Clock is ticking for bids to Leeds City Council innovation funding schemes ⋆ Leeds Star

Don’t miss out – that’s the message to organisations eligible for new grant funding designed to support business innovation in Leeds.

Leeds City Council’s Innovation@Leeds programme last month opened two grant schemes with the aim of boosting provision of high-quality workspace and other forms of support for innovation. A total of around £600,000 is set to be distributed as part of Innovation@Leeds’s mission to ensure that people from all backgrounds and communities across the city have the means to blaze a trail in fields such as digital and other emerging technologies.

Applications and expressions of interest from organisations looking to secure funding from the schemes need to be submitted by midday next Thursday, November 3. And, with a week to go until the deadline, the council is encouraging potential bidders to seize this chance to play a part in bringing through a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education said:

“We want these grant schemes to enable the kind of activity that will open doors for our brightest sparks and most creative, ambitious minds. New workspaces and other forms of support can provide a launchpad for people from across the city to follow their business dreams and help bring about a healthier, greener and more inclusive future for Leeds. We are therefore really keen for anyone who thinks their organisation might be eligible for these grants to get in touch before next week’s deadline. Don’t delay, we’re looking forward to hearing from you!”

One of the schemes is offering capital grants – provisionally ranging in size from £50,000 up to £150,000 – to support the creation of collaboration-friendly in-person workspaces for innovators, entrepreneurs and those running early-stage or small businesses. These facilities will be based outside the city centre, bolstering the council’s inclusive growth ambitions and adding extra economic resilience to local neighbourhoods.

The second scheme is offering revenue grants to support the delivery of events, mentoring activity and partnership projects that will strengthen Leeds’s innovation ecosystem. Whereas the capital grants are focused on creating physical facilities and resources, this scheme aims to give aspiring innovators improved access to expertise that will help them fruitfully develop their business ideas.

The revenue grants – ranging in size from £5,000 to £25,000 – have been made available following the success of a pilot project that funded a series of conferences and knowledge-sharing events earlier this year. Bids to both schemes are welcomed from a wide selection of organisations, including those in the private and third sectors. Applicants should be able to show an ability to work with innovation-led businesses.

Further information on the application process can be found here www.inclusivegrowthleeds.com