SME Outreach Program supports international business expansion efforts

Indiana University’s Center for International Business Education and Research (IU CIBER) supports programs to help provide a competitive playing field for local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)* interested in international business.

*Small Business Administration defines SMEs as businesses with less than 500 employees.

CIBER's internship funding program

This program enables SMEs to leverage interns from colleges in Indiana to explore international expansion and to simultaneously recruit for future full-time positions.

Internship Details and Standards

Summer internships must be paid, full-time (up to 40 hours/week), 8- to 12-week positions.
Fall/spring internships can be part-time up to 20 hours/week.
Must have an international business work component (no more than 25% of the intern’s work can be administrative/clerical).
Qualified SMEs may receive up to a 50% reimbursement of interns’ wages from IU CIBER and up to another 50% from EARN Indiana.
For CIBER funding, an intern must be a full-time student from any Indiana college or university.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Support Program

This grant was established to enable SMEs to participate in impactful international experiences as the organizations prepares to expand into global markets. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with grants allocated as funds become available. Maximum funding available is $3,000.

After the funds are used, grant awardees will be required to provide a deliverable report on the activity's impact on their organization.

Examples of how funds can be used:

Registration fee or travel for an international experience, such as an international trade mission or trade fair (all international travel must be on US carriers per the Fly America Act)
Registration fee or travel to an international trade fair hosted in the U.S.
Program fee assistance for ExporTech
Translation assistance

Proposals should include:

Company name, company contact information, and brief introduction to the company
Anticipated budget, details of how the funding will be used, and how the funding will enable the company to expand into global markets

Getting Started in Exporting Video Series

Did you know that Indiana is the most manufacturing-intensive state in the country, ranking 13thin the nation for exports, having exported a record $41.2 billion in 2021, and today out-exports California per capita? Exporting is not just for the big companies. There are numerous resources to help Indiana SMEs get started. Working with the Indiana DEC and U.S. Commercial Services Indianapolis Office, the Getting Started in Exporting Video Series shares the stories of Indiana SMEs successfully exporting. Learn how other Indiana small businesses got started and how your business can too.

Export Indiana Accelerator

IU CIBER is proud to partner in the Indiana Small Business Development Center’s Export Indiana Accelerator Program (EIAP). This 12-week no-cost summer program offers Hoosier small businesses professional export guidance and leading research resources to create an executable, proactive export business plan.

Participation is by application. Visit the Export Indiana Accelerator Program website to learn more and to be added to the EIAP mailing list.

Next steps

Contact IU CIBER

For detailed next steps, contact us at CIBER@iu.edu.

IU CIBER
316 N. Eagleson Ave.
Bloomington, IN 47405
CIBER@iu.edu
812-855-5944

Sign up at Work and Learn Indiana

For Indiana employers wanting additional EARN Indiana funding: Sign up for FREE at www.IndianaINTERN.net and get approved to post internship positions and hire qualified interns.

"Our CIBER intern was instrumental in helping us win an expansion for an existing client in Europe. The client is set to increase revenue for that account by more than 400%. This will be a significant increase for Periodic as a whole, as well."

Tanja OdePeriodic