Since its launch in the spring, nearly 30 innovative companies have participated in XPAND, the Hungarian Innovation Agency's (NIÜ) programme to help them enter foreign markets. The 10 best prepared companies have already participated in international innovation and technology events supported by the NIÜ, which have led to nearly 200 business meetings with foreign partners. In September, they will have the opportunity to present and network in China again, and in the coming months in Germany, Kazakhstan, the United States and Singapore. Workshops to prepare for foreign markets will be launched again in August, for which the NIÜ invites applications from innovative companies and start-ups via the agency's website.
Through the XPAND programme series, the NIÜ helps innovative micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups to learn about the process of international market entry, its challenges and the specificities of different countries through practical examples.
The theoretical part of the programme consists of three elements. The first is a situation assessment, which will show where the candidate companies are at the moment and what they need to do to enter the international market. The second will provide them with concrete practical and methodological knowledge, and the third will be about acquiring knowledge about the selected target markets. Afterwards, the best prepared candidates will be able to access the most important global markets with the help of the EIT. The programme is currently targeting some of the most prominent markets in terms of development, growth potential and specific sector opportunities, and their exhibitions that attract an international audience: the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, China and Kazakhstan. By opening up the opportunity to participate in innovation and technology events, the programme enables our partners to network with industry representatives from around the world and learn about global trends.
"The main goal of the National Innovation Agency is to help as many innovative Hungarian companies as possible to enter the market, preferably on the international stage. Based on the experience of the past months, we are pleased to see that there is a demand for this from innovative companies: 30 innovative technology companies have so far participated in the XPAND Programme, which was launched in April 2024. Our aim is to provide at least 100-150 innovative companies with knowledge on how to enter foreign markets every year, and to send the best 30-50 companies to their relevant target markets", said László Bódis, CEO of the NIÜ.
Based on the feedback from participants, the knowledge gained during the XPAND programme series opens up a new, up-to-date and practical aspect for rethinking the foreign market plans under development. It explores how to get to the point where international customers automatically start looking for Hungarian products with a minimum of effort and efficiency. The workshops will provide answers to practical questions that may be difficult for those planning to enter the foreign market to ask. XPAND helps to develop plans for the foreign market and to strengthen the knowledge that the foreign market entrant is not alone, because there is a community of support and experts behind him.
With the XPAND Programme, Hungarian businesses can open the door to foreign markets. You can register for the autumn workshops (Ready!, Steady! and Go!) at https://niu.hu/en/services
In addition, there will be another opportunity to present in China in early September:
- to the Health Technology Exhibition and Forum in Chunking,
- the Pujiang Innovation Forum,
- and the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT)
are also open to innovative Hungarian enterprises.
For more information on the XPAND Programme: https://niu.hu/en/project/xpand-program
