Mayor Launches Dragon’s Den Style Business Support
The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire has unveiled the region’s answer to Dragon’s Den, backing businesses with the new most ambitious support programme so far.
Great Ideas, a new £2.5million programme as part of the Mayor’s Business Innovation Fund, will give businesses the ability to tap into expert advice and grants worth up to £60,000.
The initiative will support businesses of all sizes to develop their new ideas for a product or service. It will also support businesses to take a developed idea to the next stage.
Businesses with the most investment-ready proposals will take their ideas to a panel of experts from the region.
In a similar way to the hit TV show Dragon’s Den, those experts will unlock the funding the business needs and provide intensive support to turn their ideas into reality.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:
“We have always been home to creators and entrepreneurs, but too often, brilliant ideas stay on the drawing board because the right support isn’t there.
“With Great Ideas, we are providing a unique platform for businesses of all sizes to tap into world-class advice and substantial financial backing.
“This is the most ambitious support package we have ever delivered, and it shows that when we say York and North Yorkshire is open for business, we mean it.”
The Combined Authority appointed experienced suppliers UMi to run the programme over a two-year period.
Pictured: Harriet Stainton, York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub Delivery Manager, David Ryden, Head of Business Growth and Innovation at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, Nicki Clark, CEO of UMI, and John Frankland, Yorkshire Consulting at the launch of the Great Ideas programme.
Nicki Clark, Chief Executive at UMi said:
“We are excited to be working with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to bring the Great Ideas Programme to the region, contributing to strengthened innovation culture and celebrating the creativity of local businesses.
“UMi has a strong track-record of working with the Innovation Ecosystem and when coupled with our extensive experience in grant delivery and investor readiness, we believe this is a fantastic opportunity to help businesses overcome financial barriers and receive the specialist support they need to innovate.”
The Business Innovation Fund is made up of five programmes, supporting ‘Sector Activity’, ‘Spin-Out and Start-Ups’, ‘Get Exporting’ and ‘Great Ideas’. The final of the programmes ‘Get Funded’ will launch soon.
For more information and to access the programme’s prospectus, please visit yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk/project/business-innovation-fund/
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