UK exports are predicted to hit the £1 trillion mark by the mid-2030s. But the Government wants to hit that before the end of this decade, according to a new UK export strategy: “Made in the UK, Sold to the World”.

The Department for International Trade’s strategy comprises a 12-point plan, including the creation of a new Export Support Service. This allows you to contact the government’s export support team by phone or online to ask questions on exporting to new markets, as well as providing the paperwork you need to sell your goods abroad, and rules for a specific country where you want to sell services.

It currently only includes EU countries, which sits a little uncomfortably alongside the overall strategy of “tilting towards the Indo-Pacific.” And while there isn't a single mention of Brexit in the entire report, but the need for an Export Support Service is evidence of one of its costs.

The strategy also announces the extension of the reach and range of the (presumably successful) Export Academy pilot, which offers bespoke training programmes and digital tools to help businesses navigate the technicalities of exporting and finding opportunities overseas.

Currently, you can sign up for a foundation course for those new to exporting, which includes 10 educational online seminars to help create a tailored export action plan, while there are more detailed sector-specific webinars, masterclasses, and virtual missions. They also have market access events that outline the benefits of new market opportunities, including from new free trade agreements. You can find everything you need here.

A new UK Tradeshow Programme will also be piloted, which will provide training and grants for entrepreneurs to attend key tradeshows. This comes on the back of the Government scrapping the similar Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) earlier this year. I’ve not read anything conclusive – or otherwise – on the value for money of subsidising business to attend trade shows, but at face-value it is odd to scrap a scheme only to replace it with something similar.

Whatever the pros or cons to the exchequer, we’ll share the opportunities as and when we find out more details. For example, in the past we’ve provided departments with case studies from within our network. If you want to be part of one, you might see your face and business being celebrated on government billboards!

Talkin' 'Bout Their Generation
We’re delighted to announce that in the new year the APPG for Entrepreneurship will be kicking off a theme on Entrepreneurship Education at schools. It is kindly supported by FinnCap, which already supports entrepreneurship education in a number of ways.

For our part, we’ve already published three reports on the topic.

As with all our themes, we’ll be hosting a virtual roundtable, putting out a Call for Evidence and then launching it – hopefully in Parliament if they open it up to outside events. We will share more details of the first event next week.

On the topic of enterprise education, Huddersfield and Liverpool John Moores Universities are looking for an entrepreneur to speak about entrepreneurship to their students. They are studying Events Management or International Tourism Management, and it could be in-person or via Zoom. Drop Leslie Fair an email to find out more.

Keep it in the Family
Our friends at the Institute for Family Business (IFB) will be leading their first ever Family Business Week, which kicks off on Monday. As part of it, they’re encouraging family businesses to host MPs and have created a briefing document and template letter on how to do this successfully. As well as using this for Family Business Week, this could be useful for any business looking to get their local MP along to their business.

Price is Wrong
We’re working on a project about the impact of housing and office shortages on the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. We’re looking for case studies and endorsements, so if you would like to share your thoughts on what high house prices and office rents have meant for your business get in touch with Aria.