Maryland Commerce program helps companies promote goods, services globally
The Maryland Department of Commerce has awarded 11 small and mid-sized Maryland companies with ExportMD grants to help promote their products and services in the global marketplace. The ExportMD grant program helps businesses finance the costs of marketing internationally, including trade show fees, brochures and travel expenses. Applications are accepted on a bi-monthly basis and the next application deadline is October 1, 2017. Eligibility requirements can be found on the Commerce website.
“Our administration is committed to continuing to strengthen Maryland’s economy, and programs like ExportMD do just that by helping our companies identify new customers in global markets,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “As a direct result of this program, many of these companies have been able to expand operations, create jobs, and open up new opportunities for trade and investment.”
“While Maryland has more than 570,000 small businesses, only about 3 percent actively export their goods and services,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. “ExportMD is designed to help more of Maryland’s small and mid-sized businesses navigate the exporting process and determine the best markets for their business overseas.”
Among the companies included in this round of ExportMD grants is Premier Rides of Baltimore City. The engineering company and global supplier of theme park attractions recently celebrated the opening of the first high-tech, triple-launch coaster in Finland – a major project that Premier Rides spent the last year creating and shipping to the Nordic amusement park.
“The theme park industry, while mature in the United States, is growing dramatically overseas and the ExportMD grant program is an excellent tool to assist Premier in getting in front of new clients,” said Premier Rides president Jim Seay. “The new business that is generated from these meetings will allow Premier to continue hiring new staff for its expanding headquarters in Baltimore.”
Established in 1999, the ExportMD program provides matching grants up to $6,000 as well as up to 40 hours of marketing consulting from Commerce’s Office of International Investment and Trade. ExportMD is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, which awarded a $777,579 State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant to Maryland Commerce last year to help fund the program.
ExportMD grant recipients
Baltimore City
Premier Rides
Baltimore County
Amethyst Technologies, LLC
Carroll County
HurleyIR
Theseus Professional Services, LLC
Frederick County
BioStat Solutions, Inc.
Kent County
LaMotte Company
Montgomery County
FIVS-Abridge, LLC
Prince George’s County
Clinical Pharmacy Associates, Inc.
FASTech, Inc.
F&L Construction, Inc.
GromaTech, LLC
About Maryland Commerce
The Maryland Department of Commerce stimulates private investment and creates jobs by attracting new businesses, encouraging the expansion and retention of existing companies, and providing financial assistance to Maryland companies. The Department promotes the State's many economic advantages and markets local products and services at home and abroad to spur economic development and international investment, trade and tourism. Because they are major economic generators, the Department also supports the Arts, film production, sports and other special events. For more information, visit commerce.maryland.gov.
