Elements related to an increase in survival rates of exporters are good overseas coverage, and the capacity of overseas offices to provide an understanding of the local business environment, culture and opportunities. In addition to the contribution that TIPOs make to overcome the constraints and risks of exporting, there is a more informal role of ‘handholding’, given that exporters must deal with unfamiliar business environments, foreign languages and in some cases high financial risk. These countries could consider alternative ways to build an ecosystem of in-market support abroad, however.