17 small and medium-sized businesses across Yorkshire have secured a combined £800,000 in funding following a Dragons’ Den-style pitching event in York.
Hosted at York’s West Offices, the pitch saw local entrepreneurs secure individual purpose-built grants of up to £60,000 each. The initiative forms part of Great Ideas, a £2.5 million innovation programme delivered through the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire’s Business Innovation Fund in partnership with business specialist UMi.
The funding will support projects across AI-enabled manufacturing, recruitment technology, micro-farming, and international product development. Successful applicants included Belle Richardson, founder of York-based SealStop, who secured £60,000 to accelerate her product launch.
“We secured the £60,000 that we pitched for, which is incredible, and now means we can bring out our product,” said Belle Richardson. “It’s really sped up getting that new product to market; it’s so exciting.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, highlighted the importance of direct financial backing for regional growth. “With transformational grants and expert advice, we’re giving our businesses the tools they need to take their Great Ideas to the next level,” Skaith said. “The Great Ideas fund is here to match your ambition and shows that when we say York and North Yorkshire is open for business, we mean it.”
Great Ideas operates alongside four other regional support initiatives focused on start-ups, sector development, export growth, and capital investment.
