CO-EXist Grant to Promote Cleantech Exports to China and Mexico

"The U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA) recently awarded the Colorado Office of International Trade (ITO) $363,135 in matching funds over the next three years to support Colorado companies' exports of clean and environment-related products and services to China and Mexico. The program is part of the Market Development Cooperators Program, or MDCP, which partners grant winners with an ITA team to provide program support.

The ITO is calling the export promotion program CO-EXist, or Colorado Export of Innovative and Sustainable Technologies. CO-EXist was designed to provide financial and business support to Colorado-based small and medium sized companies that manufacture products and/or provide services promoting sustainability, such as water and wastewater infrastructure, air pollution control, energy efficiency, clean and renewable energy infrastructure and generation, waste and hazardous waste management, recycling, monitoring and compliance, green building practices, transportation technologies, and materials and packaging. Program elements include:

- Marketing cleantech companies at industry trade shows in China and Mexico;
- Hosting missions of in-bound buyers from China and Mexico in Colorado;
- Initiating meetings that partner Colorado companies with Chinese and Mexican buyers during outbound and inbound missions;
- Matching travel funds for Colorado exporters' and foreign buyers' missions;
- Customizing export counseling and market research for Colorado companies;
- Providing technical assistance to exporters, including: legal consultation, business document translations, manufacturing assessments, and other professional services.

The CO-EXist program is expected to help generate over $38 million in cleantech products and services exports over the next three years, supporting hundreds of jobs in Colorado. If you would like more information about the program, then please contact the ITO at 303-892-3850. While the ITO is the lead organization for the CO-EXist program, the following partners will also play an integral role: The Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA); the U.S. Export Assistance Center, Denver; the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service Offices in Mexico and China; Connected Organizations for a Responsible Economy (CORE); the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology (CAMT); the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA); and the City of Denver Office of Economic Development. The World Trade Center, Denver will also provide support.

For the full press release, please click here."