Maui Seminar Explores How to Increase Exports

The State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism announced the launch of a program designed to help local small businesses increase their exports.

The 2018 Hawai‘i State Trade Expansion Program is a comprehensive initiative administered by DBEDT and partner organizations in Hawai‘i with funding in part through a grant from the US Small Business Administration.

DBEDT will hold a series of seminars throughout the state to explain the services offered through the program, and how companies can register. Previous participants in the HiSTEP program will be in attendance to share their experiences.

“We are pleased to work again with DBEDT and the many Hawai‘i companies they support through HiSTEP. DBEDT has demonstrated consistent growth in the number of companies assisted, as well as in increasing export sales,” said Jane A. Sawyer, District Director, US Small Business Administration’s Hawai‘i District Office.

Seminars scheduled on all islands are as follows:

Maui

Maui Research & Technology Center Conference Room, 1st Floor
Friday, Dec. 8, 2017 from 9 to 11 a.m.
Register here

O‘ahu

Hawai‘i Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9, Homer Maxey International Trade Center
Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, from 9 to 11 a.m.
Register here

Kaua‘i

Hawai‘i SBDC, Lihue Plantation Building
Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017, from 9 to 11 a.m.
Register here

Hawai‘i Island, Kona

Hale Iako, NELHA (OTEC) Campus
Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, from 9 to 11 a.m.
Register here

Hawai‘i Island, Hilo

Hawai‘i Innovation Center at Hilo (HICH) – Conference Room
Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Register here

The seminars are free to attend. Attendees must pre-register for each seminar using the links listed above.

The HiSTEP program consists of three integrated components:

1. HiSTEP – Export Readiness Program: A series of training programs and one-on-one consulting sessions that prepare Hawai‘i companies to begin or expand their export market development. Training will cover subjects ranging from scaling up operations to logistics, as well as country-specific topics. HiSTEP-ERP also includes one-on-one business and export advising provided by partner organizations.
2. HiSTEP – Company Assistance: Provides direct financial assistance for export market development costs. Application proposals may request a minimum of $3,000 and a maximum of $7,500. The program RFP will be posted on the State Procurement Office website the week of Nov. 13, 2017, and may be viewed here.
3. HiSTEP – Hawai‘i Pavilions: DBEDT organizes groups of Hawai‘i companies to participate in major trade shows, subsidizing booth space in a Hawai‘i Pavilion to introduce potential buyers and distributors. See the current schedule of shows here.

All HiSTEP program participants must complete the online application.

After submitting an application, participants will receive an initial consultation from HiSTEP partner Small Business Development Center to assess their business and export plans. As needed, other HiSTEP partners will provide additional business and export mentoring.

DBEDT HiSTEP Partners are:

• US Small Business Administration, Hawai‘i District office

• Small Business Development Center

• Hawai‘i Pacific Export Council

• Patsy Mink Center for Business and Leadership

• HTDC/INNOVATE Hawai‘i

• Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) No. 9

• US Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center

• Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture.

“We are grateful for the continued support from the Small Business Administration,” said DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria. “Through HiSTEP and our partner organizations, we have helped Hawaii exporters to further grow their sales in overseas markets to nearly $20 million.”

In 2017, HiSTEP provided: export training, delivered to 147 companies; business/export consultation and mentoring services, provided to 72 companies; direct financial assistance, awarded to 28 companies; and Hawai‘i pavilions, organized and subsidized for 134 companies.

For more information, click here.