Innovation
Fire up your Food and Drink business with Make it! toolkits
A free video toolkit to help growing food and drink businesses in York and North Yorkshire. Essential ingredients for food and drink business success.
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.
Steps into Digital: Voucher Scheme
Benefit from a bespoke approach to digital transformation, accessible and manageable to all at any level. Providers will collaborate with business's on a one-to-one basis, delivering tailored support that aligns with specific digital needs and objectives.
Meet your High Street Coordinator: Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund
If you’re unsure whether your project idea is a good fit for the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets fund, have any questions or simply need support, please get in touch with your local High Street Coordinator to discuss your proposal.
Innovation Supper – Apply to pitch
After the incredible success of the previous event, we’re thrilled to announce the return of Innovation Supper, and once again, we’re inviting you apply to pitch. 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 4 September 2025.
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.
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.
Unlock Europe: UK Export Academy
Unlock Europe is a UK Export Academy webinar series designed to help businesses thrive in the EU. It covers market research, regulatory frameworks like GPSR and CBAM, VAT, the TCA and Rules of Origin, with deep dives into key sectors.
Local business support helps York business lead revolution in microscope technology
A pioneering York business is leading the way in cutting-edge microscope technology, thanks to local business support from City of York Council and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.