Dept launches scheme to help SMEs go global

The project includes three strategies (encourage, empower, restore), four tactics for "intelligent SMEs" (iSMEs), and five states of business (from pre-start-up to international).

The department aims to encourage international business expansion of four industries in particular – automotive and automobile supply, medical devices, processed foods and fashion. The project has a budget of more than Bt2.3 billion, Dr Somchai Harnhirun, director of the department, told a news conference yesterday.

He said the department also planned to empower small and medium-sized industries under the "iSMEs" concept, with four tactics: iProduct, iProcess, iNetwork, and iEntrepreneurs.

Furthermore, the department plans to support SMEs through all five of the business states it recognises.

For the pre-start-up state, it will provide essential business knowledge to those interested through various projects, such as creation of new entrepreneurs and of new businesses.

 If a pre-start-up succeeds in establishing a business, it will enter the next state, start-up, for which the department will be a coach supporting product development and market expansion.

Next, the department will empower businesses in the third state, the growth state, through a number of projects, such as product development to meet market demand.

Next, the maturity state is where the department encourages growth-state businesses to add technology and innovation to prepare themselves before entering the last state, international.

The department aims to develop 2,435 SMEs, 2,820 community enterprises, and 14,845 entrepreneurs with this project.

The project was devised to |maximise the effectiveness of four industries: automotive and automobile supply, medical devices, processed foods, and fashion. The value of these four industries totals Bt1.5 billion, a figure that could be increased by 5-7 per cent if the strategic plan is successfully applied.