Local Factsheet - North Yorkshire (Previously Craven, Richmondshire, Selby, Ryedale, Scarborough, Hambleton and Harrogate)

The growth hub provides support via a web portal signposting business owners to appropriate business support services. The portal includes an extensive range of business articles, guides, and a range of e-books. It also details event listings and a list of funded support that businesses can access.

The hub offers direct support over the phone, virtual calls, and face-to-face support via a team of relationship managers that have their own specialisms, including marketing, agriculture, manufacturing, and sustainability. The relationship manager will support businesses to source appropriate funding and work with them to provide long term wider business support. The growth hub is available to support businesses at any stage from pre-trading to established businesses. 

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading. 

Website: https://www.ynygrowthhub.com/

E-mail: support@ynygrowthhub.com

Tel: 0800 246 5045

Are you looking for support for your business?

North Yorkshire County Council can provide information on trading standards, procurement, licenses/permits, funding opportunities in the area, as well as offering local support and business advice.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/business-and-economy

Tel: 01609 780780 - General enquiries

For a variety of business support in the local area you can contact North Yorkshire Trading Standards.

They can provide two years free support to businesses in the area including assistance dealing with customer complaints, food labelling guidance, information on the manufacture of animal food products, safety legislation, assistance with terms and conditions, consumer rights legislation and more.

The two year qualifying period for free business advice will commence from either the businesses start-up date or from the date of the first inquiry made to the Trading Standards Service. Established businesses wanting assistance with a new venture (e.g. a cosmetic manufacturer starts importing electrical appliances or a pig keeper starts to keep sheep) would also qualify for 2 years free support for the new venture in the same way as a new business. This service may also be available for businesses that don't fall into this eligibility but at a chargeable rate.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/business-and-economy/trading-standards/trading-standards-advice-businesses

Tel: 01609 780780

E-mail: business.advice@northyorks.gov.uk

Is your business in Yorkshire, Humber and East Lancashire? Would you like assistance in growing your business?

Airedale Enterprise Services (AES) offer a variety of services that could help. Delivering business support, advice and training to all stages of businesses you can access a range of courses, ISO training, consultancy, office renting and training. Some services are free whilst others will attract a charge, contact for further details.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://www.airedaleenterprise.org.uk/

Tel: 01535 607 775

E-mail: info@airedaleenterprise.org.uk

Are you thinking about starting a new business or becoming self-employed?

Free, fully funded, short courses offered online, providing an introduction to the key considerations of starting a business or becoming self-employed.  Learners will gain two enterprise qualifications, and receive ongoing support for three months afterwards.  To register your interest, complete the online form.

Following completion of the course, participants have the option to join further free programmes focussed on digital promotion and digital skills in the business, covering areas including using digital technologies and software for word processing, presentations and spreadsheets and digital skills career progression.

They also provide access to a fully funded, self-paced online Functional Skills course to help people build on their abilities in English and Maths, equivalent to a GCSE qualification.

For ex-offenders who have left the prison service, Through the Gate Support, provides learners with the opportunity to gain a recognised business qualification.  Through a series of engaging sessions, the course covers all the basics of starting up, and supports learners to work with other specialist ex-offender agencies as part of their resettlement journey.  To make an enquiry contact the team by emailing referrals@kickoffinbusiness.co.uk. 

Eligibility: Available for people over the age of 19, not started trading or within the first 12 months of trading.

Website: https://www.kickoffinbusiness.co.uk

General contact form: https://www.kickoffinbusiness.co.uk/contact

The incubator programme combines live online training with regular one-to-one advice and on-demand online learning, providing support with starting and launching a business. Seven weeks of training is included covering topics such as branding, marketing, sales skills, cash flow forecasting, legal responsibilities, business planning and more. Training sessions take place online between 7pm and 9pm and it is important that participants attend all sessions. Participants are also given the chance to win up to £2,500 in micro grants at the end of the programme.

The programme is due to deliver another cohort in April 2025 interested parties can register via the website.

The programme is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is delivered in partnership between the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub and Enterprise Cube.

Eligibility: Pre-start and start up businesses. 

Website: https://www.ynygrowthhub.com/events/strive-live-start-up-incubator-2024-25/

Email: joseph.midgley@ynygrowthhub.com

A business support programme focusing on improving business owners' social media and digital marketing skills. Support with be provided one-to-one and will be tailored to your business needs. Topics that may be included depending on the business needs are creating a social media strategy, developing quality content, optimising social media profiles, setting up bios, and time saving tips and tools.

Due to the bespoke, one-to-one nature of this support, there may be a waiting period before support can be offered. Places are limited. 

