Partnership with World Trade Centre Toronto to deliver award-winning program empowering small and medium-sized businesses to export
[Barrie, ON, September 17, 2019] – Sandbox Centre is pleased to announce the launch of the Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) in Simcoe County. Winner of the 2018 Ontario Export Award for Export Excellence, TAP will debut locally to bring a dynamic, hands on six-week workshop to Simcoe County that is designed to develop and grow export strategies for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the regionOperated in partnership with the Toronto Region Board of Trade’s World Trade Centre Toronto, TAP is an innovative, dynamic workshop that provides companies with access to Canada’s top exporting advisors, resources and contacts, giving them the training and support they need to scale up, develop and execute an export plan.
“We are proud to have supported the vision of the Sandbox Centre and ultimately help grow and foster entrepreneurism in Simcoe County. The launch of the Trade Accelerator Program is a substantial opportunity for economic development throughout our entire region. This program will provide our small and medium-sized businesses with training and insights to help expand and grow their businesses into new markets and build upon their export capabilities,” said George Cornell, Warden of the County of Simcoe.
TAP will be supporting qualified SMEs of Simcoe County through in-depth workshop sessions with tradeand industry experts in order to succeed in export markets faster. Companies will move through a cohort that consists of an educational workshop, creating a formal market entry strategy, and finalizing the strategy through implementation with a one-on-one mentorship session.
Since its launch in October 2015, TAP has expanded to eight major centres across Canada. TAP graduates report an average growth of 42 percent in export sales one year after participation, and more than 85 percent of participants have entered new export markets since completing the course.
“Our Trade Accelerator Program has yielded amazing results for more than 600 companies across Canada, helping them reach new markets and achieve their growth objectives,” said Leigh Smout, Executive Director of World Trade Centre Toronto. “We look forward to helping more small- and medium-sized businesses throughout southern Ontario build their export capacity and go global.”
The launch of TAP in Simcoe County was made possible through a $5-million investment from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), which allowed World Trade Centre Toronto to expand the program to 15 additional communities across southern Ontario.
TAP is also supported by its National Partners: Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Export Development Canada (EDC) and Air Canada Cargo.
About Sandbox Centre
Sandbox Centre opened its doors in April of 2019 with the mission of connecting people & their ideas to business resources; where guided collaboration and sharing of collective knowledge support their journey to success. As the pre-eminent connector of people and their ideas to business resources within Central Ontario, we take pride in uniting people and companies to grow though a culture of sharing. We strive to create collisions within our space to spark ideas and shift mindsets. From startups, scale-ups, and large enterprises to idea generators, leaders and change makers – SBX supports all stages of business.
About World Trade Centre Toronto
World Trade Centre Toronto (WTC-T) is the trade services arm of the Toronto Region Board of Trade. As a member of the World Trade Centers Association, WTC-T creates unparalleled global access for the Toronto region’s business community with its connection to 327 branded properties and trade services associations in 90 countries. WTC-T provides targeted international trade advisory services and expertise through comprehensive research, trade education, strategy building workshops, outbound and inbound trade missions and valuable connections to experts and networks. Learn more at wtctoronto.com and follow us at @WTC-TO.
About FedDev Ontario
FedDev Ontario works to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation and growth in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which are reflected in businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving their productivity, growing their revenues, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. For more information, visit www.FedDevOntario.gc.ca.
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The Sandbox Centre is located on the second floor of 24 Maple Avenue in Barrie, Ontario. For more information about TAP and other programs visit sandboxcentre.com, and join the Sandbox community on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.