Coventry University's Serious Games Institute (SGI) is holding
its first V-Trade Forum later this month and is inviting
manufacturing SMEs (Small Medium Enterprises) from across the West
Midlands to take advantage of the opportunity to expand into new
international markets.
The Virtual Trade project is a pilot demonstrator project,
funded by Advantage West Midlands, which will evolve by bringing
companies on board providing new opportunities for global
trading.
Selected pilot companies will have free development facilities
allowing them to set up a virtual trading space to showcase their
products and services to a global audience but these companies need
to sign up quickly to see for themselves what a difference this
could make to their business.
Professor Sara de Freitas, Director of Research at the SGI
said: "We want to set up a V-Trade network and get companies
used to trading this way. It could really open up a new world of
opportunities and the cost of trading in the virtual world will
bring a global audience to them and remove the logistical and
financial barriers that normal global trading brings with it."
The first V-Trade Forum takes place at the Serious Games
Institute on Wednesday 30th June and there are up to 40 free spaces
for interested companies.
Sara de Freitas added: "In order to ensure that this new
virtual trading platform meets the requirements of West Midlands
SME's we are urging them to join the network. By working together
and exploring new ways of generating business opportunities with
companies overseas, their input and support is vital.
"Trading in the virtual world does sound very technical, but
once companies see the examples of how it has worked for others, it
will really open new doors, virtual and otherwise!"
The free event starts at 9.30am and will include presentations,
demonstrations and discussion forums. There will also be the
opportunity to see a demonstration of a virtual farmers market and
become part of the pilot test bed.
Anyone interested in attending the V-Trade Forum, please call
024 7615 8201 for more information or visit
www.seriousgamesinstitute.co.uk
Sara de Freitas concluded: "By getting in at the very
beginning, companies will open up new opportunities for themselves
and other businesses across the region."
For more information about Coventry University, please visit
their website here: www.coventry.ac.uk