International Business starters: SIB subsidy

With the Starters International Business (SIB), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs helps companies that want to make the transition to foreign markets.

• What is the SIB subsidy?
• Who is the SIB subsidy for?
• How much is the budget?
• Extra subsidy for green SIB activities
• How do I apply for a SIB voucher?

What is the SIB subsidy?

Since 1 April 2022, the SIB scheme is no longer a voucher system, but a subsidy. If an SME still has a SIB voucher from before April 1, it can be transferred and redeemed within the applicable period.

The SIB subsidy can be applied by Dutch and Caribbean Dutch SMEs who want to enter the foreign market. This may involve exploratory activities, such as joining a trade mission, conducting a market analysis or learning about exporting. If you are a company that is already further along, you can apply for a SIB subsidy for the positioning of the company in the country of your choice.

Who is the SIB subsidy for?

There are various activities that fall under the SIB subsidy.

• Collective activity: participating in a trade mission/exhibition in a specific country together with other companies, with the aim of promoting the product or service to potential customers;
• Individual exhibition participation: as a company you participate in a fair in a specific country, the aim of which is to promote a product or service to potential customers;
• Market entry: in a specific country you hire a local expert who helps you set up new activities and establish contacts;
• Coaching: hire a coach to gain more knowledge of organizing export activities in a specific country;
• Knowledge and skills: hire an expert to gain more knowledge about the market and legal/tax situation in a specific country;
• Alternative markets Ukraine and Russia: hire an expert to map out alternative markets.

How much is the budget?

A total of € 3,000,000 will be available in 2023. The subsidy amounts are as follows:

• SIB Collective activity: 50% of the costs up to a maximum of € 1,500 for a trade mission and € 2,500 for a trade fair participation.
• SIB Individual exhibition participation: 50% of the costs up to a maximum of € 2,500.
• SIB Market entrance: 50% of the costs up to a maximum of € 2,500.
• SIB Knowledge and skills: 50% of the costs up to a maximum of € 2,500.
• SIB Coaching: 50% of the costs up to a maximum of € 1,000.
• SIB Alternative markets: 80% of the costs up to a maximum of € 2,500.

Extra subsidy for ‘green’ SIB activities

Are you participating in a ‘green’ fair or mission? Then you can apply for an additional SIB subsidy for this from 2023. If your activity meets the conditions, the subsidy is a maximum of 80% of the eligible costs, with a maximum of € 2,500. The main theme of the fair or mission should be about tackling one of the categories of greening goals from the ‘Assessment framework for green missions or fairs’.

How do I apply for a SIB voucher?

You can choose to request a voucher from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency yourself. You can also choose to have your application submitted by De Breed & Partners. This is because a different application procedure applies per voucher. We are happy to guide you in this process and we are happy to submit the application for you. Thanks to 40+ years of experience in financing innovation, we are perfectly capable of translating your innovation plans into the language of the government.