Case Study

Export SBDC at WTCSD helps eight companies win $42K in STEP grants

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Economic Incentive Consulting

ServiceEconomic Incentive Consulting

2024

The Export Small Business Development Center (SBDC), housed at World Trade Center San Diego, helps small businesses secure funding for export promotion activity at no cost. One significant funding opportunity for San Diego exporters is the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant.

CHALLENGE

In 2024, eight small businesses reached out to the Export SBDC at World Trade Center San Diego for assistance starting and growing their international sales and export strategies. Eyeing opportunities abroad, the companies aimed to secure funding and economic incentives to fuel global growth.

EDC SOLUTION AND SUPPORT PROVIDED

Throughout 2024, Export SBDC advisor and international trade expert Simona Racek met with each company for initial counseling and identified the SBA’s STEP grant as a valuable export funding opportunity. Using her specialized Getting to Global grant preparation tool, Simona led each company through building an export strategy and an individual export promotion plan to submit with the grant application.

VALUE DERIVED

With Export SBDC’s support, all eight San Diego-based companies were awarded a collective $42,726 in STEP grants: 

  • Access Trax 
  • Deep Water Exploration 
  • Epitope Diagnostics 
  • FoxFury Lighting Solutions 
  • Miles Chemical 
  • Visaic 
  • Water Innovations Inc.
  • Wearable Sensing 

These grants helped small businesses and startups like MetroConnect VII participant Visaic, a San Diego-based AI-enabled sports and entertainment platform, pursue high-impact business and marketing opportunities internationally. Visaic, which was granted $6,500 for export activities, used the funds to attend two European trade shows—SPORTEL Monaco and SportsPro Madrid.

The grant also facilitated the company’s participation in WTCSD’s 2024 trade mission to Singapore, where it forged strategic connections with San Diego and Singaporean business, tech, and finance leaders.  

“Through World Trade Center San Diego’s Export SBDC counseling, Visaic secured $6,500 in STEP grants, which aided in our presence at top European trade shows. Joining WTCSD’s Singapore trade mission helped us to lay the foundation for strategic expansion and engagement in Asia while networking with other exciting San Diego-based companies.”

—Kanaan Jemili, CEO, Visaic

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