Case Studies
Articles
Innovation Supper provides funding boost for First Leaf Farm
The event followed its now well-established format: attendees enjoyed supper while hearing from local entrepreneurs, each given ten minutes to pitch their business idea followed by questions from the audience. At the end of the evening, participants voted to decide which business would receive the proceeds from ticket sales, providing both a financial boost and valuable exposure to an engaged local network.
How Joanne Found Value in a Focused Business Vision
While the business grew steadily, Joanne faced challenges with brand clarity, strategic focus and the isolation of running a business by herself. Joanne reached for support and was introduced to Karen, the Growth Hub Start-up Specialist.
Made Smarter Backs Unity Racing on the Road to Singapore
Made Smarter Yorkshire is proud to continue its support for Unity Racing, a team of six exceptional college students competing in the renowned F1 in Schools competition. As the reigning UK national champions, Unity Racing will once again take on the world stage this September, heading to Singapore for the highly anticipated global finals.
Local start-up planner business benefits from £500 seed funding thanks to Innovation Supper
Innovation Supper, a unique pitching event by York Business School, Patch York and the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, was inspired by a concept first introduced in Detroit in 2010. The winner of the funding was Jasmine Ely, founder of Hummingbird Paper Co, who received the most votes following a standout pitch that showcased her business rooted in local growth. Jasmine drew on her marketing background and recent participation in the Strive Live programme to build a strong foundation for her pitch.
Innovation Supper supports Local Start-ups
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. 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.
Rachel Derry's Journey to management with the Seventh Wave Programme
OT4me founders, Louise Newton and Lizzie Huxford, made the decision to step back from daily management to focus on expanding their business. During an annual appraisal, Rachel Derry was identified as a strong candidate for the clinical lead role. This created a promising opportunity for development, supported by the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.
Innovating Sustainable Christmas Trees with Growth Hub Support
Founder of Festive Green, a start-up which creates sustainable artificial Christmas trees, received support from the Growth Hub through a range of hands-on programmes designed to give start-ups a step up.
‘Being organised helps take the stress out of completing a tax return’
Jade Milbourne, 34, runs a dog grooming salon with her business partner. They offer high-quality dog grooming and teeth cleaning services for our four-legged friends. Jade has been running the business for 5 years and believes the way to stay on top of her tax return each year is to stay organised.
Fabrication flourishes with support from City of York Council
Fabrication, a social enterprise, independent shop and creative workspace, recently celebrated a significant milestone with the launch of their newest creative spaces.