ConnectPlus offers South Australia Export Accelerator

Deadline: 1-Oct-21

The ConnectPlus is offering South Australia Export Accelerator (SAEA) grant program to support South Australian small to medium-sized enterprises to expand into international markets.

Funding Streams

Grant funding is available under three streams:
- Export Accelerator: Funding of up to $30,000 (minimum $5,000) for SMEs to export. SMEs are required to match the grant funding dollar for dollar. SMEs can apply multiple times to a maximum cumulative amount of $30,000. Once this funding has been exhausted, SMEs can apply for the New Market Entry stream.
- New Market Entry: Funding of up to $15,000 (minimum $5,000) for SMEs to export into a new market. SMEs are required to match the grant funding dollar for dollar. Applicants can apply for the New Market Entry funding when they have exhausted their $30,000 allocation under the ‘Export Accelerator’ stream.
- Consortium (New funding stream): Funding of up to $200,000 (minimum of $50,000) for consortiums of at least three SMEs to undertake collaborative export activities, on a matched funding dollar for dollar basis.
The grant will cover a 12-month funding period.

Eligible Activities

Market access
- Market entry requirements e.g. registrations, documentation and compliance
- Professional advice (accounting, financial, legal) on contract negotiation related to selling your goods or service in international markets
- International IP advice, counterfeit protection, international IP registration fees, international IP insurance (Maximum cap of $5,000 for IP related expenses in principle, but the amount can be negotiable depending on the nature of IP issues)
- Product testing and redesign, packaging and labelling required to meet an export market requirement
- Support to gain export accreditation, including auditing and product registration fees (e.g. Halal accreditation)
- Product approvals, installation and training required for a new client or market.
Marketing, branding and promotion
- Internationalisation of your website, such as language translations, product and expertise details
- Ecommerce development, including the development and implementation of an ecommerce platform
- Pivoting to online delivery: Converting face-to-face training content to online delivery including design, development, production and accreditation of online content for international audiences
- Marketing materials: Design, Trademark, copyrighting and printing for business cards, brochures, product sheets, presentations, promotional collateral, banners and signage specifically for overseas markets
- Production of corporate videos and online presentations
- Overseas social media marketing (in target markets).
Freight and logistics optimisation
- Activities to optimise and achieve economies of scale in freight (e.g. freight and logistics cost and optimisation analysis, freight consolidation planning and implementation)
- Purchasing or development of a product traceability and/or freight consolidation platform
- Purchasing or development of a demand forecasting tool(s) for freight optimisation.
Export training, mentoring and coaching
- Export-focused training, mentoring and coaching to help support your business’ export journey
- Training in relation to digitisation, business process improvement and B2B and/or B2C marketing related to exporting.
Outbound business support (virtual and physical)
- Participation in international tradeshows and trade missions held within Australia and overseas (in cases where there is no international border restriction)
- Eligible activity costs include: Economy airfares; basic accommodation (standard room only); on-ground transfers for no more than two people to attend an international trade show; business programs or accompany a business mission to a relevant market or as detailed in your export plan; hiring exhibition space at an international trade show; entry and project management fees; freight and other costs associated with display products including carnets; and freight of free samples
- Standard administrative costs of obtaining a visa directly from consulate/embassy are eligible, but priority processing, third party fees and travel and accommodation are not eligible.

Eligibility Criteria

Be a registered South Australian business or have significant business operations based in South Australia.
Have an ABN, be registered for GST and have a minimum annual turnover of $75,000.
Be from, or supporting, one of the following Growth State priority sectors (a consortium bid does not require the companies to be from the same sector):
- Creative industries
- Defence industries
- Energy and mining
- Food, wine and agribusiness
- Health and medical industries
- Hi-tech
- International education
- Space industries
- Tourism
Have less than 200 FTE employees working for their business.
Have generated sales revenue for a minimum of 24 months in South Australia.
Be willing to provide information and data, including financial information (e.g. financial statements) for the past 24 months as required.
Have a tradeable, export-ready good or service that is produced in South Australia.
Be able to enter into a legally binding grant agreement with the South Australian Government.
Be able to commit and make a financial contribution that matches the grant funding requested dollar for dollar, with evidence of available matched funding.
Have not received or sought funding from another source (such as local, state or the Australian Government) to support proposed activity.
Have met, if relevant, all grant agreement obligations associated with active SA Export Accelerator Grants from previous rounds.