A passionate speech on why now is the time to start exporting and how to do it - Summary of the lecture at the "khb Business Matching Exchange Meeting" held on February 27th

At the "khb Business Matching Exchange" held in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture on February 27, 2023, Standage Executive Vice President and COO Omori gave the first presentation. Titled "Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Across the Sea: Making Trade Freer and Easier," he gave a passionate explanation of why SMEs should step on the gas now for exports, common concerns, and ways to enter the trade market at low cost and without hassle, while also introducing Standage's digital trade platform.

■ Lecture content (summary)
1. "Export Promotion" as a National Policy and the Hurdles Standing in the Way of Japanese Companies
In December 2010, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, JETRO and the Japan SME Corporation came together to launch the "10,000 New Exporters Program." With the record low yen last year as a catalyst, the government is actively encouraging companies to enter the export market. Standage is also collaborating with this program to provide more support than ever before to businesses considering new exports.

However, starting trade is not easy for small and medium-sized businesses, as there are many obstacles to overcome, from developing sales channels to negotiating and contracting, making payments, and arranging logistics. Trading companies are there to support these efforts, but the reality is that they are reluctant to handle small-scale transactions.

2. Streamlining analog and complicated business processes: Trade DX tools from Standage, a "digital trading company"
One of the reasons why trading companies cannot undertake small and medium-sized businesses and transactions is the complexity and high level of expertise of trade practices. Paperwork is particularly prevalent among many industries, and complicated tasks tend to be personalized. To solve these issues in the trade industry, Standage is developing a digital trade platform that realizes digital transformation of a series of trade-related tasks, from contracts and negotiations to payments and logistics arrangements.

3. Case studies and methods for expanding overseas at low cost even without export experience
Even if digital tools streamline business practices, the barriers to entry into trade remain high for small and medium-sized businesses with limited resources. As a "digital trading company" with its own tools, Standage offers "Digitrad," a package service that allows businesses to outsource all trade processes. The company has aimed to design a service that is easy to consider even for those with concerns about costs, by offering subsidies to cover two-thirds of the implementation costs, up to a maximum of 3.5 million yen. The products handled in the examples range from medical equipment and educational toys to food.
Now is the time to consider entering the export market while you can receive generous support from the government. And of course, if you contact Standage, we will provide you with full support and assistance.

*This press release is an excerpt and summary of the presentation "Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Across the Sea: Making Trade Freer and Easier" held on Monday, February 27th (held at the "khb Business Matching Exchange" event hosted by khb Higashi Nippon Broadcasting, lecturer: Kenta Omori, Executive Vice President of STANDAGE Co., Ltd.). For more details and materials, please contact the "DigiTrad" service official website (https://standage.co.jp/digitrad).

■About Standage
Established in March 2017. Opened an office in Nigeria in December of the same year, and established local subsidiaries in Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt in 2021. Provides "Digitrad," a comprehensive digital trade service that can complete all trade operations, from matching trade sellers and buyers to payment, financing, and cargo delivery. For payments with emerging countries, it has developed a safe, inexpensive, and fast payment system using blockchain and crypto assets. By combining trading company functions with tech, it aims to create a society in which domestic small and medium-sized enterprises are seamlessly connected to the rest of the world.
◇“DigiTrad” service official website: https://standage.co.jp/digitrad
Established: March 2017
Representative: President and CEO Akinori Adachi
Capital: 548,240,000 yen (including capital reserve of 272,620,000 yen)
URL: https://standage.co.jp/