How can digital trade boost SME growth?
SME Connect is techUK’s monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we highlight the work being done by our 500+ tech SME members. As one of the leading technology trade associations in the UK, techUK supports different size companies to enhance the positive outcomes of what digital technology can achieve. By providing expertise and insight, we support our members, partners and stakeholders as they prepare the UK for what comes next. We understand the issues that are most relevant to the UK SME tech sector, and we provide them with a range of services and advice to support their growth.?
Welcome to issue #4 of SME Connect!??
This month we are showcasing SME members who have tapped into overseas export opportunities and taken advantage of the UK’s trading partnerships worldwide to successfully export their products or services in international markets.?
In 2019, according to Tech Nation ’s report, “the UK was the 5th greatest digital tech services exporter in the world, at ￡23.3bn, sitting behind India, the USA, China and Germany in the global rankings.”?
For many SMEs, expanding into new markets is crucial for growth. By tapping into new markets and customer bases, SMEs can increase their revenue and scale their operations more efficiently and cost-effectively. Additionally, international markets can provide valuable opportunities for SMEs to learn from new customers and markets, leading to the development of new products and services.?
In today's globalised economy, the importance of digital trade has only increased, and the UK's tech SMEs are well positioned to take advantage of these opportunities.??
In January, we have selected three SME members and asked them to shine a light on the innovative work they are doing in digital trade:
9 – 15 January | NovaFori
NovaFori was founded in 2011 with a mission to digitise physical trading and embed data science in business decision making. Their first major client, Christie's the global auction house, originally favoured physical auctions over digital auctions, doing 90% of their business face-to-face. Since 2020, NovaFori has grown Christie's share of online trading by 60% by delivering a robust, secure, digital auction experience.?
"We believe the digitisation of international trade is in its infancy. Many companies and industries still employ analogue methodologies for both their internal processes and how they interact with their clients. Our technology is designed to enhance existing processes, lower the costs of trading and enable smarter decision making via the use of Data Science."?
16 – 22 January | Net AI
Net AI is a network intelligence company in the Telecoms sector co-founded by Paul Patras . Net AI has dedicated years of research at the intersection of mobile networking and artificial intelligence to create AI-driven technologies that solve real-world networking problems, including traffic stream quantification, capacity-aware forecasting, and anomaly prediction.?
"In 2023 we will begin exporting our products and services into international markets having laid the foundation for this throughout 2022. We established a partnership with VMware , which is a viable channel for selling to mobile operators they already serve. We participated in the European Open RAN PlugFest hosted by Deutsche Telekom with whom we now seek to establish a direct commercial relationship. And we took part in the UK Global Business Innovation Programme (GBIP) to Japan where we made connections with local Service Providers, including Rakuten Mobile, Inc. , KDDI Corporation and NTT DOCOMO ."
23 – 29 January | Tecknuovo ??
Tecknuovo is an award-winning challenger technology consultancy founded by Kieran Blackstone and Gus Sargent in 2015.?Tecknuovo is disrupting the industry by taking a people-centric approach, putting the power back in their customers’ hands.
"Digital trade may sound like an all-encompassing term made up of an intrinsic web of complexity but, at its heart, it’s a people and skills challenge that’s only grown over the past few years thanks to the combination of Brexit completely rewriting the trade script and the pandemic. These factors have undoubtedly resulted in an increased skills gap that must be closed."
To find out more about our work in International Policy and Trade click here.?
How can you get involved??
Each week techUK recognises one of our #SME members in order to demonstrate their accomplishments. We want our members and stakeholders to get to know and connect with our valuable network of SME members.???
Each #SMEMemberOfTheWeek is profiled in our ‘SME Connect’ monthly newsletter, promoted on our LinkedIn and Twitter social media channels, and listed on our SME Connect webpage.??
Every month we focus on a new timely topic. The topic for February is ‘Digital Apprenticeships’ and for March is ‘Women in Tech’. ?
All you need to do is submit your case study here.?
Upcoming Events?
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See all upcoming events here.??
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2 年Great post - more like this please