Market Access Consultant Services Applications Now Open!

Deadline: Friday, February 17th, 2023 until midnight.

Description

LAUNCH Market Access Services support Zambian and Finnish MSMEs and start-ups in selected business sectors to explore opportunities in new markets. AGS offers tailored support in exploring your product-market-fit and finding new partners. We help you succeed in a new, unknown market and navigate the regulations that come with it. AGS gives you the nudge you need to assess product viability in the market or expand your operations to new markets. This service is to be utilised between the period of March-May 2023.

Market Access consultants

AGS Market Access Consultant services are available for growth-oriented Zambian SMEs wishing to expand beyond the Zambian borders or to new channels like e-business or retail chains as well as Finnish companies entering the Zambian market, or regional markets with Zambian partners. We will help you navigate the regulatory and legislative environment in the new market. Your designated Consultant will guide you on specific market and regulatory issues and connect you with local stakeholders to help you succeed. In your application you should propose the expert you would hope to work with as well as the scope for the expert service. AGS covers the Consultant’s costs for up to EUR 15,000 per successful applicant.

AGS has the following pool of market access experts (*click on the names to read their profiles):

  1. Amsco
  2. Grandy Ntumbo
  3. Spruceland – DRC
  4. Renier van Vuuren
  5. Trevor Hambay
  1. Nelson Nsiku – Malawi
 

If you feel that you cannot find the expertise needed within these experts, you can also propose to use someone else. Kindly note that although you can request support from a certain expert, AGS will allocate the experts according to resource availability, in consultation with the company. It is very important that you have a good idea of your current situation regarding the market in question and have a well justified and specific plan on how you want to utilize the market access expert support. You can contact the experts in advance to get their advice on the content already at the time of application. Kindly mention clearly that the contact is related to the AGS call for market access services.

Eligibility

This call is open to Zambian MSMEs, or start-ups interested in entering new markets within Zambia, the SADC region or Finland and Finnish MSMEs or start-ups interested in the Zambian and Southern African markets. To be eligible, you should operate in one of the AGS focus sectors: Agribusiness, Forestry, Renewable Energy, Circular Economy, Mining Services and Cross-cutting: ICT and Education. Applications from female-led or owned businesses are particularly encouraged! We appreciate ‘green’ business concepts and businesses that promote equality and job growth in the economy.

How to Apply?

To apply, please download and fill out the application form and email your application to procurement@agsprogramme.org (please email your enquiries to the same address). Deadline for applications is Friday, February 17th at midnight.

We held an online application workshop on February 8th. You can download the slides shared during the workshop here to understand how to go about the application process.