Innovative entrepreneurs

Do you have an idea for a product or service that could tackle global issues? Enterprise West Yorkshire could help you turn that idea into a reality through a nine month programme of support.

Register your interest

If you are solution focused, comfortable with taking risks and motivated to design, develop and pitch your idea until it becomes a reality then we want to hear from you.  

No business experience is needed; just an idea and a passion for solving problems. 

We’re looking for: 

  • Ideas that take a new approach to solving a problem. 
  • Products or services that haven’t yet been invented, which can solve major issues. 
  • Groundbreaking ideas that impact society on a large scale. 
  • Development of a new product, service or even process which adds additional value to an existing solution. 

Register your interest

We'll support you to:

  • Develop your personal brand and entrepreneurial skills 
  • Develop a roadmap to launch your idea  
  • Design a growth plan for how to take your idea or business to the next level 
  • Understand the investment landscape 
  • Build a bespoke investment plan  
  • Make connections with investors  
  • Connect with a network of support within the region and beyond 

Helping people to find and create, groundbreaking solutions to local, national and global problems.

What to expect over the nine months of support

Part one - twelve week intensive learning

This support will help you to strengthen the foundations of your idea and equip you with a growth plan needed for part two of the programme. You will attend face to face and online workshops and will receive coaching and mentoring. 

  • 4 x 7 hour in-person learning sessions at the University of Leeds 
  • 8 x 90-minute online learning sessions  
  • 12 hours of one-to-one coaching  
  • 6 x 1 hour group mentoring sessions  

Part two - Light touch support and pitch

This support is designed to support your growth plan and will be made up of coaching, mentoring and investor readiness support in the lead up to the final pitch day at the end of month nine.  

  • One-to-one coaching (1 hour per month)  
  • Investor readiness support (9 hours) 
  • Opportunity to win grant funding (1 day)   
  • Group mentoring (9+ hours)   
  • Peer support groups  
  • Networking events   

Innovative entrepreneurs is part of Enterprise West Yorkshire; a programme that offers free advice and support to anyone considering self-employment as a career option, who has a recently launched a business start-up or has an innovative idea.

Am I eligible?

You need to be:

  • Aged 18 or over.  
  • A resident of West Yorkshire, or owner of a start-up business located in West Yorkshire. 
  • Able to commit to completing the nine-month programme. (Although we will be as flexible as possible and can provide support to accommodate participants’ existing commitments, time must be committed to completing the full programme of learning.) 
  • Able to prioritise this programme over other commitments when needed. 

How do I sign up?

  1. Register your interest using the contact form below.
  2. We’ll then contact you to talk you through the programme and help you decide if the programme is right for you. 
  3. If we feel you’d be a suitable candidate, we’ll help you to apply.  
  4. If this programme isn’t quite right for you, we can talk you through other areas of support to turn your ideas into a reality. 

Register your interest