Trade & Invest Wales

What Trade & Invest Wales does

Trade & Invest Wales is the official Welsh Government Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) marketing initiative, operating as the business marketing department of the Welsh Government. Its core function is to promote Wales as a business location to individuals and companies currently located outside Wales, providing sector-specific information, case studies, regional strengths, and direct contact pathways to an in-house FDI team. The organization runs the tradeandinvest.wales platform (available in English and Japanese), publishes a quarterly Advances Wales magazine, and distributes a Soft Landing Directory and Net Zero Mobility Wales brochure to support prospective investors through diligence and setup phases.

The core product is the tradeandinvest.wales website platform, which aggregates content across nine key sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy, Compound Semiconductors, Cyber Security, Fintech, Life Sciences, Creative Industries, Food and Drink, and Tourism. The organization does not develop proprietary technology; instead, it curates and promotes Wales's technology ecosystem, including flagship assets such as CSconnected (world's first compound semiconductor cluster), AMRC Cymru (£20m advanced manufacturing facility), the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (£400m rail innovation facility), and OpTIC Technology Centre in North Wales. Marketing channels include content marketing via the website, email newsletter, international industry events (Farnborough International Airshow, InnoTrans Berlin, Microelectronics UK, Floating Offshore Wind), and direct contact via the 'Talk to Our Team' function. Welsh Government international offices extend global distribution reach.

The business model is government-funded, not commercial. Trade & Invest Wales is allocated public budget as part of Wales's economic development strategy; it does not generate commercial revenue, charge fees, or sell services. Customer segments are foreign direct investors, manufacturing and technology companies, and export-oriented businesses evaluating Wales as a base for UK and European market access. The pricing model is free for all users. Strategic partners include CSconnected, AMRC Cymru, Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult, Glyndŵr Innovations Ltd, Net Zero Industry Wales, FinTech Wales, MediWales, Cyber Innovation Hub, Business Wales, and Development Bank of Wales, with the latter providing loans of £50,000 to £5 million to qualifying businesses.

Name

Trade & Invest Wales

Legal name

Welsh Government

Website

https://tradeandinvest.wales

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Trade & Invest Wales is the official Welsh Government Foreign Direct Investment marketing initiative that promotes Wales as a business location to overseas companies, operating the tradeandinvest.wales platform, attending international industry events, and facilitating connections to Welsh sector clusters and government support programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Promotion Services

NAICS

Miscellaneous Intermediation (52391)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Transfer Intermediation (Introducers/Deal Sourcing Networks) (FSAEAIAL)

Keywords

• Foreign direct investment
• Investment promotion
• Economic development
• Business location advisory
• Welsh Government services

Headquarters

HQ city

Treforest

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Government Funded Operations: Trade & Invest Wales is a Welsh Government department funded through public expenditure. The organization does not generate commercial revenue but is allocated budget to promote foreign direct investment in Wales. Revenue model is entirely government-funded as part of Wales's economic development strategy.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Trade & Invest Wales is the official Welsh Government Foreign Direct Investment marketing initiative that promotes Wales as a business location for international companies. It operates the tradeandinvest.wales website platform providing sector-specific information, company case studies, investment opportunity guides, and downloadable resources, complemented by participation in major international industry events to engage potential foreign investors.

Product overview

Trade & Invest Wales is the official Welsh Government Foreign Direct Investment marketing initiative for Wales. The core offering is the tradeandinvest.wales website platform, available in English and Japanese, which serves as a comprehensive resource promoting Wales as a business location for international companies. The platform aggregates sector-specific content (Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy, Compound Semiconductors, Cyber Security, Fintech, Life Sciences, Creative Industries, Food & Drink, Tourism), company case studies, investment opportunity guides, and downloadable resources. Supporting publications include Advances Wales magazine, the Soft Landing Directory, and the Net Zero Mobility Wales Brochure. The platform functions as an information and marketing service rather than a traditional software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trade & Invest Wales Website Platform The official Welsh Government FDI marketing website that promotes Wales as a business location, offering sector overviews (Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy, Compound Semiconductors, Cyber Security, FinTech, Life Sciences, Creative Industries, Food & Drink, Tourism), company case studies, investment opportunity guides, and business support information for international companies considering locating in Wales. Available in English and Japanese.
• Advances Wales Magazine A free quarterly magazine showcasing the latest news, research and developments in science, technology and engineering in Wales, published as a Welsh Government communication resource promoting the country's innovation capabilities.
• Soft Landing Directory A directory of soft landing providers offering businesses unrivalled access to key resources including business plan validation, mentoring, advice, skills need assessments, recruitment, and potential investment support.
• Net Zero Mobility Wales Brochure A brochure covering the mobility sector's fundamental change towards achieving Net Zero targets, including alternative drive systems such as electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and supporting infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• Wales exports 95% of compound semiconductor innovations globally
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and notable.

• CSconnectedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSconnected is the world's first compound semiconductor cluster, uniting leading companies (IQE, Newport Wafer Fab, SPTS Technologies, Microsemi), universities (Cardiff, Swansea), and research institutions across South Wales. Trade & Invest Wales promotes this cluster as a core pillar of Wales's investment proposition, attracting foreign investors to the region.
• AMRC CymrucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMRC Cymru is a £20m facility fully funded by Welsh Government and managed by University of Sheffield. It provides advanced manufacturing research capabilities and is the first HVM Catapult centre in Wales. Partners include Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Boeing.
• RiversimplecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHydrogen vehicle company based in Powys, Wales. Riversimple exemplifies Wales's innovation in sustainable transport and works with Welsh Government on pilot schemes including hydrogen refuelling initiatives with Monmouthshire local government.
• Compound Semiconductor Applications CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSA Catapult focuses on helping the UK industry exploit advances in compound semiconductor applications in healthcare, digital economy, energy and space. Headquartered in South Wales.
• Glyndŵr Innovations Ltd / OpTIC Technology CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpTIC Technology Centre operated by Glyndŵr Innovations (subsidiary of Wrexham University) supports tech start-ups in North Wales with facilities, mentoring, and connections to Welsh Government support.
• Net Zero Industry WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNot-for-profit public-private sector partnership coordinating Wales's industrial decarbonisation journey and supporting heavy industry's transition to net zero while remaining globally competitive.
• FinTech WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent membership body representing Wales's fast-growing fintech community, supporting early-stage startups to global brands in their pursuit of success in Wales.
• MediWalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent life sciences network for Wales representing companies across MedTech, diagnostics, pharma, digital health and supporting services.
• Cyber Innovation HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelsh Government initiative created to bring world-class cybersecurity products, high-growth businesses, and technically-skilled talent to the region. Brings together Cardiff University, industry and government.
• Business WalescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWelsh Government business support service for companies already based in Wales. Trade & Invest Wales refers established businesses to Business Wales for operational support.
• VizolutionnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelsh fintech company providing customer experience technology to major banks (RBS, Santander, HSBC) and telecom companies. HSBC, Santander and RBS are both customers and investors in Vizolution.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Business France: French national agency supporting international companies investing in France. Provides FDI promotion, business matchmaking, and post-investment support—directly comparable functions to Trade & Invest Wales, but at a national rather than regional scale.
• IDA Ireland: Ireland's national investment promotion agency and one of the world's most established FDI agencies. Performs a directly comparable role to Trade & Invest Wales at a national scale—marketing Ireland as an investment destination and connecting foreign investors with local opportunities and incentives.
• Business Sweden: Swedish government agency that helps international companies invest and expand in Sweden. Directly comparable to Trade & Invest Wales as a state-backed FDI promotion agency providing investor matchmaking, market entry support, and sector promotion.
• London & Partners: London's business growth and destination agency, including FDI promotion for the London region. Functions as a parallel sub-national UK FDI promoter to Trade & Invest Wales, although operating at a much larger economic scale and with a more international brand.
• Invest Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland's regional economic development agency responsible for attracting FDI to Northern Ireland. Closely parallel to Trade & Invest Wales—both are sub-national UK FDI agencies offering investment promotion, site support, and incentive advisory to international investors.
• Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA): Dutch national agency dedicated to helping foreign companies establish operations in the Netherlands. Performs a parallel function to Trade & Invest Wales in promoting an investment destination, providing tailored support, and facilitating connections with local business ecosystems.
• Scottish Development International: Scotland's national economic development agency promoting foreign direct investment into Scotland. Directly comparable to Trade & Invest Wales as a sub-national UK government-backed FDI agency with a similar mandate to attract international companies and provide tailored facilitation services.

Others

• OCO Global: FDI advisory and consulting firm that supports investment promotion agencies and economic development organizations. Not a direct competitor, but operates in the same ecosystem as Trade & Invest Wales—helping government agencies attract, manage, benchmark, and report on foreign investment activities.

Broad incumbents

• Department for Business and Trade (UK): UK national government department responsible for trade and investment policy at the broader national level. Sits above Trade & Invest Wales in the UK FDI ecosystem and coordinates with regional agencies like Trade & Invest Wales, but operates at the UK-wide scale rather than focusing on a single region.

Regional players

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority: English regional governance body with significant economic development functions including FDI attraction for the Greater Manchester region. Comparable to Trade & Invest Wales as a UK regional economic development actor, although operating in a different UK sub-national territory with a different governance model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/InvestWales

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trade & Invest Wales