Santander Navigator is an end-to-end trade facilitation platform supporting aspiring, ambitious and established internationally trading UK scaling businesses operating in the Food & Drink, Retail & Wholesale, Life Sciences, Manufacturing and Tech, Media and Telecoms sectors to grow in new markets. 

Santander Navigator equips scaleups with valuable insights around sector, markets and business priorities and helps to identify opportunities within their sub sector along with Trade Checklists- step by step guides on how to access over 35 international markets. The platform enables real-time tracking of progress to market readiness and enhances scaling leaders knowledge, skills and capabilities to export via a range of additional features including:

• A global Provider Directory of support at each stage of their export journey from market entry onwards.
• Talent matching services, powered by Unibeez, to support scaling businesses recruit from a pool of over 30,000 students and graduates.
• Logistics support, providing live quotes across land, sea and air with negotiated discounts.
• Customs expertise, with discounted access to a partner CustomsClear platform enabling quick and easy clearance on goods entering the EU. 

Additionally users can interact with their peers via a Community Forum and an extensive array of Training, events and webinars to understand key challenges and opportunities in markets and sectors and Trade Missions connecting with in market opportunities with some of the biggest buyers and distributors across the globe. Recent opportunities include a China trade mission, accessing opportunities in South Africa and a UK-India Joint Venture workshop on co-creating in aerospace and defence. 

Access to the platform is free with enabling access to a range of core features and learning opportunities, with more in-depth support and features available for an annual subscription of up to £3,500. 

Since 2019, the Navigator has supported more than 1,000 businesses to enter a new market with most success being seen in the USA, India, and the Middle East and the larger proportion of businesses operating in the Food & Drink and Retail & Wholesale sectors. 45% of registered businesses have been introduced to its global ecosystem to help them overcome a challenge they are experiencing with their international growth. 

The ScaleUp Insititute has recognised the programme as One to Watch and will be closely monitoring its development and impact for scaleups in the coming years.

Santander Navigator website