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A GATEWAY TO GLOBAL MARKETS

With 96% of the world’s population consuming products outside the U.S. and 1 billion people expected to join the global middle class in the next decade, Wisconsin companies are changing the way they think about their businesses. For companies that want to grow, exporting is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity.

In addition to reaching new markets ripe for your product or service, exporting has proven to help companies grow faster, offer higher wages, improve their labor pool and ultimately increase valuation.

But expanding your business globally can be intimidating when you don’t know where to begin. With the help of our network of services, companies both large and small find viable opportunities to reach new markets.

Made up of government and economic development organizations, private industries and academia partners, the Wisconsin Global Navigation Network (WGNN) provides the resources you need regardless of where you are in the exporting process—at no cost to you.

The WGNN will help guide your global expansion with the following essential services:

  • Global market identification for your products
  • Strategy and business plan development
  • Market analysis reports
  • Export logistics
  • Educational seminars and hands-on learning
  • Introductions to buyers and distributors
  • Trade missions

WEDC PROGRAMS

EXPORTECH™

ExporTech helps Wisconsin companies expand their global market reach through targeted export strategy development and execution.

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GLOBAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Grant funding to support export growth for Wisconsin companies.

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GLOBAL TRADE VENTURES

Whether you’re looking for customers or distributors, WEDC’s targeted trade ventures will help you build the relationships necessary for increased international sales.

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GLOBAL NETWORK

Our team of market development directors work with other state agencies and trade representatives to provide insight to international expansion in 96 countries and territories.

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WEDC SUCCESS STORIES

Ginseng Board of Wisconsin

​Participating in a WEDC trade venture to China helped the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin build stronger ties and lasting relationships with new distributors and customers in the country. Read More

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Velicon

After experiencing success in domestic markets, Velicon leadership turned to WEDC for assistance to find highly industrialized nations that would make good target markets for exporting.​ Read More

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Gaskets Inc.

Due to attending ExporTech™ in 2015, Gaskets Inc. gained access to the resources needed to hone its export strategy, and has since seen great success in diversifying its international customer portfolio Read More

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gaskets-inc-logo

Graftobian

Graftobian manufactures and distributes virtually every type of makeup to customers all over the world including North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, Australia, Africa, and beyond. Read More

Read Story
graftobian-logo

​Participating in a WEDC trade venture to China helped the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin build stronger ties and lasting relationships with new distributors and customers in the country. Read More

Read Story
ginseng-board

After experiencing success in domestic markets, Velicon leadership turned to WEDC for assistance to find highly industrialized nations that would make good target markets for exporting.​ Read More

Read Story
velicon-logo

Due to attending ExporTech™ in 2015, Gaskets Inc. gained access to the resources needed to hone its export strategy, and has since seen great success in diversifying its international customer portfolio Read More

Read Story
gaskets-inc-logo

Graftobian manufactures and distributes virtually every type of makeup to customers all over the world including North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, Australia, Africa, and beyond. Read More

Read Story
graftobian-logo
82
COUNTRIES
287
INSTANCES OF IN-COUNTRY HELP PROVIDED TO WISCONSIN COMPANIES
$ 24.8
BILLION WORTH OF PRODUCTS EXPORTED
# 1
WISCONSIN’S EXPORTECH™ PROGRAM NAMED “BEST IN THE NATION”*

Source: WEDC FY19 Annual Report on Economic Development
*U.S. Department of Commerce

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Information, tools, programs and partners fuel growth and new market opportunities.

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Our passion is supporting yours—through funding solutions, workspaces, mentoring and more.

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Revitalizing commercial districts and preserving our state’s history enriches public spaces and helps encourage business activity.

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INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

Public-private partnerships investing in “Centers of Excellence” that drive research, startups and business attraction to advance Wisconsin’s competitive advantage.

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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Experts here and abroad that help Wisconsin companies navigate exporting logistics to successfully expand their global reach.

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“I am a huge proponent of ExporTech™. It really helped us drill down and realize where our optimum markets are located.”

DOUG BIGGS • VP OF SALES AND MARKETING, GILMAN PRECISION

“ExporTech™ certainly helped us develop a more proactive export strategy. Through the program, we learned more about which countries were ideal for our business and our products.”

HARSHAD SHAH • PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, EAGLE TECHNOLOGY

“We’ve wanted to explore exporting for a long time. The financial assistance and training we received through WEDC and the ExporTech™ Program provided the impetus and structure that helped us build a viable export development strategy.”

GAUTAM MALIK • DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, GAMBER-JOHNSON

“The Global Business Development Grant Program helped us accelerate some existing international sales development and opened new opportunities due to lowered barriers to entry. The program lowers our risk in new markets where no business has been undertaken and really opens the door to new markets.”

MICHAEL LAUENSTEIN • INTERNATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR, MUELLER SPORTS MEDICINE, INC.