EIC prepares 40 breakthrough innovators for GITEX and MEDICA through OTF Programme 2.0 workshops

On 6 and 21 September 2022 the European Innovation Council ran two virtual preparatory workshops under the EIC Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0. The sessions were intended to ready a delegation of 40 EIC-supported small and medium sized enterprises, start ups and scaleups for exhibition at two major international trade fairs. The initiatives target companies in healthcare and digital technology headed to GITEX Global in Dubai and MEDICA in Düsseldorf.

Purpose and format of the preparatory workshops

The workshops combined market briefings, practical logistics guidance and expert coaching. Sessions addressed sector trends, regulatory environments, entrepreneurial culture in target markets and the practicalities of trade fair participation. Representatives from the fairs themselves provided overviews of networking and partnering opportunities. The programme also used alumni speakers to offer concrete advice on pitching and on-the-ground behaviour during large exhibitions.

Who briefed the delegations

Speakers included event organisers and sector experts. From GITEX the Commercial Director Ayman Hassan and Sales Manager Cenifa Fernandes presented the scale and structure of the show and networking formats. Udo Wiemann, Senior Manager at MEDICA, briefed the healthcare delegation about MEDICA’s programme and forums. The sessions also featured coaches, business leaders and EIC alumni who have previously attended trade fairs with EIC support.

Peer learning and pitch preparation

To make the advice tangible the workshops included alumni case studies. Charudutt Shah from Genomtec and Puneet Gaharana from TADA Group described their prior experiences and offered practical tips for stand preparation and pitch delivery. These peer contributions are a common feature of EIC business acceleration activities given their focus on operational knowledge transfer.

Companies selected to exhibit

The selected innovators were grouped across two pavilions. Twenty companies were chosen for the European Pavilion at GITEX in Dubai and twenty for the EIC Pavilion at MEDICA in Düsseldorf. The list showcases a mix of medtech, healthtech, digital and energy related innovators from across Europe and associated countries.

Why GITEX and MEDICA matter for scaleups

Organisers and the EIC pitched both events as strategic platforms. GITEX is presented as a tech meeting place bringing together thousands of exhibitors, government delegations and conference speakers to debate topics from cloud and IoT to AI and quantum computing. MEDICA is a long established medical tradeshow which attracts tens of thousands of healthcare professionals and showcases products across the medical technology value chain, including the MEDICA START UP PARK where emerging companies present innovations.

Practical benefits and realistic outcomes

The EIC programme offers end to end support such as pre departure market briefings, tailored coaching, networking and B2B matchmaking. These services can improve the efficiency of trade fair missions by helping companies prioritise meetings and prepare compliance and commercial materials. The EIC also uses alumni success stories to illustrate potential impacts such as follow on deals or increased sales.

At the same time it is important to temper expectations. Trade fair participation can generate leads and visibility but converting leads into contracts requires follow up, local regulatory compliance and sometimes further clinical validation for medtech. Logistics, shipping, booth costs and time investment are real constraints for early stage companies.

Regulatory and market nuances highlighted for delegates

The workshops aimed to give delegates high level orientation to the regulatory and business climates they would face. For healthtech companies this included reminders about medical device regulation in the EU and the need to understand local health procurement processes in the Gulf. For digital technology firms the briefings covered data protection, cross border data flows and different contracting cultures in the Middle East.

Recommendations and pragmatic advice for exhibitors

Workshop takeaways included tactical and strategic recommendations. Tactically companies were urged to script a short commercial pitch with a clear ask, prepare technical datasheets and demo materials, and plan how to capture contact details and follow up quickly. Strategically they were advised to use the trade fair to validate business models, test pricing and identify pilot customers rather than expect immediate large contracts.

How to find more information or engage with the programme

The EIC directs interested companies to the EIC OTF Programme 2.0 website for details of services, timelines and open calls. Additional resources and stories are available on the EIC Community Platform. The EIC Community Helpdesk handles enquiries and asks applicants to select 'EIC OTF Programme' when contacting the service desk.

Final considerations for policymakers and funders

Trade fair programmes like the EIC OTF can be effective instruments to help high potential SMEs access overseas markets. Funders and policymakers should however measure success beyond attendance and consider metrics that track pilots launched, contracts signed and sustained market presence. They should also ensure the support package covers regulatory advice, local market intelligence and post event follow up assistance to raise the odds of turning leads into lasting commercial relationships.

For the participating companies the next stage will be the hands on work of exhibiting, meeting potential partners, and executing the follow up plans discussed in the workshops. The trade fairs themselves will provide broad visibility. Whether that leads to durable market entry or short term publicity will depend on execution, product readiness and the ability to navigate regulatory and commercial complexities in each target market.