South East Export Development (SEED)

The SEED project will address known export barriers (lack of international contacts and export knowledge/capacity) through an innovative support programme aimed at SELEP-based companies (product and service-based ‘new-to-export’ companies and existing exporters) in three priority sectors with export potential:

• Health and Life Sciences (including medical devices/technology, (e-)health, pharma, diagnostics)
• Food and Drink (including manufacturers, processing, suppliers to the industry e.g. packaging)
• Digital and Creative (including software solutions, apps, web services)

Target international markets will be finalised taking into account progress with new trade agreements and the Department for International Trade’s (DIT) latest advice. The likely focus of the project will be as follows:

• France, Ireland, Australia – Food
• USA, Singapore – Health and Life Sciences and Digital
• Scandinavia/Nordic Countries – all priority sectors

Sector Support Fund

The Sector Support Fund (SSF) was established to support one-off, discrete pieces of work of a pan-LEP nature with a sector focus that bring demonstrable benefit and which have support across the LEP area.

The SSF used Growing Places Fund (GPF) Revenue grant to fund a programme of works which supported the sector focussed activities being undertaken on a pan-LEP basis and which were predominantly led by the SELEP working groups.