The UK Market Access Program

Foreign owned companies are being encouraged to invest in the UK by a major new programme.

The UK Market Access Program (UKMAP) offers businesses from around the world a wide range of support to help manage the risk and commitment of setting up in the UK to encourage them to grow their businesses in the UK over the long term.

The programme partners include Chamber Member EBS European Business Solutions, the University of Warwick Science Park, Techmark, The JMB Partnership and Estrelas Resourcing providing a range of support to give firms the best possible chance of succeeding in the UK.

The new website has just gone live – www.ukmarketaccess.eu – with a multi-lingual home page as partners are actively developing business in Scandinavia, Finland, the Baltic States, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

As well as accessing those markets themselves, UKMAP will also spread the word through other organisations such as major accountants, banks, lawyers and business service providers such as Chambers of Commerce and the UKTI network.

The predecessor to UKMAP was an initiative called Bridge to Growth which helped over 100 foreign owned businesses set up in the UK during its four year life.

Martin Williams of  EBS, and representing the partners, said: “We want to make it as easy and risk free as possible for foreign companies to be convinced that a UK business operation will be profitable for them.

“We have made it easy for companies to come in to the UK, but it is also easy and low cost to leave if the project does not go according to the plan. This flexibility and the absence of any long term contracts is what makes UKMAP so attractive “.

“That knowledge means it is less of a risk for them to come to the UK and, therefore, that they will be more willing to take a chance.”

Companies which access the UK Market Access Program will receive six-months free rent in self-contained, premium office space at the University of Warwick Science Park.

They will be able to form a UK Limited company with no cost and will receive an official address, known as the Registered Office, and Company Secretary services free for the first year.

On top of that, companies will receive discounted rates on a range of other services such as market research, business lead generation and recruitment services.

A wide variety of business support services including accounting, payroll, book keeping, order handling and virtual offices are also available at fixed prices, all helping to keep down the costs of a UK market entry.

Martin added: “We know this approach works. All UKMAP partners were founding members to an early version of this programme supported by Advantage West Midlands, the local Regional Development agency. Because of the closure of all these agencies last year we are determined that foreign owned companies should continue to receive quality support from the UK’s private sector.”

“That is exactly what the UK Market Access Program is all about.”

Pictured: David Grindrod (UWSP), Helen Clements (EBS – European Business Solutions), Dirk Schaefer (Techmark), David Hay (Estrelas Resourcing), Malcolm Blakemore (The JMB Partnership), Bill Taylor (Techmark)

To see more information, visit the website

Contact information:
Email Martin Williams of EBS or call at: +44 1926 79 70 00