Support for growing businesses

Businesses looking to grow in the Harrogate district are invited to contact our growth managers, Alistair Forbes and Beata Olah at business@harrogate.gov.uk.

Our growth manager team provides free, tailored support for businesses in the Harrogate district, working with the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) for Leeds City Region and York and North Yorkshire.

Supported by our growth managers, over 70 local businesses progressed their plans, achieved their job creation ambitions or built their resilience, from the year April 2021 to March 2022. Over £550,000 of grant funding was awarded to supported businesses, contributing to expanded premises, purchasing machinery, investing in IT development, exporting and employee training.

The support available includes access to:

  • grants and loans from the Local Enterprise Partnerships and other finance providers
  • funding and support for recruitment, skills and to develop your workforce
  • support and funding to help your company export
  • advice and funding for research and to develop products and processes
  • funding and expert support to develop digital capabilities, offer new services and expand markets
  • reducing business costs and environmental impact by being resource efficient

Sturdy Foods, Ripon

Hear how local company Sturdy Foods accelerated production capacity and have seen a 33% increase in turnover, with support from our growth managers and Local Enterprise Partnership funding.

Network Scientific, Harrogate

A successful application to the Digital Enterprise programme enabled Network Scientific, a specialist recruitment agency, secure funding for investment in a new website and a specialist CRM system. Providing services for the scientific and engineering sectors nationwide, the company were looking to develop improvements to fulfil the potential for further growth. Following a recommendation from another Harrogate based business, Network Scientific contacted the growth manager team.

Chameleon Technology, Harrogate

Support from the growth manager team assisted national market leader Chameleon Technology's expansion. Growing demand for its energy display units led to job creation and a requirement for larger premises.

With support from the growth manager team, the company made a successful application for funding from the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, towards the fit out of a new office property on Hornbeam Park, Harrogate. Chameleon Technology is now well-placed to continue growth and has a focus on the 'smart home' agenda, working with regional universities on projects including healthcare delivery in the home.