Revealed: How to crack international markets

How your business can go global

Did you know: More than 40 per cent of London-based SMEs are aiming to trade internationally? And, London exports are worth £140bn to capital’s economy?

Be it taking your products and services global or reducing costs, international expansion accelerates business growth and flies the flag for team London.

Take rating agency Early Metrics, for example.

The firm, which provides ratings of tech ventures across Europe, experienced strong demand at home in France. Just two years after inception, the firm was working with 60 per cent of the CAC 40, Paris’ equivalent to the FTSE 100.

After setting up its UK base in London, Early Metrics put strategies in place to crack German markets.

Sébastien Paillet, the co-founder and CEO of Early Metrics, decided to explore opportunities by meeting prospective clients in Germany instead of hiring a local representative to do so.

“Sébastien’s presence on the ground in Germany gives us firepower,” says Soline Kauffmann-Tourkestansky, Head of Ecosystem at Early Metrics.

As part of its launch activity in Germany, Early Metrics joined a trade mission to Berlin on the Mayor’s International Business Programme.

The visit brokered introductions to public bodies similar to the Mayor of London within Germany, which could provide practical support at a local level.

“I’ve no doubt we’ll be taking advantage of the Mayor’s trade missions as we look to expand the business further afield,” Soline added.

To help ambitious businesses like Early Metrics set up an international base, the “Routes to Market: International Expansion Strategies For London’s SMEs” is being held on 12 September in London.

This free-to-attend event, brought to you by the Mayor’s International Business Programme (helping London’s SMEs to accelerate their international growth), will explore how SMEs can go about expanding into overseas markets, and examines some of the principle routes to entry: Hiring Overseas and Partnering Overseas.

This event, for London-based high-growth SMEs in the Tech, Life Sciences and Urban sectors, will include panel sessions with the programme’s mentors and delivery partners including BDO, Benoy, KPMG and PA Consulting, and the experiences of businesses that have benefited from the support, followed by networking. Register here.