One lucky marine-tech business in Dorset is being offered a free opportunity to showcase its products overseas without having to travel using augmented reality (AR).

Business West, the South West branch of the Department for International Trade (DIT), and AR specialists, Render Media, have launched ‘ExportAR: Marine’.

The initiative – backed by Dorset LEP – is the first of its kind and will be delivered cost-free to three successful applicants from across Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

The DIT is keen to feature a Dorset-based business and has extended the deadline for applications from the county until midnight on January 15.

Augmented Reality allows companies to showcase their Marine-Tech product to an international audience using a bespoke smartphone or tablet application.

UK sellers will be able to present their product and communicate in real-time to international buyers in target markets using AR.

The successful Dorset applicant will work closely with DIT trade advisers and its technology partner Render.

The Render Media team.

The immersive innovation agency, which specialises in augmented reality, will work through the process of showcasing a product using AR between this month and March.

From April onwards, the successful company will have the opportunity to pilot the tool in front of international buyers through DIT’s overseas networks.

An example of an AR-rendered piece of machinery can be found in a Render YouTube video, providing a snapshot of how augmented reality can bring a product to life and enable greater understanding among users and potential customers.

Nadine Miles, Render’s Operations Director, said: “The current global situation has made it more important and more challenging than ever for marine companies looking to export to get their products in front of potential customers.

“AR is an incredibly powerful way to do this because it enables them to meet and collaborate virtually with both prospects and colleagues, and do this with photo real 3D models of their innovative products or process in the room with them.

“When you add to this the reduced need for travel and that it can be used again and again it is both very economically and environmentally efficient.”

According to the World Economic Forum, digital technology can help to reduce emissions by 15 per cent through the reduced need for transport through remote working.

The maritime sector contributes around £12bn to the UK’s exports.

The project will support the government’s five-year maritime plan for the UK which aims to support the sector to capture significant global market share in important technologies.

Augmented Reality has been reported to improve companies’ sales due to its ability to engage and immerse buyers in product experiences.

According to a recent study, 65 per cent of companies found that immersive technologies have opened new markets and sectors for them to work with and grow their product.

It’s forecast that VR and AR will add approximately £62.5bn to the economy by 2030, a 2.4 per cent boost to Gross Domestic Profit (GDP).

Covid-19 has put a stop to almost all face-to-face international sales opportunities.

ExportAR: Marine aims to solve this problem by transforming the way in which buyers and sellers communicate, enabling simultaneous videoconferencing with international buyers alongside the ability to showcase specific features of a product using animation and 3D rendering.

The solution has also been created to help cut down on business travel and support the decarbonisation of international trade.

Paul Shand, DIT’s Head of Trade in the South West, pictured left, said: “This project is a fantastic opportunity for marine companies in the South West to continue to showcase their products to overseas buyers while reducing their carbon footprint.

“Covid-19 has created some challenges for businesses, but it is through initiatives such as these that firms can become resilient to economic instabilities and grow their business through nurturing relationships with overseas buyers.”

To be eligible to take part in the ExportAR: Marine initiative, your marine-tech company will need meet the requirements of a detailed list of criteria, which have been designed to manage expectations and ensure suitability.

More information and the link to apply can be found here.