Supporting Transatlantic Trade: Grow London Global in New York City

By Diana Londo?o , Business Development Manager, London & Partners

In July, our Grow London Global team brought 15 scaleups across the Atlantic and set them on a path of international expansion.?

These London-based companies had been selected by Grow London Global to join our RetailTech trade mission to New York City. Throughout the three and a half days, we hosted 10 sessions, heard 140 pitches, and connected with over 45 stakeholders - ranging from fashion, beauty and consumer goods brands and retail executives, to investors and industry leaders.??

Welcome to New York City – Grow London Global RetailTech trade mission??

Grow London Global is a trade programme designed for ambitious London scale-ups looking to grow overseas. The initiative is a free 12-month programme where scaleups can access expert advice, workshops, trade missions and events.??

Over the years, we’ve supported the growth of over 2,500 companies by leveraging London & Partners’ overseas offices in the US, Europe, India, and China – helping these businesses to explore the opportunities in the market and to meet potential partners. In the creative markets, recent examples of companies we’ve helped include SoPost , Save Your Wardrobe and Charisma.ai .?

In support of this mission, our US team was thrilled to host some of London’s most exciting companies. In collaboration with our colleagues at Grow London Global, we were able to help our London companies make valuable connections and gain insights into the consumer industry.???

Meet the London companies who joined us:

? AdSapiens

? Compare Ethics

? DAIVID ??

? Emperia

? HYPERVSN

? illuma

? Nibble

? Particular Audience

? PlatformE

? Red Ant

? StoryStream

? Talent Village

? Threedium

? Vaultik

? WeArisma

Strong Trade Links - Tapping Into New York City’s Bustling Consumer Industry?

NYC has become our go-to location for RetailTech trade missions in North America.??

Due to its dominant position in commerce and fashion, NYC is a top destination for London founders.??

Not only is the city home to many Fortune 500 companies in the United States, but NYC is also one of the most important retail markets in the United States. Major retailers and brands based in NYC are collaborative and constantly seeking innovative tech to enhance and improve their operations and offerings.??

These exchanges happen year-round during in-house demo days, where vendors are given the opportunity to showcase their innovative solutions to brands and retailers, as well as during major trade shows - such as NRF, CommerceNext and Lead Summit to name just a sample.?

This time, our team had the opportunity to introduce the Grow London Global companies to corporates such as Tapestry , Michael Kors , Shiseido and 沃尔玛 , among others. ?

In addition to connecting them with corporates, the delegates were able to connect with investors including XRC Ventures , Headline and Red Giraffe Advisors just to name a few.??

Other important connections included industry thought leaders such as Oliver Chen, CFA , a retail & luxury visionary, and Wall Street retail analyst and Columbia Business School professor.??

While our primary goal is to ensure that London scaleups have an opportunity to engage with potential partners and clients, some of the most insightful exchanges came from fellow NYC peers, like founders, innovation and digital transformation enthusiasts who provide practical advice on doing business in a new market.??

Some of the invaluable pieces of advice brought forward by industry leaders on the mission included:??

• Always be direct.??
• “Have patience: know that the sales cycle is a long one. I want to know your solution exists before I have the fire drill that you’re perfect for.” - Vivian Chang
• Be intentional about networking. Like London, NYC is a vibrant and welcoming community with an established tech ecosystem. Connect with fellow founders and operators and support each other as you build a Go-To-Market strategy.??

Strong Trade Links - Tapping Into London’s Robust Ecosystem??

While supporting London startups with international expansion is an important part of our work, the US London & Partners team are also here to assist North American companies set up and expand in London.??

We strongly believe that collaboration is imperative to growth, and Grow London was created to make setting up in London and collaborating across countries a seamless process.?

Our team would love to be a resource as you explore international expansion, so get in touch to see how we can support.?

Want to join our next trade missions? Apply now to be a part of Grow London Global: https://bit.ly/3Ah8WvS