Omniflow credits EIC trade fair support for rapid business growth in the Gulf

Brussels, December 13th 2023

Summary

›After exhibiting at GITEX 2022 through the EIC Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0, Omniflow closed three new contracts in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
›The company reports a 300 percent increase in business volume in the Gulf compared with the preceding two years and has additional opportunities in the pipeline.
›Omniflow says the EIC pavilion improved credibility and reduced logistics costs but stresses the need for product maturity and local partners for complex contracts.
›Omniflow positions its smart pole technology as an avenue to support cities' net zero goals and to monetise existing streetlight infrastructure, while warning that pipeline conversion remains a challenge.

Omniflow credits EIC trade fair support for rapid business growth in the Gulf

Portuguese smart city company Omniflow says participation at GITEX 2022 under the European Innovation Council's Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0 was a turning point for its business in the Gulf region. The company reports tangible contract wins, completed installations and an expanded pipeline. Its account highlights the practical benefits of exhibiting under the EIC pavilion while also flagging the on-the-ground realities of selling infrastructure solutions in fast moving but complex regional markets.

Results reported after GITEX 2022

Closed deals and geographic spread:Omniflow says it closed three new business deals in two Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, following its GITEX 2022 appearance. The company reports that those contracts drove a 300 percent increase in business volume in the region compared with the prior two years and that further opportunities remain in the pipeline.

Pipeline and timing:Omniflow expects some pipeline opportunities to be executed before the end of the year or in early 2024. The company also reports it has completed installations tied to those projects in the Gulf and is hoping to convert installation impact into accelerated growth.

Metric	Detail
Event	GITEX 2022 (participation via EIC Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0)
New contracts	3 (Saudi Arabia and Bahrain)
Reported growth	300 percent increase in business volume in the Gulf versus previous two years
Deliverables	Projects installed in the region; additional pipeline opportunities

How the EIC programme helped and what it provides

EIC Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0 / ITF 3.0 explained:The programme aims to help EIC awardees promote commercialisation in foreign markets through participation at major trade fairs. It offers a European pavilion presence, preparatory briefings, coaching, matchmaking and logistical support. The initiative has since been referred to as EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 in subsequent iterations, which continues the practice of selecting EIC-backed SMEs to attend influential global events.

Credibility, cost and logistics:Omniflow's Chief Growth Officer says that exhibiting under the EIC umbrella boosted trust with local stakeholders and eased the cost and logistical burden of attending a major overseas event. For technology companies entering unfamiliar markets, that third party brand signal can open initial conversations that might otherwise be harder to secure.

Those practical supports match what other EIC beneficiaries report. The EIC pavilion can accelerate visibility and help companies access meetings and media attention they would struggle to obtain on their own. However, credible introductions at trade fairs are only the first step in long procurement and deployment cycles, especially for infrastructure and public sector projects.

What Omniflow recommends to other exhibitors

Balance novelty with maturity:The Gulf markets are rapidly adopting new technologies but decision makers still expect vendors to show a certain level of maturity. Omniflow advises companies to bring innovations that are demonstrable and to combine novelty with proven reliability when engaging with regional customers.

Find local partners:Contracts in the region can be complex. Omniflow stresses the advantage of securing local partners to help close deals and to manage regulatory, commercial and logistical requirements. Local partners can shorten sales cycles and help navigate public procurement and complex contract terms.

Use the programme effectively before and after events:Omniflow encourages prospective participants to choose events that align with their market strategy, to promote their presence ahead of the show and to schedule meetings with local contacts while on the ground. After the event, the company recommends carefully qualifying contacts and converting strong leads into concrete follow ups.

Technology, business model and market positioning

Omniflow smart pole concept:Omniflow aims to repurpose conventional streetlights into an integrated smart city infrastructure. Their devices combine lighting, energy harvesting, sensors, connectivity and additional payloads such as cameras or EV chargers. The company positions existing poles as neutral host assets that can host services for different stakeholders and generate recurring revenues for municipalities or private operators.

Energy savings claim and caveat:The company material states that its solutions can save customers more than 90 on energy cost. The original wording is ambiguous and likely intends to indicate substantial percentage energy savings, for example more than 90 percent when replacing older lighting technologies and combining with renewable power. As with many vendor claims, exact savings depend on local baseline conditions, deployment scale, lighting standards and operating models.

Net zero and monetisation opportunity:Omniflow frames the push for net zero and rapid digitalisation in Gulf cities as an opportunity. By enabling energy efficiency and adding digital services on existing infrastructure, the company hopes to help cities reduce CO2 footprints while creating new revenue streams from sensor data, connectivity and platform services.

Wider context and cautionary notes

Trade fairs can fast track introductions and early contracts, but turning exhibitor momentum into long term, scalable business requires more than visibility. For infrastructure projects in the Gulf, vendors typically face complex procurement, integration with local systems, performance guarantees and expectations for local operations and maintenance. Localising supply chains and securing aftersales capacity are often necessary to sustain growth. Omniflow reports installations completed in the region but converting installations into steady repeatable revenue and widespread adoption takes time and additional local commercial effort.

From a policy perspective, programmes like the EIC trade fair initiatives provide important soft power for European innovators by endorsing presence in strategic markets. The credibility benefits are real but they do not replace the need for market-adapted business development, regulatory compliance and robust commercial partnerships.

Practical takeaways for EIC applicants and exhibitors

Event selection and preparation:Choose events that match your target customers and sector strategy. Use pre-event promotion to book meetings and align schedules with local partners or representatives. Plan for cultural and contractual differences in target markets.

Follow up discipline:After the trade fair, prioritise contacts and convert the most promising ones into formal follow ups. Trade fair leads are often high quantity but mixed in quality. Rigorous qualification reduces wasted effort and improves conversion rates.

Omniflow recommends using all tools the EIC programme offers, including matchmaking and coaching, to increase the chance that an exhibition translates into signed contracts and deployed projects. Their experience is a reminder that EU support can lower barriers to market entry but fundamental commercial work remains necessary to scale abroad.

Omniflow credits EIC trade fair support for rapid business growth in the Gulf

Omniflow credits EIC trade fair support for rapid business growth in the Gulf

Results reported after GITEX 2022

How the EIC programme helped and what it provides

What Omniflow recommends to other exhibitors

Technology, business model and market positioning

Wider context and cautionary notes

Practical takeaways for EIC applicants and exhibitors

Further reading and resources

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