Investment Readiness

Overview

This package of support will help your business to better understand the full range of finance options and products currently available. We'll then support you in accessing the ones that are most suitable for meeting your business' individual growth needs.

Activities will include workshops covering key themes related to finance (e.g. traditional funding options, Research & Development related funding, crowd-funding, asset/invoice finance and factoring, platform-based finance and other alternative funders, such as challenger banks).

One-to-one support will also be made available that will provide more intensive, impartial support to strengthen your investment applications and support you in presenting yourself (on paper and in person) in the most attractive and investable manner.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for support, your business must be a small or medium sized enterprise (SME), defined as:

• having fewer than 250 employees
• a turnover of under £45m OR a balance sheet of under £40m
• not being part of a larger group of companies that takes it over this threshold
• The business also needs to be based in the Leeds City Region excluding Barnsley, i.e. a trading address in the Leeds City Region
• In an eligible sector - this generally excludes primary agriculture, banking and financial services, and those trading directly with consumers - e.g. retailers and hospitality.

The Investment Readiness programme is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.