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Playbook

How to apply for trade shows and exhibitions

Trade shows and expos let companies exhibit, pitch, speak or meet buyers in one place. Startup zones, pitch stages and subsidised country pavilions often have an application of their own, separate from regular stand sales.

How these are won

  1. Look for startup pavilions, sponsored country stands and pitch stages: they usually cost less than a standard stand.
  2. Book meetings with buyers before the show; their calendars fill weeks ahead.
  3. Prepare your company profile and product images in the organiser's format; they go into the catalogue and the event app.

Materials checklist

  • Company profileUpload yours, or let Onward Scout draft one from your profile for you to edit.
  • Product imagesOnly you can supply it: upload it once and it is attached wherever it is asked for.

A preparation timeline

Counted back from the deadline. Each program guide puts real dates on it.

  1. 21 days before the deadlineUpdate deck and numbersRefresh the deck, key metrics and the one-sentence description of the company.
  2. 14 days before the deadlineDraft the answersAnswer every question plainly, with numbers you can verify.
  3. 7 days before the deadlineRecord and reviewRecord the video if one is asked for, and have someone outside the team read the answers.
  4. 2 days before the deadlineSubmitSubmit early; some programs review applications as they arrive.

Questions you will meet, answered honestly

What will you show, and to whom?

Name the product and the buyer types you want to meet; organisers use this to place you.

Are you ready to sell into this market?

Say honestly which markets you can ship to today and which certifications you hold.

How Onward Scout helps

Onward Scout maps the official form field by field, fills it from your sourced profile and drafts the written answers; you review and tap to submit. If the form stops at a CAPTCHA, a login or a payment, you get a handoff with every field ready to paste.

Open now

All open trade shows and exhibitions

Let Onward Scout prepare your trade shows and exhibitions applications

Drop in the résumé, deck or portfolio you already have. Onward Scout builds a sourced profile, finds opportunities you can win and prepares each application for you to approve with a tap.

Start free with what you haveHow it works

Nothing is submitted without your tap. Logins, CAPTCHAs, payments and interviews stay with you.