Winner of Heathrow award for small businesses to help export product aimed at supporting neurodiverse/visually minded startups

Hertfordshire-based marketing agency, Creative Stripes, is thrilled to be awarded a Judge’s Commendation and grant by Heathrow for their World of Opportunity programme.

The programme, which helps SMEs across the country branch out into international markets, recognised Creative Stripes for their innovative Mapper Cards - a series of visual planning aids designed for neurodiverse and visually-oriented individuals.

The brainchild of Creative Stripes founder, Lydia Berman, Mapper Cards are affordable, innovative planning aids, born from Lydia’s personal experience with dyslexia. Covering a range of business topics from social media to marketing planning, they are dyslexia-friendly and particularly suited to neurodiverse minds, often finding visual and physical content easier to digest than intangible, digital content.

Creative Stripes is one of twelve small businesses from across the UK, who will take the next step in selling their goods and services abroad. Each will receive a £2,000 cash grant and crucial expert advice on how to boost their sales overseas. The funding will be used for vital trade missions or staff training, while coaching from the Department of Business and Trade will guide companies towards the best markets for their product.

Heathrow’s Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, Nigel Milton, said: “We have so much quality and ambition in small businesses across the UK. It has been so exciting to meet the SMEs that are ready to take their products and ideas to the next level.

“There is world of opportunity for SMEs to tap into through Heathrow’s unrivalled network and we’re proud to play our part in helping UK businesses to grow through trade.”

Mapper Cards are part of the Creative Stripes brand, founder, Lydia Berman, commented: “We’re ecstatic to have our Mapper Cards recognised by such an acclaimed programme, and are excited to embark on the next chapter breaking into a new market.

Through working with and mentoring small businesses/start-ups I realised that more business owners needed access to affordable marketing solutions, as they looked to build their business and their brands. Mapper Cards are an effective solution to conventional learning methodologies. They’re perfect for visual planners and have become integral to our own Creative Stripes workshops and mentoring programmes.”

For more information, visit: www.mappercards.com and www.creativestripes.co.uk