Deals flowing as Government showcases startup stars to foreign buyers

Overseas businesses are already tapping in to UK corporate excellence in a fresh initiative from the Government – the Great Pitch Event at International Trade Week. 80 company bosses – many of them new to exporting – pitched to major international buyers such as Amazon, Nordic Point and JD.com's new online retail platform in Europe – Joybuy. Organisers tell us that new deals are already flowing from the event.

Trade Minister, Sir Chris Bryant. Image courtesy – Small Business Britain.

Led by Small Business Britain, hosted by BT, and supported by the Department for Business and Trade, the event was designed to supercharge small business export confidence. With only one in five UK small businesses currently exporting, the economic potential here is enormous.

The event generated some strong and promising commercial interest and led to the launch of a new Government export pitch programme, aimed at scaling this momentum nationwide. Participating businesses received tailored coaching ahead of their pitches to a range of international buyers.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Blair McDougall, Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation and Sir Chris Bryant, Minister for Trade addressed attendees at the Great British Pitch, reinforcing the government’s commitment to helping small businesses expand internationally.

Trade Minister, Sir Chris Bryant, said: “Businesses that export are more productive, resilient, create more jobs, and boost growth which is why International Trade Week is so important in raising awareness of the fantastic opportunities UK businesses have to go global.

“It was great to witness so many dynamic businesses at the Great British Pitch looking to take full advantage of tools at their disposal – including our three landmark trade deals with the EU, US, and India.”

A number of small businesses reported immediate interest and follow-up conversations with buyers, with early-stage export deals already in motion.

Businesses in sectors including technology, food & drink, and creative industries saw strong engagement, particularly from buyers in India, the US and Europe. The event is expected to lead to dozens of promising new international partnerships in the coming months.

The Great British Pitch was launched last month - with backing from the Prime Minister - during his historic international trade delegation to Mumbai, which aimed to boost trading opportunities on the back of the recent landmark UK-India trade deal.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said recently: “Small businesses are the engine of our economy, and this government is committed to unlocking their full potential to drive growth as part of our Plan for Change.

“Through initiatives like the Great British Pitch, we’re working together with fantastic organisations like Small Business Britain and BT to help small firms take their ideas global, drive exports, and power the growth our country needs.”

Off the back of the Great British Pitch, the Government’s UK Export Academy has launched the Pitch Perfect webinar series — a five-part programme designed to help small businesses all over the country to navigate the full export journey, from initial pitch to securing payment.

Covering topics such as building international buyer relationships, managing risk, pricing across borders, and delivering on global contracts, the series offers expert-led guidance to empower UK entrepreneurs to scale confidently and sustainably in overseas markets.

For more details, visit https://smallbusinessbritain.uk/the-great-british-pitch and https://www.business.gov.uk/export-academy/pitch-perfect/

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