About us
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Meet the Team
We’re passionate about helping businesses of all sizes thrive in our dynamic region. Our team of experienced professionals can provide you with the support and resources you need to succeed. We work closely with our colleagues at City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council to bring you the best local business support has to offer.
Contact us today to learn more about how York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub can help your business. We’re here to support you every step of the way.
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Harriet Stainton
Interim Growth Hub Delivery Manager
I manage the delivery of the Growth Hub’s support. Talk to me about what you can offer our business community.
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Nicholas White
Business Relationship Manager
I specialise in Agriculture and Farming. Talk to me if your business is based in Richmondshire.
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Karen Booth
Business Relationship Manager
I provide support to start up businesses and female enterprise. Talk to me if you are in the early stages of running your business based in the Harrogate area.
Emma Rollason-Taylor
Business Relationship Manager
I specialise in digital, creative and innovation. Talk to me about digital transformation.
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Joseph Midgley
Contracts and Relationships Officer
I run the delivery of programmes for the Growth Hub. Talk to me if you want to join our supplier register.
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Mike Pennington
Business Relationship Manager
I manage the Made Smarter Programme. Talk to me for Tech support, digital road mapping and grant support to digitise your manufacturing business.
Jack Colding
Business Relationship Manager
I am the specialist for environment and sustainability. Talk to me to save money on your waste and energy bills.
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Faye Greer-Pickup
Growth Hub Delivery Officer
I manage the help desk and support pre-start businesses. Talk to me to get your business started.
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Simon Middleton
Growth Hub Delivery Manager
I manage the delivery of the Growth Hub’s support. Talk to me about what you can offer our business community in York and North Yorkshire.
By its very geography, York and North Yorkshire is home to a diverse range of businesses.
Regardless of size or sector, the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub is here to provide free and impartial business support. We are government-funded but locally based, which means that we provide tailored support based around the needs of our unique region.
How we’ve helped other businesses like yours
Click on the videos below to see how we have helped other businesses in the region or read more of our case studies here.
What is a Growth Hub?
York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub
We’re one of 38 Growth Hubs set up by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Helping you access support and funding
Accessing funding and finance for your business can be confusing and overwhelming at times. You can contact our helpdesk and our team will be able to assess your business needs and introduce you to the providers of the appropriate support. You can contact them by emailing support@ynygrowthhub.com.
Remaining local
We know your time is limited and you need to access information quickly. Our website provides information on local support schemes in relation to skills, finance, sustainability, import and export, and more. In addition, we have details of events across the region and you can find out how we’ve supported other local businesses to expand their set up.
Good for you, great for York and North Yorkshire
Ensuring your business has everything it needs to succeed is not only great for you but also for our regional economy, so getting you the support you need and at the right time is our key priority.
“It’s about creating conversations, not paperwork. When running a small business, time is one of your most valuable assets and mistakes are costly. We want small business owners to be able to quickly find someone they can trust.”
David Kerfoot MBE, Chairman, Kerfoot Group
Articles
Export magic as York business nears 1 million sales milestone
A York-based business owner is set to export 1 million drinks to the US this year and wants more of the region’s businesses to follow in his footsteps. Phil Pinder from the Potions Cauldron will be one of the experts taking part in the export roadshows this month, organised by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority. The team will visit venues across two weeks including Tadcaster, Harrogate, Scarborough, York, Catterick and Skipton.
Business Basics - Directors Loans and Dividends
Often business owners will inject cash into a business where they are a Director. This could be when the business is starting out, or to help with cash flow along the way. But how are these cash injections accounted for, and when can they be withdrawn?
Business Basics – Project Evaluation
Projects can be anything from taking on a new person, or launching a new product, to building a manufacturing site, or acquiring a business to merge with the current one. How you evaluate each project can vary depending on size and complexity. But undertaking the exercise leads to better decision making and control.
Events
10th October 202510:00 am - 11:30 amFREE
🟢 Steps into Digital: Basic Data Literacy Skills
Businesses generate data, through sales, customer interactions or internal operations. Yet many aren’t confident in understanding or applying it. This session introduces what data is, where it comes from and how it can be used to support better business outcomes.
14th October 202510:00 am - 3:00 pmFREE
🟢 [FULLY BOOKED] Steps into Digital: Instagram for Business, A Beginner's Guide (Ripon)
This introductory workshop is designed to help you demystify and gain confidence using the fundamental features of Instagram enabling you optimise and grow your account, business and your confidence at beginner level.
14th October 20259:30 am - 12:15 pmFREE
Export Roadshow: Tadcaster
This roadshow is a great opportunity to network with other businesses looking to grow and ask questions of the experts. It will provide you with helpful advice, routes for support beyond the event, including the UK Export Academy, and information about other funding opportunities.
Resources
Webinar Recording: A Grassroots Approach to Thriving Towns
This webinar, funded through the Mayor’s Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund, shares practical tools, inspiring stories, and proven strategies to activate your own high street on small budgets, from the ground up.
Webinar Recordings: LinkedIn Webinar SeriesLinkedIn Webinar Series
This three-part LinkedIn webinar series is designed to support you at every stage of your LinkedIn journey, from building a presence to leveraging the platform for business growth. Starting with Build Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn, Elevate Your LinkedIn, and finally Elevate LinkedIn for Business Growth.
Webinar Recording: IP Readiness for Investment: A Strategic Guide for Early-Stage Businesses
For early-stage businesses, intellectual property is often the most valuable asset on the table. Yet many founders underestimate how closely investors scrutinize IP during due diligence. Delivered by experienced Patent Attorney Melvyn Ansell, this session will explore how to turn your IP into a powerful lever for funding, valuation, and long-term growth.