Innovation Supper supports Local Start-ups

Innovation Supper, a unique pitching event by York Business School, Patch York and the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, was originally inspired by a concept first introduced in Detroit in 2010.

Emma Rollason-Taylor, Business Relationship Manager for the Growth hub said; “We hosted Innovation Supper to foster a community where anyone with an idea could build connections, learn and evolve their venture.

Creating an ecosystem of entrepreneurial opportunity, for people of all backgrounds, that empowers innovation and strengthens communities.”

The event featured five emerging entrepreneurs, each pitching for a chance to receive £500 in seed funding raised through the ticket costs, to help bring their ideas to life. Each business was given 10 minutes to present their pitch, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session with the audience.

Prior to pitching, the chosen businesses benefited from expert-led pitch training delivered by York St John University. The training provided an opportunity for each entrepreneur to hone their pitching skills before standing in front of a packed audience of like-minded individuals, ready to vote for the innovative idea that captured their attention the most.

Matt Oakley Co-founder of Beer Fest Buddy, a passion project and the UK’s first comprehensive platform for discovering beer and cider festivals, pitched his idea to the room, and was appreciative of the training provided.

Matt said, “The pitching training was really useful; I took away pages of notes and feel ready to put that learning into practice.

“It was a great opportunity to receive training and practice pitching. As the business grows, I’m going to be pitching more to investors, and the opportunity to stand in front of an audience and possibly win some money, enjoy some good food, and meet like-minded people, has been an invaluable experience.”

Innovation Supper showcased a diverse group of passionate entrepreneurs, each bringing a unique vision to the table.

Jasmine Ely of Hummingbird Paper Co, pitched her business rooted in local growth, saying; “by backing Hummingbird Paper Co, you’re backing a business committed to local growth.” Jasmine drew on her marketing background and recent participation in the Strive Live programme to build a strong foundation for her pitch.

Sarah Schiewe of Soul Fired introduced Eggsplore York, a creative project placing ceramic eggs throughout the city to make art more accessible beyond traditional galleries.

Elliot Fearn pitched Data Stream; a venture focused on helping businesses unlock the potential of AI to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Sarah Hough of Sashay SEO captivated the audience with her engaging approach to digital marketing, describing her SEO offering as a dance with fun, easy-to-follow steps tailored to her niche audience.

After attendees cast their vote, the winner of the £500 seed funding was announced as Jasmine Ely, Hummingbird Paper Co, who said; “This is going to make a world of difference; my home office is going to be full of planners!”

The next Innovation Supper is set for September, to stay up to date with latest events and announcements, sign up to the Growth Hub newsletter.