Raising Funding

The new government have made it clear that they want business to play a big part in business support in the future.

Connect Yorkshire is just such a project. It started in the private sector. We are sponsored by 44 leading business people and professionals in Yorkshire who provide over £60k of cash and £250k of time to help businesses get ready for investment. A similar amount of cash has been provided by Yorkshire Forward for the last few years.

Companies we have helped have raised over £34m in equity. We are a not for profit company limited by guarantee with a Board of Directors drawn from leading business people and professionals who provide their time free.

Our private/public model is unique and is one we believe the Government should support and replicate throughout the country. I cannot overstate the quality and quantity of free help we get from the business community for the companies we help; from business people and professionals who have succeeded/are succeeding.

It is based on Connect in San Diego who use successful entrepreneurs, called Entrepreneurs in Residence, who give 6-8 weeks of time to get projects from the 50 Research Institutes in San Diego ready for investment.