Funding has been confirmed for seven projects that will provide support to business trailblazers in Leeds and strengthen the city’s reputation as an innovation hotspot.
Leeds City Council’s Innovation@Leeds programme selected them from 40 applications from organisations able to use their expertise to turbocharge the development of a new wave of digital and tech-savvy companies.
The successful seven 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.
The initiatives 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.
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.
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.
