US Small Business Administration invests in Hawaiʻi State Trade Expansion Program : Maui Now

October 26, 2024, 1:00 PM HST

DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka. Courtesy photo

The US Small Business Administration has awarded the Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism $525,000 to continue the Hawaiʻi State Trade Expansion Program.

This funding will provide small businesses with the vital tools and resources needed to succeed in export-related activities, ensuring Hawaiʻi companies can effectively compete in the global marketplace.

“We are incredibly grateful for the continued support from the US Small Business Administration, which enables us to help Hawai‘i’s small businesses thrive in global markets,” said DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka. “This funding will allow us to further strengthen our efforts through HiSTEP, empowering local companies to share their unique, high-quality products and services with the world while driving economic growth here at home.”

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Hawaiʻi State Trade Expansion Program (HiSTEP) is a comprehensive export development initiative that supports local businesses in promoting their Made in Hawai‘i products and services worldwide. Since its inception, HiSTEP has successfully assisted more than 1,600 companies, generating an estimated $258 million in economic impact and supporting 1,400 local jobs.

HiSTEP has three integrated components:

• HiSTEP – Export Readiness Program offers export-related webinars, seminars and one-on-one advising to help companies develop their market strategies and export plans. Topics covered include export financing, logistics and multilingual website development. Participants leave with a go-to-market strategy tailored to their business.
• HiSTEP – Company Assistance provides direct financial assistance to individual businesses, helping them cover export development costs. Applications are accepted annually. On average, 17 companies benefit from the program each year.
• HiSTEP – Go Global facilitates participation in key international trade shows such as FoodEx Japan and the Tokyo International Gift Show. HiSTEP also supports sales and promotions on e-commerce platforms, allowing companies to reach new markets.

Over the past 12 years, the program has received $6.9 million in SBA grants, which has been instrumental in helping local businesses expand their reach internationally. Each year, HiSTEP generates an average of $13 million in new export sales. This has also contributed to the broader economy, with $10.8 million in state taxes generated through export activities. HiSTEP’s efforts have supported 1,400 local jobs.

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For more information on the Hawai‘i State Trade Expansion Program, visit 

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