Pictured above: International trade adviser Mark Sankey (left) with StadiArena's Patric Cassidy (far right), meet Indian partners Udit Sheth, Managing Director of TransStadia and Anupam Shah, Managing Director of Ekesha Construction Company

A Meriden-based company developing the next generation of sport stadiums has returned from India with a potential million dollar deal after taking advantage of a British Airways and UK Trade and Investment initiative.

StadiArena, which won the Innovative Company of the Year and Exporter of the Year Awards at the recent West Midlands International Trade Awards, has developed a system that can convert outdoor sports grounds into indoor arenas in minutes. It works by enclosing one end of the stadium, enabling seating that was previously outside to become part of an interior space suitable for exhibitions and concerts.

British Airways provided UKTI with 4,000 international return flights to offer to SMEs seeking business opportunities overseas.

StadiArena opted to travel to India, where it has been working closely with authorities, developing joint ventures and licensing with local firms. Chief operating officer Ian Stokes and his team have recently returned from the sub-continent where they signed an exclusive territory licence that will incorporate multiple stadium developments throughout South East Asia. The deal could be worth as much as £5 million in licensing revenues to StadiArena by 2015.

Building work will commence on one of the new stadiums, a 30,000-capacity arena in Ahmedabad in October, and will be completed in 2011. The flexibility of the stadium will mean it will be able to accommodate ten different sports, allowing it to be used all year round.

Ian Stokes said: "Visiting India showed we are serious about the deal and any issues that did arise could be dealt with there and then, rather than making calls and sending e-mails back to the UK."