Businesses in York and North Yorkshire can benefit from a Dragon’s Den style initiative launched today by the region’s mayor.
Great Ideas is a programme which will give firms the chance to tap into expert advice and grants worth up to £60,000.
It will support them to develop their new ideas for a product or service, or take a developed idea to the next stage.
Businesses with the most investment-ready proposals will take their ideas to a panel of experts from the region.
In a similar way to the hit TV show Dragon’s Den, those experts will unlock the funding the business needs and provide intensive support to turn their ideas into reality.
Find out more and apply
For more information and to access the programme’s prospectus, go here.
Part of the Mayor’s Business Innovation Fund, the £2.5 million Great Ideas programme aims to back innovative ideas, products and processes.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “We have always been home to creators and entrepreneurs, but too often, brilliant ideas stay on the drawing board because the right support isn’t there.
“With Great Ideas, we are providing a unique platform for businesses of all sizes to tap into world-class advice and substantial financial backing.
“This is the most ambitious support package we have ever delivered, and it shows that when we say York and North Yorkshire is open for business, we mean it.”
He told YorkMix that businesses in the area are generally “very positive”.
“They like the fact that things seem a lot more settled, a lot calmer – and they really like the fact that we’re coming in with a very bespoke way of supporting businesses in York and North Yorkshire.”
He added: “We’re very conscious that we have a lot of very small and micro businesses who want to develop, who want to innovate, who want to grow, but don’t always have access to that support, finance and that expertise.”
The Great Ideas programme can help “those smaller and newer businesses who do want to innovate and evolve”.
The combined authority appointed experienced suppliers UMi to run the programme over a two-year period.
Nicki Clark, Chief Executive at UMi said: “We are excited to be working with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to bring the Great Ideas Programme to the region, contributing to strengthened innovation culture and celebrating the creativity of local businesses.
“UMi has a strong track-record of working with the Innovation Ecosystem and when coupled with our extensive experience in grant delivery and investor readiness, we believe this is a fantastic opportunity to help businesses overcome financial barriers and receive the specialist support they need to innovate.”
