300,000. The new measure has been introduced by Enterprise Ireland for companies to respond more quickly to market opportunities and challenges, including those posed by Brexit.
    7. Rollout of the Irish Advantage Campaign. As a Brexit response, and as a key Eurozone Strategy initiative, Enterprise Ireland’s Irish Advantage campaign is targeted at European buyers with the aim of generating new business leads for Irish exporters.
    8. Operational Excellence Offer - To further strengthen the supports to Irish businesses in the face of Brexit, Enterprise Ireland has just launched a new Operational Excellence Offer to enable Irish companies trading internationally to develop or transform their wider business in order to compete more effectively. The Operational Excellence Offer covers funding, capability building, and capital investment offers for companies trading internationally, to incentivise companies to address their needs across key aspects of their value chain and business operations; from supply chain management, internal business and production operations, and through to logistics and distribution networks
    9. Prepare to Export Scorecard – designed to help Irish entrepreneurs and business owners with global ambition to self-assess how prepared they are to start exporting. The interactive online facility is a free, easy-to-use tool which acts as a starting point for companies interested in exporting and reaching overseas markets.

 

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