Innovation@Leeds funding aims to provide launchpad for future business success

Leeds City Council’s Innovation@Leeds programme recently invited grant applications from organisations that were ready, willing and able to use their expertise to turbocharge the development of a new wave of digital and tech-savvy companies.

A total of 40 applications were received, with the seven successful bidders – chosen by the council following a competitive selection process – each receiving a grant of up to £25,000.

They will now use the funding to run a range of knowledge-sharing events and mentoring programmes aimed at people from diverse communities and backgrounds who want to launch or further develop their own innovation-led businesses.

This work will, it is anticipated, help the participants build the kind of skills and contacts that will prove crucial as they look to carve out their own niche in fields such as artificial intelligence or health and financial tech.

In the longer term, it is hoped their businesses will go on to deliver cutting-edge products, processes and services that make Leeds a healthier and greener place to live.

The grants are also designed to benefit the Leeds economy by driving inclusive growth while showcasing the city’s innovation strengths to outside investors.

The initiatives that have been chosen to receive funding are:

• GreenTech Gathering, four full-day workshops that will provide green technology businesses with expert insight in areas such as investor readiness and brand strategy. The sessions will be delivered with support from madeby.studio, Sustainable Ventures, Bruntwood SciTech and Optimo;
• A programme of mentoring, workshops and public speaking opportunities – delivered by FinTech North – that will help aspiring entrepreneurs and future business leaders develop their pitching and presenting skills;
• The Brand Lab, which will see creative design studio Buttercrumble running a series of workshops focused on how tech organisations can connect with target audiences through the use of techniques such as visual storytelling and inclusive communication;
• Athena VC Elevate, a venture capital-focused programme – being run by Lifted Ventures – that will aim to give business founders the tools and knowledge they need to achieve rapid growth and long-term success;
• A programme of business support – including grant-writing assistance and one-to-one mentoring – delivered by Quick Labs, a science innovation hub that provides affordable, fully-equipped laboratory space for early-stage tech start-ups;
• Global Innovators, a project designed to help innovative businesses better understand – and realise – their international growth potential. The programme will be delivered by Creaticity, Synhrgy and Investor Ladder;
• AI 360 Leeds, an AI Tech UK business support programme that will give start-ups, entrepreneurs and others the chance to find out more about artificial intelligence strategies and how they can be used to power growth.

Innovation@Leeds was launched by the council in 2021 to try to ensure that opportunities in sectors such as digital are made available to all.

The programme’s latest grants are being funded through central government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is administered locally by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The award of the grants will align with a city-wide vision – co-created by the council with key local partners – for stimulating innovation in a way that has a positive social impact.

One aspect of that vision is the further development and transformation of the Leeds Innovation Arc, an area on the west side of the city centre that is home to globally-renowned educational, health and cultural establishments as well as an array of start-ups, scale-ups and major businesses.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said:

“We are determined, as a council, to play our part in giving people from all backgrounds and communities the opportunity to make the most of their potential.

“These Innovation@Leeds grants are a great example of how that ambition can be achieved, with the chosen projects set to offer expert insight and guidance to a diverse range of founders, entrepreneurs and thinkers.

“Their success will be the city’s success, as a productive future for their businesses will have a positive wider impact on Leeds and its economy through the creation of jobs and other opportunities.

“By sharing knowledge and expertise, the projects also underline how a collaborative approach to working can help our thriving innovation sector reach even greater heights.”

ENDS