Businesses across West Yorkshire are set to benefit from faster and easier access to support through the launch of a new regional Growth Hub.
The West Yorkshire Business Growth Hub, unveiled by Mayor Tracy Brabin at a major business conference in Leeds, will bring together existing local, regional and national support into a single network aimed at helping firms start, grow, innovate and decarbonise. The initiative is designed to remove the confusion businesses can face when trying to navigate a complex support landscape. Under a ‘no wrong door’ approach, firms of all sizes and sectors will be able to access tailored help, whether they need finance and investment, skills and workforce development, innovation support, export advice, workspace, mentoring or promotion.
Businesses that register with the Growth Hub will receive information tailored to their needs through a dedicated account, helping them find the right support at the right time. The launch follows publication of the West Yorkshire Local Growth Plan, which sets out the ambition of the Mayor and local leaders to close the region’s productivity gap and unlock an extra £26 billion in economic growth.
If achieved, the plan could deliver 18,000 additional businesses, more than 40,000 new jobs, 53,000 more people with higher-level qualifications and £3.2 billion in extra annual investment.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said:
“West Yorkshire is where opportunity lives, and our hundred thousand businesses will be the driving force behind our growth and prosperity for years to come.
“Whether you’re launching a startup, growing your order book, investing in innovation or embracing the green transition, there will be no wrong door for you to access a world of support through the West Yorkshire Business Growth Hub.
“By boosting our fastest growing sectors and backing our small and medium-sized businesses to grow and succeed, we’ll drive growth, create good jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets.”
A central priority of the plan is to help all 100,000 businesses across West Yorkshire to grow and succeed. The Growth Hub is expected to play a key role in supporting the region’s strongest sectors, including financial services, advanced manufacturing, health technology, the creative industries and the green economy, while also helping small and medium-sized firms across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.
Mandy Ridyard, Business Advisor to the Mayor of West Yorkshire said:
“Through our ambitious public-private plan for growth, we’re aiming to add £26 billion to our economy and support the creation of 33,000 new jobs over the next decade.
“To achieve that, we must empower our businesses to create, sell and grow, by making it easier for them to attract talent, access finance, build new partnerships, and break into overseas markets.
“Our West Yorkshire Business Growth Hub is the product of extensive consultation and collaboration with businesses across the region, so we can deliver what they actually need and enable them to help us build a stronger, brighter region.”
Since it was established in 2014, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has supported more than 19,300 businesses. Backing has ranged from helping firms cut costs by making their operations greener to creating new workspace for health technology companies through the region’s £160 million Investment Zone.
Research suggests that businesses which engage with support can see productivity rise by around 10 per cent within a year. By strengthening links between public, private and third-sector organisations, the new Hub aims to help firms build lasting relationships, reach new customers and suppliers, and access the expertise needed for long-term growth.
Launching the initiative at Reset Connect North in Leeds — the flagship net zero and green economy conference being held outside London for the first time, also underlined West Yorkshire’s focus on inclusive and sustainable growth. The region’s green economy cluster alone is worth more than £8 billion and employs over 53,000 people.
Mayor Brabin said the new hub would ensure there was ‘no wrong door’ for businesses seeking the support they need to succeed. Businesses will be able to explore the full range of available support and begin their growth journey by visiting the West Yorkshire Business Growth Hub online.
