Excited about growing your company?
Curious about expanding your sales outside of your province and Canada but not sure how to begin?
The Launch Export Atlantic Incubator is a virtual export readiness program that builds the export capacity of small businesses in Atlantic Canada with the goal of enabling long-term economic growth in the region. This program will help you find the answers you need and support you as you learn along the way.
Launch Export will select 32 eligible companies (eight from each Atlantic Province) to participate in this program.
With the support of the provincial and federal governments, each participating company will be given access to an estimated $15,000 of valuable export training, coaching and consultation.
To be considered for the Launch Export Program, you must be a registered business in Atlantic Canada that qualifies as a Small or Medium Enterprise (SME – 499 or fewer employees). There are eight available spots per province and there will be a selection process to assess and finalize applicants. It is important to note that all selected businesses must agree to fully participate in the training and coaching portions of the Launch Export Program.
The Launch Export program aims to build the export culture for businesses in Atlantic Canada while increasing exports from the region by growing the number of companies exporting, the value of exports and the percentage of companies exporting to more than one market.
To be eligible for Launch Export, the company must:
- Be a registered business in Atlantic Canada
- Qualify as a Small or Medium Enterprise (SME – 499 or fewer employees)
- Have a developed product and/or service available for purchase
- Be available to fully participate in all required program activities, including:
- Needs Assessment Interview
- Virtual Training
- Participate in coaching activities (online or via phone)
- Participate in all program surveys
Participants accepted into the Launch Export Program will also be invited to participate in an Educational Trade Mission to the US as part of the program.
The intake period for 2024-2025 Launch Export Atlantic Incubator is now open. To be notified or for more program information, please contact the provincial representative listed below.
If you are selected for participation in the Launch Export Atlantic Incubator, you will receive:
- With the support of the provincial and federal governments, each participating company will be given:
- Targeted export educational sessions including:
- Customer Discovery, Sales Training, Competitive Intelligence, Export Budgeting/Cash Flow Projections, Pricing Strategies for Export and Trade Show/Mission Training
- 1:1 Coaching opportunities to help solve your export challenges and get advice on entering foreign markets
- Digital Marketing Asset Allowance
- Educational Trade Mission to the United States in June 2025:
- Pre-mission sessions focused on how to prepare for the mission, elements required for planning, what to expect in market, and following up on international sales opportunities
- Select meetings with Canadian government and business organizations in the target city
- Opportunities for companies to visit sector-specific sites of interest including business incubation centres, accelerators, start-up zones, research centres, educational partners, advanced manufacturing centres and more
Fees
The training component fee is $250 and covers the cost of your export training, support services, and coaching. All training sessions will be delivered virtually via Zoom.
The optional Educational Trade Mission fee is $250. Participants are responsible for all costs associated with travel, meals, and accommodations. However, the Launch Export Atlantic Incubator reimburses 75% of the costs of air travel and accommodations for one participant per company (up to $2,100) once a travel claim is submitted with all receipts.
For complete program details, please refer to the Launch Export Atlantic Incubator Program Guidelines.
This project is supported by the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces through the Atlantic Trade, Investment, and Growth Agreement.
Provincial Contacts
Laurel Veitch or Kevin Pomroy
Provincial Trade Commissioners, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-8055/709-729-1946 | laurelveitch@gov.nl.ca/kevinpomroy@gov.nl.ca
Olivia Steeves
Export Development Executive/Chargée de l’expansion des exportations,
Opportunities NB/Opportunités NB
Valerie Caswell
Export Development Executive, Invest Nova Scotia