Victoria’s biggest ever inbound trade mission has delivered significant new deals and collaborations with international partners that will boost trade and investment for local businesses to grow and create new jobs.
The Victoria Invitation Program (VIP), the state’s flagship inbound trade mission which ended over the weekend, this year attracted almost 300 delegates from 24 countries across the globe.
Deals announced during this year’s VIP included:
- Breakthrough agreement between the Victorian Government and Indonesia's Financial Services Authority (OJK), allowing greater collaboration in the financial services sector to pave the way for Indonesian banks to expand in Victoria
- First-of-its-kind eCommerce partnership between the Government and Australia Post to help Victorian businesses tap into China’s $550 billion online shopping market
- New partnerships between Japan’s Wingarc1st and Melbourne’s Quantum IT on the development of a cloud-based analytics platform, and between WingArc1st, NEC Australia and Melbourne’s Genix Ventures to launch its solutions in Australia as a first step towards a global rollout
- Collaborative project on Alzheimers research and imaging technology between the Florey Institute and the National Brain Research Centre of India
- India’s GVK EMRI, operator of the world’s largest ambulance fleet, partnering with Victoria to leverage our world class trauma and emergency systems
- Global IT taking first steps to major planning deal that will see a digital health lab open in Melbourne
The VIP drew buyers and investors from the world’s largest markets, including China, Japan, Indonesia, India, the UAE and the US to Victoria to see firsthand the very best the state has to offer across key sectors including medical technology and pharmaceuticals, international education, professional services, retail and food and fibre.
The countries attending this year’s VIP program represent more than 70 per cent of Victoria's $90 billion total two way trade.
Victoria’s packed major events program played a key role in the success of the trade mission, which was top and tailed by the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival and the Australian Grand Prix.
More than 500 Victorian businesses also took part in the VIP, connecting with international buyers and attending seminars on how to be export ready.
The VIP, now in its second year, is part of a four-year $12 million Andrews Labor Government initiative to build a strong and sustainable inbound trade mission program.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Philip Dalidakis
“Our targeted inbound trade mission initiative is already proving successful, with 2015 Victoria’s biggest export year yet and more success stories coming out of this year’s VIP.”
“These programs are bringing the world to our doorstep so that more Victorian businesses have more opportunities to form sustainable partnerships that will help them grow, create jobs and strengthen our local economies.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020