The first face-to-face seminar since the end of lockdown was hosted by WSX Enterprise and Hampshire County Council in Winchester last month. EU partners from 6 different countries came together on a study visit to Hampshire and Surrey. The visit was part of the Interreg Europe funded Everywhere International SMEs (EIS) project which seeks to support new policy and best practices in helping SMEs to export and internationalise their business.

During the course of the seminar, each European delegate discussed how they have used digital tools to support their clients emerging from COVID-19. Julia Pearson, Programme Manager of EIS, delivered a workshop on the impact of COVID-19 and the support available for companies in Hampshire and the EM3 Local Enterprise Partnership area. She featured information on how one long–established company, the Surrey Translation Bureau who offer translation and language services to businesses and professional organisations across the world, accessed the digital support available from the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and other agencies to maintain and develop their business throughout COVID-19.

Programme partners learned about how digital skills are being utilised in the UK, not just for export purposes but also to enhance the capability of different organisations and support business sustainability. Swapping good practices and ideas, presentations also detailed how other European SMEs and Business Support Organisations used digital tools and processes to provide business and SME internationalisation support.

Keynote speakers included Ross McNally the Executive Chair of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce who presented information on the challenging context that small businesses operate in, the impact on businesses, the effect of business support and the Chamber’s role in making trade and business easier.

Julia Pearson, explains the importance of the EIS project in today’s climate,

“The work the EIS project is doing is particularly relevant into today’s business-support landscape as it contributes to improving local governance structures (policies & practices) and its work with internationalisation will be feeding into the current government’s Levelling Up agenda around exports.”

WSX Enterprise LTD 

A non-profit organisation WSX Enterprise runs a wide range of projects delivering business support across the South of England as well as working with partners in Europe.  As some examples, our projects support access to finance, digital skills, start-up guidance, and general business advice. Our team includes a wide range of business advisors from a breadth of industry experience supporting small and medium-sized businesses across our region.