This editor’s note highlights the key facts and market implications behind “Santa Fe City Bets on SME Internationalization w”, with emphasis on sourcing, product fit, fabrication, logistics, or buyer impact.
The municipality of Santa Fe, through the Agency for Cooperation, Investment and Foreign Trade (ACICE), reaffirmed its commitment to regional economic development by closing a new stage of the "First Exporter" Program. In an event held at the local Port, Mayor Juan Pablo Poletti presented nine certificates to participants who completed the strategic training cycle.
The program's central focus is the professionalization of the city's productive sector and its metropolitan area, providing free tools for small and medium-sized enterprises to successfully enter the international market. Over five sessions, held in both in-person and virtual formats, key topics such as logistics, documentation, financing, and strategic planning were addressed.
Strategic Alliance and Regional Vision
In this regard, Mayor Juan Pablo Poletti highlighted the privileged location of the provincial capital and the coordinated work with the Provincial Government.
“Santa Fe has a geolocation in the center of the country, which is in the middle of the bioceanic corridor and which undoubtedly wants to enhance that advantage, and from the municipality what we do is enhance ourselves together with the province. I thank this joint work with the government of Governor Maxi Pullaro because we decisively joined forces so that this First Exporter program presents a stage that then allows them to join provincial programs, such as Exporta Simple or Santa Fe Global.”
Poletti added that the objective is to provide legal and technical security to the private sector.
“We guarantee this tool so that anyone who is wanting or is afraid to take that step has a very clear understanding of the regulations, ordinances, and laws. These programs open doors to new experiences and markets for our entrepreneurs, who are the engines of the Santa Fe economy.”
Technical Training
For her part, Lucila García, director of ACICE, explained that the program covers everything from the knowledge economy to the metalworking industry.
“The important thing for exporting is to train, because it’s not the same as opening a business with open doors; you have to know about Central Bank issues, logistics, and implementations.”
This training included sectors of all kinds: textiles, software, jewelry, heavy machinery and accessories, among others.
“They haven’t yet chosen a market or where they want to take their product, nor do they know their added value. The idea is for them to understand that, to go to the foreign market, they must know if that market is suitable for what they want to sell and what is the differential of their product,” added García.
The Voice of the Protagonists
The participants highlighted the opportunity to access quality training to expand their commercial horizons. Nicolás Gaitán, from the firm BH Rodamientos, stated:
“We see the possibility of going out into the world with the new programs and training from the municipality. We work with modular belts and first think of entering nearby markets like Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, and Bolivia to gain experience.”
Likewise, the program attracted young professionals and students with an entrepreneurial vision. Joaquín Manari and Santiago Siegla, foreign trade students who plan to open their own consulting firm, highlighted the city's potential.
“The training helped us a lot. We are from Entre Ríos, but here in Santa Fe it’s another world, things are much more evolved with the activity in Sauce Viejo and Rosario. There are many business opportunities,” concluded Siegla.
