Home / SIB Grant: How to Fund Your Participation in an International Trade Show

SIB Grant: How to Fund Your Participation in an International Trade Show

A booth at an international trade show is one of the most effective ways to enter new markets, but the costs deter many small and medium-sized businesses. What few exhibitors know is that the Dutch government reimburses a significant portion of those very costs through the SIB grant. Below, you can read about what SIB is, what the grant does and does not cover, and how to apply for it.

What is the SIB grant?

SIB stands for Support International Business, a grant program administered by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) that helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enter foreign markets. One of the components of SIB is individual trade show participation: a grant for companies that exhibit with their own booth at an international trade show.

What exactly does the SIB grant cover?

Here’s the most important thing to know before you start doing the math: The SIB grant for individual trade show participation specifically covers the rental and setup costs of your trade show booth, whether physical or digital. Travel expenses, lodging costs, and consulting fees are not covered.

The reimbursement amounts to 50% of the eligible costs, up to a maximum of 2,500 euros per trade show. It’s not a fortune, but it’s still a nice bonus! For trade show participations with a clearly sustainable focus, this percentage may be higher. Since this specifically concerns the rental and construction of the booth, the portion of the work we perform for you as a booth builder falls directly within the eligible costs.

Are you eligible for SIB?

The program is intended for SMEs with legal personality—that is, a BV or NV—and not for sole proprietorships, VOFs, CVs, or professional partnerships. You must have your own product or service, a clear target market abroad, and the trade show in which you are participating must be an international, publicly advertised event aimed at foreign exhibitors. Furthermore, the trade show must take place within twelve months of your application.

Frequently Asked Questions About the SIB Grant

What does SIB stand for?
SIB stands for Support International Business, a grant program offered by RVO for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that want to do business internationally.

How much is the SIB subsidy for a trade show booth?
For individual trade show participation, SIB reimburses 50% of your booth rental and setup costs, up to a maximum of 2,500 euros per trade show.

Are travel expenses also reimbursed via SIB?
No. The subsidy for individual trade fair participation applies specifically to the rental and construction costs of the exhibition stand, not to travel, accommodation, or consultancy costs.

Can I apply for SIB multiple times?
Yes, you can apply for the subsidy multiple times for different scholarships, with a maximum of two applications for the same scholarship.

Where do I apply for the SIB subsidy?
You apply for the SIB subsidy at RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency).

How do you apply for the SIB grant?

You must submit your application to RVO. The program opens annually on January 1 and runs as long as sufficient funds are available; the sooner you apply, the more certain you can be of receiving a grant. When applying, you’ll need a price quote for your trade show booth: a detailed quote that clearly specifies the rental and setup costs.

How Cialona Fits Into This

Since the SIB grant covers the rental and construction costs of your booth, a detailed quote from your booth builder is exactly what RVO requires with the application. We’ll prepare that quote for you, so you’ll immediately have a specific amount to support your application. Request a no-obligation quote, and we’ll work with you to plan your next international trade show participation.

Please note: subsidy requirements and amounts may change annually. Always check the current requirements at rvo.nl before submitting an application.

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