SMEs

The Investment Readiness Programme seeks to build a pipeline of bankable projects to attract foreign investment in established enterprises and start-ups.

PTI NZ will match the businesses with locally-based business advisory and accounting firms, to develop investment proposals for the companies.

The programme is funded by the Pacer Plus Implementation Unit.

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To this end, PTI NZ is seeking expressions of interest from Samoa small to medium enterprises (SMEs).

The programme, created in 2020, is part of the wider Path to Market initiative to assist export capable businesses become ready to export to the New Zealand market.

PTI NZ Trade Commissioner Glynis Miller said, “The Business Mentoring Programme is an intensive ten-week programme which we are offering to three Samoan registered businesses. Our programme doesn’t cost participants financially, but we do expect a high level of commitment.”

However, a lack of insurance awareness amongst business owners, and the condition of some businesses (insurability) are hampering the speed at which insurance take up is happening amongst this market segment.

The majority of the respondents from 12 of the leading insurance providers in the region recently surveyed by the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) say that while SME’s make up a very important part of Pacific economies, insurance providers are still working out how to best capitalise on the opportunity that SMEs present.