A £20,000 grant to support businesses to go global has been announced today by FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp and the world’s largest express transportation company.
Through the Small Business Grant, FedEx aims to help small businesses across UK to realise their international potential by providing a platform for small businesses to go global and expand their horizons.
The contest provides an opportunity for-profit small businesses employing up to 99 staff to realise their international ambitions. Entries are open from 1 March 2017 to 4 April 2017.
Small businesses selected as finalists will be asked to provide further details of their plans to go global, including showcasing their strategic vision for the future from business growth and international achievements and highlighting their ethical standards, to a panel of local business experts.
‘The FedEx Small Business Grant 2016 was an absolute blessing for the business,’ says Claire Galer, founder and managing director of 2016 winner Derriere Equestrian.
‘We made our application and were absolutely blown away to have won the competition. The grant money came through very quickly and that was at a point where we were doing the final fine-tuning for our production development. It’s been a joy, an incredible accolade and a great success to have developed such a brilliant product range and a brand that is now recognised internationally.’
To enter the FedEx Small Business Grant small business owners must register online and showcase their international ambitions and future business success. The competition winner and runner up will be announced on 9 May 2017.
Two tiers of grants will be awarded in the UK: a grand prize of £20,000 and a runner up prize of £10,000. For terms and conditions and to enter, visit here, where full details of the entry process and judging criteria are available.
There are 5.4 million small businesses in the UK. Despite recent economic volatility across Europe, small businesses remain optimistic about their future and expect their exports to remain stable or increase in the next twelve months.
‘UK small businesses have remained resilient over the last year, further strengthening their image as agile and adaptable to evolving landscapes. At FedEx, we strongly believe SMEs are the pinnacle of the UK economy and we are passionate about supporting their international endeavours,’ states Martin Davidian, managing director sales, UK North at FedEx Express.
‘With globalisation, more small businesses are recognising the value of exporting to drive revenue growth. The FedEx Small Business Grant provides the opportunity for small businesses to realise their full international potential. Exporting has never been easier – It’s exciting to know we could find the multinationals of tomorrow.’
Further reading on business grants
