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46. Helping almost 1,000 first-time and new exporters across Yorkshire and Humber.

Kada has been professional and approachable throughout, and we have commissioned them to undertake a final study at the end of 2020 for the extension of the same programme.

– Ingunn Vallumroed (ERDF Project Manager).

Kada was commissioned by Enterprise Growth Solutions (EGS) to evaluate their Exporting for Growth (EFG) programme. The interim report summarises the context, performance, and impact of this part European Regional Development Funded (ERDF) £11.8m project designed to help SMEs internationalise in the Yorkshire and Humber regions.  The strategic objectives of the ‘Exporting for Growth’ project included: increasing the support offered to SMEs, both first time exporters and those already exporting. This is across Leeds and Sheffield City Regions and Humber LEPs.  It was important for EGS to be able to demonstrate progress to its partners, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department of International Trade.

We interviewed 150 participating businesses and 25 ‘counterfactual’ businesses to assess what would have happened anyway, as well as conducting desk research and in-depth case studies. This project would have been hard to deliver outside the LEP and DIT network. These close links bring access to data, national communications infrastructure, and ecosystems. The project is meeting its aims. Companies are now exploring, exporting, and putting in the right processes to achieve this.

Enterprise Growth Solutions Limited commissioned Kada Research to undertake the summative assessment study for their ERDF funded Exporting for Growth programme in 2019. Kada did an excellent job setting out the scope for the study, engaging and interviewing a range of stakeholders and interpreting the wide range of data. The report provided us with the insight we needed for the programme, as well as useful recommendations we will take with us for future programmes. Kada has been professional and approachable throughout, and we have commissioned them to undertake a final study at the end of 2020 for the extension of the same programme.

-Ingunn Vallumroed (ERDF Project Manager | Yorkshire and the Humber | Department for International Trade).

Get in touch: If you are thinking about an evaluation of a project or programme you are involved with, speak to karl.dalgleish@kadaresearch.co.uk and he will respond within 24 hours.