The projects will see various organisations delivering training, mentoring and other support to new and established businesses as well as prospective entrepreneurs.

This work, it is hoped, will drive growth and innovation by providing valuable insights into everything from financial literacy and marketing to artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technological solutions to environmental issues.

The knowledge-sharing projects are being backed by a new grants programme, managed locally by Leeds City Council and financed by central government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Dozens of organisations – from the public, private and third sectors – submitted their own individually-devised project proposals to the council earlier this year in the hope of securing a grant from the programme.

Now, following a rigorous evaluation process, the successful applicants have been chosen. Grants ranging from £25,000 to £36,000 are being awarded to the following organisations:

• Unity Property Services, which will offer workshops, mentoring and networking events for pre-start, early-stage and established businesses, with a focus on empowering members of disadvantaged and underrepresented communities in Leeds;
• Trust Leeds, which will run a programme of enterprise support – covering areas such as financial literacy and marketing – that aims to help entrepreneurs, particularly women, start and develop viable micro-businesses;
• Future Transformation, which will deliver AI workshops and youth innovation bootcamps as well as ‘challenge labs’ where participants will co-create tech-driven solutions to environmental issues;
• Come Play With Me, which will seek to strengthen Leeds’s music sector infrastructure by running a training and mentoring programme for creative entrepreneurs, especially those from marginalised communities;
• Startling, which will offer practical and personalised innovation guidance and business support via a combination of peer-to-peer learning, one-to-one mentoring and themed masterclasses;
• SHINE, which will give expert business advice to female entrepreneurs through a programme of workshops, mentoring and networking as well as the use of a new AI-enabled community platform;
• Offploy, which will provide support such as business skills training and e-learning access to people who might otherwise face barriers – like long-term joblessness or mental health challenges – on their route to traditional employment;
• FinTech North, which will run a programme of mentoring, peer-led learning and leadership development for underrepresented entrepreneurs and early-career professionals, with an emphasis on financial technology and adjacent sectors.

The grants programme – officially known as the Innovating, Enterprising and Thriving Grants Programme – forms part of wider efforts by the council to ensure Leeds is a place with an economy that works for everyone.

The newly-funded projects will, it is hoped, provide businesses and entrepreneurs with a platform to achieve the kind of success that creates jobs and opportunities for others.

And, through its support for innovation, it is also hoped the programme will facilitate the development of cutting-edge products, processes and services that can make Leeds a healthier, greener and more inclusive city.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said:

“These grants are a great example of how the council can support people from different local communities as they look to carve out their own niche in the world of business.

“We were delighted with the response we received to our call for applications earlier this year, with the chosen projects being perfectly placed to deliver top-level learning, mentoring and other activity.

“The work being done by the projects won’t just help individual businesses, it can benefit Leeds as a whole through the creation of jobs and the cementing of the city’s already impressive reputation as a centre for innovation.

“Whether you’re running a business or have future entrepreneurial ambitions, we’re proud to be doing our bit to ensure you have the right tools, skills and opportunities for achieving success.”

Applications for the grants were assessed by a diverse panel with a strong track record in innovation, business support and social change.