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Calling all innovators in Yorkshire

25/08/2003

"This is a chance for artists, scientists, small business people and those with money to invest to get together."

The seminar will tell budding inventors and entrepreneurs about funding opportunities available, and bring them together with groups and organisations that make awards.

The seminar includes speakers from NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts), the York and North Yorkshire Business Link, the Arts Council and the Yorkshire Association of Business Angels. The seminar covers a broad range of sources of financial backing, from £5,000 to £100,000, and is a chance for people to meet potential supporters and have their questions answered.

William Hague said: 'With Yorkshire and Humber having the second lowest business birth rate amongst the nine English regions, we need to develop the talent and the entrepreneurial spirit of the region. The flair and ability is here, but we need to ensure that the financial support is available to back it. Many of the best ideas flounder and fail when the obstacles to success seem insurmountable. Bringing the people with the ideas together with the people who can provide the investment and the support is an important step to overcoming these barriers."

Local innovators who have benefited from NESTA funding include Prof. Valerie Randall and Neil Johnson who are developing a technique that could restore grey hair to its original colour.

Ruth Turner from NESTA said: "This is a chance for artists, scientists, small business people and those with money to invest to get together. NESTA has already made 338 awards worth £34 million - but we know that there are a lot of other enterprising people with great ideas who are struggling to be taken seriously. We believe in backing talented people who are taking a risk and have a lot to offer. I'd like to encourage local people who think we can help them to come along and find out more."

Previous NESTA Funding for Innovation seminars have attracted up to 100 people, and free places are booked on a first come first served basis by calling Brendan Turner on 0161 839 0385 or emailing bt@visiontwentyone.net.

Ruth Turner continued: "These events are an amazing hotpot of innovation - put a scientist, an artist and someone with money to invest in the same room and who knows what may happen! There is support out there for people looking to develop their ideas and businesses and we'd like to help those people get to the heart of what's available."

We are delighted to be able to say that we are holding the first event of this kind in the newly refurbished Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond."

Further information:

Ruth Turner (NESTA) or Brendan Turner -

T: 0161 839 0385

F: 0161 839 0390

E: rt@visiontwentyone.co.uk