Access to Finance
In most cases , capital is a critical issue for participants . Therefore , we must address this issue by providing access to sources of finance . Some banks and financial institutions are risk averse and unwilling to provide venture capital or loans . SCE , therefore , need to serve as the link between participants and potential sources of capital . Given the difficulty that participants may face in trying to secure funding , SCE may reach out to our sources to locate and secure appropriate funding for participants . SCE may facilitate access to finance for participants .
Business Support
SMART
Community Exchange
SCE Preferred Service Providers ( PSP ) provide key business support services to participants , which help the participants to focus their efforts on developing a competitive advantage within the market . The support services we offer may go beyond generic business support services towards specialty services and access to industry specific networks . Efficient and effective delivery of business support services enhances the chances of participants ’ success . This is the rationale for our existence . Therefore , we will tailor our services to fit the participants ’ needs , offering the services at below market rates to reduce the cost of the soft-landing program for participants . If we cannot offer all the services participants may require at a given time , then we will develop relationships and partnerships with regional and local service providers that are able to meet these needs . SCE regional management teams in Your Region and USA continuously assess and meet the individual needs of participants , as this is crucial to the success of the SMART soft-landing process .
An Enabling Environment
SMART Community Exchange ( SCE ) serves as a business enabling environment within the international business community by helping participants overcome obstacles and become successful , as well as by positively influencing stakeholder groups and policy makers who can bring about appropriate changes to the business environment . The following are some of the ways the SCE can establish an enabling environment that assists participants as well as relevant stakeholder groups and policy makers : Helping to change the local culture , increasing entrepreneurial and economic growth by promoting local business growth and producing successful role models . We can bring a new SMART way of thinking to communities by providing role models for entrepreneurial success in the form of successful businesses and entrepreneurs . The SCE also offers businesses / entrepreneurs the tools they need to succeed . Improving social capital , trust and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship , by creating cross sector linkages and Public-Private Partnership arrangements . The SCE brings companies and individuals together through networking . Connecting professionals from different sectors and regions can establish trust between different firms and create innovative thinking by exploring fresh perspectives . The SCE also facilitates cooperation between participants
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SMART Soft-Landing Program Brief
and public entities , with the aim of securing public funds as well as support for the participants . Participants whose work is closely aligned with the government ’ s priorities , such as those in Positive Development ( PD ) and S . M . A . R . T ( Sustainable , Measurable , Achievable , Resilient , Technology ) based companies , are usually in a better position to receive support . Providing a dynamic learning environment to foster innovation , entrepreneurship and technology transfer . The SCE has the flexibility and opportunities to position participants at the forefront of innovation , entrepreneurship , and technology transfer . From our experience and that of our participants , we can apply the lessons learned to become even better enabling environments . Reducing costs by joint procurement . We are able to aggregate orders and hence procure goods and services at a lower cost for participants . Discounts will help companies who have limited financial resources to support their early phases of product or service development . Assisting our clients to navigate through regulatory environments , thereby reducing their compliance costs and the lengthy time requirement . The SCE can provide information to participants on achieving regulatory compliance . In this regard , we can help participants develop good relationships with government officials , ensuring that all administrative and bureaucratic requirements are met and hence freeing up time for participants to concentrate on developing their SMART businesses , communities , projects , and initiatives .
Stakeholder Groups
Serving as a test bed for stakeholders and policymakers interested in new ways of growing , regulating and / or supporting businesses . In this capacity , we provide policymakers with the chance to experiment with new ideas and incentives . Successfully tested programs can later be duplicated to enable more companies to benefit through new mechanisms of support . Acting as effective advocates for increased awareness of business and regulatory change , as well as lobbying for the lowering of barriers to business . SCE in Your Region and USA closely follow both the successes and failures of companies . This close relationship between our teams and businesses gives SCE a unique vantage point . As such , we can provide accurate , fact-based accounts of the difficulties participants encounter , make proposals and raise specific issues which could be impeding participants development to policymakers , in order to foster business growth . This close relationship will be extremely useful to overcome barriers that participants face such as , for example , a lack of local funding and complex bureaucratic processes hindering softlanding or other business activity . In summary , an enabling environment for SCE stakeholders can : Serve as a test bed for stakeholders and policymakers interested in new ways of growing , regulating , and / or supporting businesses ; and Act as an effective means of advocacy for increased awareness of business , technology , education , workforce training & development , and regulatory change , as well as allow SCE to contribute and raise specific issues which are impeding business growth with policymakers .
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