Scottish business leaders are set to travel to the USA this year for the first in-person trade missions since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Around 25 SMEs from across the country are expected to join International Trade Partnership (ITP) missions to Miami and New York – led by Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce (FVCC).

The missions are aiming at “forging new trade links in key markets” including technology, sport and leisure, food and drink and the creative industries.

The Scottish Government-backed ITP mission links smaller and emerging Scottish businesses with commercial contacts overseas – particularly in the wake of Brexit – and already this year more than 20 firms have benefited from successful virtual trade missions to Colombia and Italy.

Commenting on the missions, Lynn Blaikie, president of Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce, said: “The USA is known as a land of opportunity, but you need to know where to start, and that’s what we want Scottish businesses to get from this exciting ITP trade mission to Miami and New York City.

“We are particularly pleased to be working with our colleagues at Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce on a dual mission, the first of its kind, that will benefit business in Scotland.”

The USA ventures mark the first time two Scottish Chambers of Commerce have collaborated on trade missions to the USA, and they hope the partnership approach will help delegates gain even more from the trip.

Mark Spragg, president of Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce, said: “The trade mission to Miami is the perfect evolution of our successful activities in Italy and Colombia, and we hope more of Scotland’s most exciting businesses will join us in person as we seek to make more important connections across the Atlantic.”

And Scottish firms are already benefitting from the trade missions, such as Glasgow-based video interview platform Willo which has been working with US clients for 15 months, including Doosan, Boy Scouts of America, and Sunbelt Tools.

Edinburgh-based financial services firm Abrdn is also viewing the benefits of the missions and said it seen the USA as an “important financial market” opening up domestic and overseas opportunities in key areas including Latin America.

Recommended

• UK business investment in tech to grow in 2022
• Digital Technology Awards 2022 | Searching for Scotland’s best tech talent
• Are you less stressed in your job thanks to remote working?

Diana Peralta, of DP Global Ltd, which helps facilitate the ITP trade missions, said: “The trade missions are aimed at businesses that would like to trade internationally but don’t know where to start.

“We act as a business development tool to help them secure commercial contacts and meet with at least two qualified leads in that market. We do the background work to ensure they’re suitable and interested in your product/service in advance.”

Ian Houston, President of Scottish Business Network Americas and GlobalScot, added: “The opportunities for Scottish businesses in the USA are huge, and those who take the initiative and proactively forge links through initiatives such as the ITP trade missions will be able to capitalise on them.

“Scottish Business Network in the Americas is very excited to be working on these Trade Missions, and we look forward to partnering with our many friends to see more successful business and human linkages between Scotland and the United States.”

Get the latest news from DIGIT direct to your inbox

Our newsletter covers the latest technology and IT news from Scotland and beyond, as well as in-depth features and exclusive interviews with leading figures and rising stars.

We will keep you up to date on the pivotal issues impacting the sector and let you know about key upcoming events to ensure that you don’t miss out on what’s going on across the Scottish tech community.

Click here to subscribe.