The programme is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is delivered by Catch Design Management in partnership with York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

Eligibility: Available to all stages of business in the North Yorkshire Council area.

Website: https://www.ynygrowthhub.com/blog/news/catch-design-social-media-support-2024/

Email: support@ynygrowthhub.com

The North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC) is a police led, not-for-profit organisation which was established in 2019 as part of a national network to support businesses across the region from online crime and fraud. The NEBRC is closely linked to the seven police forces in the region as well as Northumbria and Sheffield Hallam Universities.  

The aim of the Centre is to help businesses make informed choices on keeping cyber secure, providing free support to businesses working with the best cyber agencies and consultants from across the UK to help demystify the jargon, offering access to national intelligence data, free guidance, and affordable practical help to increase online protection.   

The NEBRC offers a completely free core membership to businesses of any size or sector, which includes a monthly e-newsletter with the latest advice and guidance of cyber security matters. They also support you on a journey for upwards of 12 months to improve your business’s cyber resilience. Alongside this, businesses can access a range of affordable cyber resilience services provided by some of the most talented student teams in the country, working alongside senior cyber security practitioners. 

Eligibility: Available to all stages of business. For sole traders, micro, small and medium businesses. 

Website: https://www.nebrcentre.co.uk/  

Email: enquiries@nebrcentre.co.uk  

Enquiry form: https://www.nebrcentre.co.uk/contact-us/

It is important to make sure your business's Intellectual Property (IP) needs are met correctly.

One-stop information service to support all business and intellectual property (IP) needs. They will support you to learn new business skills, research your market with access to databases and reports, offer company information and accounts; guidance on protecting products and services with patents, trademarks, registered designs and copyright and how to avoid infringing other people's intellectual property rights.  You can also book free one-to-one advice with business advisers, accountants and IP specialists, and meet fellow entrepreneurs.  Local centres are available at libraries in Bradford, Calderdale, Leeds and Wakefield (check the website for further details).

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://libraries.leeds.gov.uk/what-you-can-do/bipc-leeds

Tel: 0113 378 6010

E-mail: bipcleeds@leeds.gov.uk

A programme for manufacturing companies in the West Midlands. Made Smarter is designed to help accelerate growth through access to a range of support.

This includes advice from digital specialists with a fully funded assessment and digital roadmap for your business, help with your strategy to implement new technologies, leadership development, access to digital skills resources and workshops, support for technological innovations, plus up to 50% match-funding towards the purchase or hardware and software. 

To find out more and make an enquiry, visit the website.

Eligibility: Manufacturing businesses that have begun trading who are looking to grow.

Website: https://www.madesmarter.uk/adoption/in-my-region/yorkshire-the-humber/

Enterprise works has various offers to support business start-up and growth in York and North Yorkshire. They leverage the University’s network and hugely experienced business support teams to identify support, funding and advice for every stage of your business’ development.

Some of the support includes:

• Office space & hot desks
• Help with recruitment
• Skills development
• Support with skills needed to start a business
• Enterprise Works Connect which provides free access to a network of entrepreneurs
• Social Enterprise support

Eligibility: All stages of business, including those not yet trading.

Website: https://www.york.ac.uk/enterprise-works/

Email: enterprise-works@york.ac.uk

Tel: 01904 321420

Innovate UK Business Growth (was Innovate UK EDGE) is a key part of the UK innovation agency’s investment in the innovative businesses that drive economic growth. It provides intensive, specialist-led support to ambitious innovation-led businesses to help them grow and scale.

Each high-potential, innovative business is supported by a dedicated innovation & growth specialist local to them. The specialist will consider a business in the round and, working closely with its leadership, identify the most productive ways to accelerate its growth. This could be by working on the core business plan and value proposition or through exploiting innovation, accessing funding and finance, and/or expanding into new markets.

In particular, the specialists can help companies to develop an innovation-driven business plan; understand how to protect and create value from their intellectual property; develop a strategy to fund and finance their innovation, growth and be investment ready; connect to new partners for commercial, technology and R&D collaborations; and discover opportunities in overseas markets learning how to capitalise on them.

Innovate UK Business Growth  also offer the Scaleup Programme for enhanced support, the Global Incubator Programme and the Global Business Innovation Programme.

Eligibility: Available for businesses that have begun trading (innovative businesses, looking to grow and scale their business in the UK market and internationally) with up to 500 employees (250 in Northern Ireland). It is not suitable for pre-starts, or for those businesses who have no ambition to grow through innovation or internationalisation.

Website: https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/business-growth/

Online Contact Form: https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/business-growth-contact/ 

Tel: 0300 123 3066  (National Gateway)

The Apprenticeship Hub offers free and impartial apprenticeship advice and support to SMEs in York, North Yorkshire and East Riding. The Hub can also provide free support and training for leadership and management teams as well as pre-apprenticeship and wraparound support for apprentices, by offering a range of bespoke training courses and qualifications delivered by expert skills providers. 

Eligibility: Available to SMEs. Training and support must be delivered in the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding region. Participants must be aged 16 or over and have the legal right to live and work in the UK. Available to businesses that are already trading.

Website: https://apprenticeship-hub.co.uk/  
 
Email: info@apprenticeship-hub.co.uk

The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) assists businesses in developing ways to convert plants, microbes, and bio waste into profitable bio-renewable products.

They provide a range of services and information such as project funding, bio-opportunities, pre-processing and fast track breeding, process development and desk-based assessments to help businesses develop or scale-up new greener processes and products. Services may be chargeable.

Eligibility: Businesses trading over 24 months. Food and drink, bioenergy, chemicals, agri/horticulture or waste management sectors.

Website: www.biorenewables.org

Tel: 01904 328040

E-mail: biorenewables@york.ac.uk

York Law School Clinic provides a free legal advice service to individuals and businesses in the North Yorkshire area (meetings are held in their offices in York).

The clinic can assist with start-up legal issues, contracts, business-to-business issues, copyright etc. The service is operated by students who are supervised by a solicitor.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Closing date: Open October to March - term time only.

Website: https://www.york.ac.uk/law/legal-clinic/small-business-clinic/

E-mail: law-clinic@york.ac.uk

Tel: 01904 325802  (opening hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)

Do you need legal advice? Lawyers for your business is a scheme offering a free half-hour consultation with a member of the Law Society.

The lawyer will not be able to deal with existing legal issues but can help with general legal enquiries about starting a business, employing people, contracts with customers and suppliers, taking on leased premises, business structures, health and safety and raising finance. When contacting a solicitor for a 30-minute free consultation you must advise you are calling regarding the Lawyers for your business scheme and use the named contact on the sheet sent to you from the service.

Eligibility: Available for businesses trading up to 12 months including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/

Tel: 020 7320 5650 - If you need help with using the find a solicitor section, Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm

E-mail: lfyb@lawsociety.org.uk - please include postcode or town/city in the e-mail.

For solicitors interested in joining the LFYB scheme
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/career-advice/individual-accreditations/lawyers-for-your-business

A graduate recruitment programme that can help organisations in Hambleton recruit a graduate and provide financial support towards employment costs.

The graduate programme runs for three years. It provides funding for SMEs of up to £4,000 per graduate (the minimum wage subsidy is £2,000) depending on the duration of the internship. The funding helps you with paying graduate wages or to buy equipment to support the graduate’s role. 

Website: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/business-and-economy/business-grants/apprentice-and-graduate-funding/hambleton-area-graduate-funding

Business Enterprise Fund is a non-profit social enterprise that provides loans to businesses where other lenders may not have been able to assist. They offer varied loan types from £500 to £250,000 dependent on the stage of your business.

Eligibility: Loans are available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading. 

Website: https://www.befund.org/

Tel: 0800 080 3145

E-mail: info@befund.org

Are you looking for funding to grow your business and take on staff? Then the Finance Yorkshire Investment Fund might just be for you.

They offer eligible companies funding for activities that will deliver high-growth and employment opportunities across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Business loans - loans of between £25,000 and £250,000, aimed at early stage, established or growing business looking for expansion finance.

Eligibility: Available for businesses that have begun trading.

Website: https://www.thefsegroup.com/fund/finance-yorkshire-business-loans 

Contact via the website.

Resident groups or community organisations can apply for grants of up to £1,000 to help fund local projects and events. The aim behind the fund is to encourage people to get involved in their local community by offering small grants to help establish new services, events or activities that increase social interaction, encourage neighbourliness and improve the wellbeing of individuals and communities.

The grant may be used to:

• fund events or activities
• help with start-up costs for new projects or services
• purchase small items of equipment

Eligibility: Resident groups or community organisations operating in North Yorkshire. Please see website for further eligibility. 

Website: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/community-and-volunteering/grants-and-funding/inspire-fund

Email: stronger.communities@northyorks.gov.uk  

Enterprise answers have loans available from £10,000 to £150,000 for businesses that have been trading for at least 2 years or more, sole trader, partnerships and limited companies can apply. Loans can be used for any legitimate and legal business purpose including: Working capital, Purchase of equipment or machinery, Business expansion and Premises.

Eligibility: Available for business that have been trading for at least 2 years or more.

