Innovation Supper – Apply to pitch
As part of this year’s York Business Festival, York Business School and the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub are delighted to bring you the third Innovation Supper.
Perfect for projects of all shapes and sizes; from nothing more than a good idea right up to a fully formed Community Business. We are looking for people to pitch their idea, and benefit from valuable business advice.
What to Expect:
- Enjoy networking and a light supper.
- Six local entrepreneurs pitch for a chance to win £400–£600
- Each pitch gets 10 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of audience Q&A
- All pitchers receive expert pitch training from York St John University
- Pitchers benefit from audience feedback to help refine their idea
- The audience will then vote for the idea that they think is best – it’s really that simple!
If you are interested in your chance to get some great business advice and take away some funding to grow, then please fill in the application and return to us by 5pm Tuesday 18 November 2025.
Read how Innovation Supper supports Local Start-ups and discover how a Local start-up planner business benefited from £500 seed funding thanks to Innovation Supper and how Innovation Supper provides funding boost for First Leaf Farm.
Selection Criteria
- Business less than 3 years old
- Located within the York and North Yorkshire region
- Less than 5 employees.
Applications are now closed. Thank you.
Largest crackdown on late payments in over 25 years as landmark Bill enters Parliament
Small businesses will no longer be left chasing money they are already owed, as ministers today [Tuesday 19 May] introduce landmark legislation to end the scourge of late payments and back millions of sole traders, freelancers, and family firms across the country.
Funding reaches £900K in bid to boost exports
The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire has unlocked a new wave of export funding for businesses, taking the total support up to £900,000. The third round of the Get Exporting programme is available for applications today (Monday, May 11) with £265,000 in grants for businesses to tap into.
🚗 The Growth Hub is hitting the road!
After the success of last year's roadshows, the Growth Hub is hitting the road again, traveling the region to bring the best of local business support to a town near you. Partnering with NatWest Accelerator, and joined by Business Support Advisors from North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, the Growth Hub Roadshow is set to showcase what business support really looks like.
Innovation Supper: Apply to pitch
Join us for a relaxed evening with a light supper and plenty of inspiration, where you’ll have the chance to step into the spotlight and pitch your business idea to win seed funding. Prior to the pitching, you’ll be provided expert pitch training delivered by York St John, so you’re fully prepared to deliver your pitch with confidence. Whether you’re just starting out or already up and running, you’re invited to get involved.
Celebrating a Career Supporting Business Growth
Growth Hub Manager Simon Middleton is stepping into retirement following a long and rewarding career defined by his dedication to the region’s business community. Colleagues, partners and the many businesses he has supported wish Simon the very best for a happy and well-deserved retirement.
Going For Growth: Make your business profitable today
Embark on a journey of self-improvement as you momentarily step away from the day-to-day of running a business. This course isn’t about taking time off; it’s about taking time to enhance your business, surrounded by peers who are just as driven to succeed. Prepare to gain insights and strategies that will clear the fog and illuminate your businesses path forward.
National Minimum Wage support for Yorkshire & Humberside businesses
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is contacting Yorkshire &Humberside businesses to help them get their workers’ wages right and ensure they are paying at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW), as appropriate. This is part of HMRC’s regular outreach activity across the UK.
260,000 workers to get a pay rise across Yorkshire as new wage rates take effect
60,000 hard-working people across Yorkshire and the Humber will see their pay increase from today [1 April 2026], as the Government raises the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) rates.
Made Smarter Backs Local Manufacturers
Manufacturing businesses across York and North Yorkshire are being encouraged to embrace digital innovation through the Made Smarter programme, a government-funded initiative that helps companies adopt new technologies and strengthen their operations.
The Cyber Security Membership for SMEs in the North East
The North East Cyber Resilience Centre (“NECRC”) helps small and medium-sized businesses, charities, and public sector organisations improve their cyber security.
York coworking space launches International Women’s Day competition giving female entrepreneur £1,500 workspace boost!
The winner will receive a dedicated desk for six months in Blake House’s tranquil 13-desk coworking studio - an intentionally small workspace designed to create a genuine business community, offering a calm and focused alternative to the large, impersonal workspaces that many entrepreneurs reportedly experience.
Farm Business Support Programme
This programme is a planned schedule of practical workshops designed to help farm businesses understand where they are now, where they want to be next, and how to make confident decisions in a fast-changing industry. The focus is simple: real world, farm focused business skills that can be applied straight back at home.