Michigan Business Beat | Jacob Schroeder MEDC International Trade Details on MI-Step Program Funds

Chris Holman welcomes back Jacob Schroeder, International Trade Development Manager at MEDC, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Lansing, MI. Welcome back Jake, we understand that due to a tremendous response from Michigan exporters, MEDC has utilized 100% of its FY2023 MI-STEP funds in record time! Tell us about that? The next round of MI-STEP Grants will be available on October 1st? What could interested companies do until then, I imagine it might involve International Trade Managers in their regions across Michigan? Back to the $1.86M awarded, are there any specific cases of company success you can share? Or any generalized company story or circumstance that can be mentioned as a great example of this program in action? Does your group still make international trips? Any coming up that we should be aware of? MI-STEP Grants Available October 1 Due to a tremendous response from Michigan exporters, MEDC has utilized 100% of its FY2023 MI-STEP funds in record time! intl-trade.gif Between October 2022 and July 2023, more than $1.86 million was awarded to our state’s makers and innovators pursuing business development opportunities in foreign markets. Applications for MI-STEP grants are currently closed, but we look forward to serving you with FY2024 funding when it’s available starting Oct. 1. Until then, Jake (see below), encourages you to connect with the International Trade Manager in your region to see what other services are available to amplify your company’s international efforts, such as B2B matchmaking, worldwide credit reports, customized market research, and so much more. Whether it’s online tools like localized website management, support in any of the 130+ global markets our trade centers represent, or early-stage assistance to get your product export-ready, we’ve got you covered. NOTE: We are in the midst of hiring our new International Trade Manager for Southeast Michigan, so companies in Oakland and Wayne counties may email export@michigan.org to work with our team for your export-re