Trade missions bring international success to startups
Are you a startup or scale-up with international ambitions? If so, a tech exhibition might be the ideal platform for you. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) frequently organises trade missions to tech fairs. RVO's Marie-Jeannine Citroen and Maurits Berger are part of the organising team for these missions. They explain how RVO can help you become successful abroad.
Trade missions
Attending tech fairs allows you to promote your company to an international audience. But the benefits continue beyond that. By joining one of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency's trade missions, you will also get to know other Dutch startups.
Valuable and efficient
Joining a mission can be an efficient approach. According to Berger, "In a set time frame, it enables you to take stock of the competition, validate your product, invite feedback and gain exposure. You can also establish useful contacts with customers, investors and other collaborative partners."
"As a startup, it is vital to ask yourself what your goal is and whether you can achieve it by participating in a mission."
Who can take part?
Taking part depends on many factors. There are many international tech exhibitions. RVO explores what is on offer and seeks trade shows that interest Dutch startups and scale-ups. Every tech fair has its own set of requirements. "This means that you have to be a Dutch company that is innovative, scalable and disruptive. Not only that, but your product has to suit the market, and you have to be ready for international expansion," Berger explains.
RVO checks each application to see if a company has something to add to the mission. "As a startup, it is important to ask yourself what your goal is and whether you can achieve it by participating in a mission," Citroen adds.
Interesting tech exhibitions
- Monday, 13 November 2023Web Summit, Lisbon, Portugal
- Thursday, 30 November 2023Slush, Helsinki, Finland
- Tuesday, 9 January 2024CES 2024, Las Vegas, USA
Is your business ready to go abroad?
When is a good time for your company to start doing business abroad? According to Citroen, this differs for each company. "A good sign might be that your product has been accepted in the Dutch market or is ready to scale up."
Tips
- Bring a team of at least two people and a prototype to show your product.
- Instead of leaflets, choose more visual aids - like QR codes that link to your videos and presentations.
Perfect preparation with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency
The advantage of joining a trade mission is RVO's support. "For instance, we organise a series of themed sessions to prepare you. These include pitching, investor readiness, PR and media, lead generation and conference hacking," Berger says. Take as many steps as possible to maximise your preparations. Of course, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency is happy to help you.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy
