York Businesses Dominate Innovation Funding Pitch With Majority Share Of Grants

Eleven companies based in and around York have secured the lion's share of an £800,000 innovation fund following a Dragons' Den-style pitch event.

More than £487,000 in innovation grants will flow into York-based businesses after they dominated a regional funding competition.

Eleven out of seventeen successful applicants hail from the York area, including a firm from the village of Wigginton. These city-based enterprises scooped a combined £487,702 of the total grant pot, leaving six companies from the wider North Yorkshire region to share the remaining £327,364.

Up to £60,000 each was awarded to the successful firms to develop projects involving artificial intelligence, micro-farming, recruitment technology, and overseas product expansion.

The funding was decided during a Dragons' Den-style pitching event held at West Offices in York. It forms part of the Great Ideas scheme under Mayor David Skaith’s £2.5 million Business Innovation Fund.

David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:

"With transformational grants and expert advice, we're giving our businesses the tools they need to take their Great Ideas to the next level. Whether it's about using AI to unlock productivity in factories or using sustainable thinking to help our farmers save water and money, we're backing our businesses. 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."

Product development will accelerate for York-based SealStop, which successfully pitched for £59,850. The company's founder, Belle Richardson, was among those featured on the BBC's One Show, which followed several entrepreneurs through the application process.

Belle Richardson said:

"We secured the £60,000 that we pitched for, which is incredible, and now means we can bring out our product. It’s really sped up getting that new product to market, it’s so exciting, it puts me and the business exactly where we want to be. I would definitely recommend other businesses get involved in projects like this, getting in front of people and the grant process because it’s so rewarding."

The dominance of York-based enterprises is highlighted by the diverse range of local companies securing investment. Alongside SealStop, tech-focused firms such as AI In Schools secured £56,900, while Incremental Solutions received £60,000. Data and mentoring ventures also performed strongly, with Cultivate Success, trading as TwoCan Mentor, awarded £56,120, and One Team Tech receiving £56,400.

Agricultural and food innovators in the city were not left out. Moorside Mushrooms successfully pitched for £52,283, and Morning People Limited, trading as kWh Coffee, walked away with £10,500. Further York beneficiaries included Zest Consult with £42,251, Slurp Limited with £34,898, and Phorest Diagnostics taking £20,000. Matchez, located in the York village of Wigginton, added a further £38,500 to the city's impressive haul.

While York firms secured the majority of the funding, six businesses from the wider North Yorkshire area successfully claimed the remaining £327,364. Malton-based HMI Elements and Northallerton's 80Noir Ultra Limited both secured the maximum £60,000 grant. The Incredible Plant Company, also from Northallerton and featured on television alongside SealStop, took home £41,300. Further investment went to Digital Ability Limited in Yearsley, Venture Simulations trading as SimVentures in Riccall, and Worthenshaws trading as Kirsty's in Harrogate.

The pitching initiative was developed alongside UMi, a specialist in business support and funding.

Simon Goon, the Chief Technology and Investment Officer of UMi, said:

"It was fantastic to join the Mayor’s team and other panellists for the Great Ideas pitch and to meet the inspiring entrepreneurs involved in the initiative. Support like this offers a great opportunity to help small and medium sized businesses overcome financial barriers and receive the specialist support required to innovate and grow. We are delighted with the results it has generated so far and am confident that going forward, it will help more exciting businesses to innovate and become a blueprint for others across the length and breadth of the UK to realise their potential."

The Great Ideas scheme is just one element of a wider support strategy for the region's economy. The Mayor’s Business Innovation Fund comprises five distinct programmes, which also include support for sector activity, spin-outs and start-ups, exporting, and helping businesses become funding-ready.