Website: https://www.enterpriseanswers.co.uk/

Tel: 01768 867 118

E-mail: enquiries@enterpriseanswers.co.uk

Finance for Enterprise provides loan funding and advice across Yorkshire and The Humber, Lincolnshire and East Midlands.

They offer an alternative source of finance (up to £250,000) for businesses unable to access mainstream funds and can also act as a gap funder for a wider finance package.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://finance-for-enterprise.co.uk/

Tel: 0333 014 3455

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund 2 offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans and debt finance from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million. 

The loans they currently provide are listed below:

Smaller loans - Small business loans from £25,000 - £100,000

Debt finance - Business loans from £100,000 - £2,000,000

Equity finance - Early stage or late stage equity funding up to £5,000,000

Eligibility: Available for businesses that have begun trading (with growth potential).

Website: https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/nations-and-regions-investment-funds/northern-powerhouse-investment-fund-ii-npif-ii/

If you are looking for funding then Key Fund may be able to help.

Providing tailored grants and loans to support the development and growth of new and existing social enterprise activity in the North of England. Funding can be used to support revenue or capital costs, including bridging facilities, capital purchases, cashflow, refurbishment costs, running costs, set-up costs, and wages.

They also deliver bespoke workshops and one-to-one support.

Eligibility: Available for businesses that have begun trading but you must be a registered/incorporated company providing positive social or environmental impact. The fund can not support sole traders or partnerships of individuals. Applicants must have already approached a commercial lender and been refused, prior to submitting a proposal.

Website: https://thekeyfund.co.uk/

Tel: 0330 202 0559

Email: info@thekeyfund.co.uk 

North Yorkshire Council
Guidance on the council's procurement process and applying for opportunities.
https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/business-and-economy/procurement

YORTender
Procurement network offering opportunities in the Yorkshire & Humber Region.
https://yortender.eu-supply.com/login.asp?B=YORTENDER
Tech support e-mail: uksupport@eu-supply.com
Tech support tel: 0800 840 2050 during office hours ONLY (09.00 to 17.00)

YPO (Public Sector Procurement Portal)
Products and services portal for councils across the UK.
https://tendering.ypo.co.uk/
Tel: 01924 834 834
E-mail: contactus@ypo.co.uk

York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub
Business events, webinars and networking opportunities for businesses in the region.
https://www.ynygrowthhub.com/events/

West & North Yorkshire Chamber
Networking and webinars from West and North Yorkshire Chamber.
http://www.wnychamber.co.uk/events/

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce
http://www.harrogatechamber.co.uk/

Scarborough and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce
Information on when the next members' meeting is and other events available. Membership fees may apply.
http://www.scarboroughchamber.org.uk/

FSB - Federation of Small Business
Virtual events, including networking and business surgeries designed to help you find advice, support and guidance.
https://www.fsb.org.uk/event-calendar.html

AD:VENTURE Events
Business events, networking, training and webinars.
https://www.ad-venture.org.uk/events/

Institute of Directors (IoD) Yorkshire
A business network for people who run Ltd companies
https://www.iod.com/locations/yorkshire-north-east/events/

The Yorkshire Mafia
B2B Membership group.
http://theyorkshiremafia.com/

CATCH
For the manufacturing and process industries in Yorkshire.
https://www.catchuk.org/

North Yorkshire Council
Information about renting workspaces and offices or applying for a market stall, as well as advertising and sponsorship opportunities across the region.
Website: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/business-and-economy/commercial-services-and-venues

The Enterprise Centre – York St John University
Located within York St John University campus. Co-working desk space can be hired and virtual offices are available with a range of benefits (charges apply). Access to meeting facilities is available. The centre is open Monday to Friday from 8am – 6pm. Other business support resources are also available through the centre.
Website: https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/business-support/enterprise-centre/
E-mail:  business@yorksj.ac.uk 

York Science Park
York Science Park offers flexible, fully serviced, high specification office space across five buildings with business suites of varying shapes and sizes. Businesses based at York Science Park benefit from inclusive flexible agreements at competitive rates, 24/7 access, free onsite car parking, free use of meeting rooms (during reception opening hours), as well as direct links to the University of York. 
Website: https://www.yorksciencepark.co.uk/
E-mail: enquiries@yorksciencepark.co.uk 
Tel: 01904 322700 

The Guildhall
Located in York city centre, The Guildhall York offers a range of workspace solutions to suit business needs; from coworking spaces to help foster collaboration, to office spaces to support your business’s formation and growth. Businesses based at The Guildhall York will have access to the knowledge and expertise of world-leading academics at the University of York and an annual programme of events and workshops.
Website: https://www.york.ac.uk/business/theguildhall/ 
E-mail: guildhall@york.ac.uk 
Tel: 01904 322411