Business Innovation & Funding
Business innovation should be an accessible goal for organisations of all sizes and does not always have to revolve around technology.
There are many ways in which businesses can think creatively about how they adapt to the rapidly evolving needs and tastes of their audience.
However, businesses are often restricted by a lack of finance, resources, time or know-how to get ideas off the ground. Plus, unpredictable world events can make it difficult for businesses to think about business innovation.
Our growth managers can work with you to refine your plans and, with strong links to partner organisations and educational establishments, help you find a route through any barriers that you may be facing.
In addition, we can provide innovation advice to organisations that are looking to relocate to York and North Yorkshire. Whether you are a foreign-owned or UK business looking to expand, relocate or invest, Invest in York & North Yorkshire can help.
We can help with:
- Cultural barriers
Challenges with cross-cultural communication, especially for businesses looking to expand into international markets.
- Structural barriers
Tackling natural or tactical barriers that arise preventing new entry into your market.
- Financial Barriers
Wanting to make change but lacking the funds to accomplish these goals
- Business communication
Improving internal and external practices and reducing errors by sharing information in the right way.
Fund your business innovation with Made Smarter
If you’re a manufacturing business that is looking to increase the use of technology and expand your business capabilities, the Made Smarter programme could help you access advice, support and even grant funding.
Whether you are completely brand new to digital technology, or you have already started your digitalisation journey, you will be able to receive bespoke advice on anything from skills and leadership to innovation strategies.
Adopting new technology can be daunting, but the Made Smarter scheme will enable you to get the best advice and support from the pioneers and experts in national and local industry bodies.
Made Smarter is encouraging the UK’s next industrial revolution by giving you the competitive edge in a rapidly-growing industry. The programme aims to bring the best out of the UK manufacturing industry by upskilling and encouraging collaboration and innovation – keeping us ahead of the competition in the global manufacturing stage.
Find out more about Innovation
To find out more about how we can help with Business Innovation, get in touch.
Articles
Digital Marketing 2-Day Workshops
This in-person, 2-day course is designed to equip businesses in York & North Yorkshire with the essential digital marketing skills they need to feel more confident and grow. Coming to Richmond, Thirsk, York and Bentham.
5.65 million still to file as the Self Assessment deadline looms
Customers can start their tax return, save it and re-visit it as many times as they need to before they submit it. And, once they’ve sent it, the bill doesn’t have to be paid straight away, but does need to be paid before the 31 January deadline. The easiest way to pay is through the HMRC app. Customers can also set up notifications in the app to ensure they know when payments are due so they don’t miss a deadline.
Step into Meta for Business: Webinar Series
Unlock the power of WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram with three action packed workshops. Come to all three to find out where to start and how to boost your organic, paid and sales growth on these enormous platforms, or pick and choose topics to suit your business. We’ve gathered a team of highly experienced and qualified Meta experts to help you get the most out of using Meta for your Business.
Events
21st January 202610:00 am - 11:30 amFREE
Webinar: PR for Small Businesses
Want to get your business featured in newspapers and magazines in 2026? Jo and Linda will explain why you should be prioritising PR - including reaching a new audience (outside your social media bubble), building trust and credibility, and boosting your sales and SEO.
22nd January 202610:00 am - 4:00 pmFREE
Business Automation for Intermediate Users: Day 2
Connect your tools and build smarter business systems. This business automation session shows you how to streamline your customer experience using tools like Zapier, HubSpot, and AI assistants. You will experiment with building automated processes allowing you to reduce admin time, and manage leads more effectively, with hands-on guidance and real examples you can try right away.
27th January 202610:00 am - 12:00 pmFREE
From Idea to Visibility: A 90-Day Roadmap for Start-ups
Starting and growing a business is exciting; but it’s also overwhelming. How do you find your first customers? Which marketing channels really matter? And with AI changing the game so quickly, how do you keep up without burning out?
Resources
Webinar Recording: 🟣 Mastering data protection and compliance
In this engaging and practical webinar series, Privacy Protect Group Ltd will guide you through everything you need to know to build a confident, compliant, and resilient approach to data protection in your business. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your practices, each session is designed to build your understanding step-by-step.
Webinar Recording: Autumn Budget 2025, how will it impact your business?
The Autumn Budget, announced on 26 November 2025, introduced a range of changes that business owners need to be aware of. From updates to taxation and compliance rules, to adjustments in incentives and support schemes. These measures could affect how you plan and operate in the year ahead. To help you understand what’s changing and what it means for your business, we’re hosting a webinar that breaks down the key points in a clear and practical way.
Webinar Recording: 🟡 Data Protection in practice
In this engaging and practical webinar series, Privacy Protect Group Ltd will guide you through everything you need to know to build a confident, compliant, and resilient approach to data protection in your business. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your practices, each session is designed to build your understanding step-by-step.