Businesses across West Yorkshire will be able to access a ‘world of support’ more quickly, simply and effectively, thanks to a new initiative that brings together and builds on existing business support, it can be announced.

The new West Yorkshire Business Growth Hub – which provides access to local, regional and national support – was unveiled by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin at a high-profile business conference today (3 March).

Speaking to an audience of private sector leaders, investors and entrepreneurs in Leeds, Mayor Brabin said the hub would ensure there was ‘no wrong door’ for businesses of all shapes and sizes to access the finance, skills, workspace, markets, innovation and promotion they need to succeed.

By bringing together a complex landscape of business support into one coherent network, the Growth Hub will make it easier for businesses to start, scale, innovate and decarbonise.

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.”

Since it was established in 2014, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has helped to support 19,300 businesses to grow and succeed. From supporting businesses to green their processes and save on bills, to developing new workspace for healthtech companies through the region’s £160 million Investment Zone, the Combined Authority is supporting businesses to access support to start up and scale, while creating the conditions for economic growth through key investments in transport, skills and housing.

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.”

The West Yorkshire Growth Hub will simplify what can often feel like an overcomplicated landscape of support. Instead of having to navigate multiple organisations, businesses will be able to access a coordinated network of partners each providing trusted support, including with:

• Finance and investment
• Skills and workforce development
• Innovation and technology support
• Markets, exports and supply chains
• Workspace and place-based support
• Networks, mentoring and promotion

No matter where or how businesses enter the Growth Hub, they will be able to seamlessly navigate to support that suits their needs, regardless of their size or sector. Businesses which register with the Growth Hub will receive bespoke information directly to their account, ensuring they get the right support at the right time.

The launch of the Growth Hub follows the publication of the West Yorkshire Local Growth Plan, which sets out the Mayor and local leaders’ ambition to close the region’s productivity gap and unlock £26 billion of additional economic growth. If achieved, this would deliver 18,000 additional businesses, 53,000 more people with higher level qualifications, over 40,000 new jobs, and £3.2 billion more in annual investment.

A core priority of the Local Growth Plan is enabling all 100,000 businesses in West Yorkshire to grow and succeed. The Growth Hub will be central to delivering that ambition, supporting the region’s fastest-growing sectors – including financial services, advanced manufacturing, health technology, the creative industries and the green economy – while ensuring that all small and medium-sized enterprises across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield can thrive.

Research shows that businesses engaging with support can see productivity gains of around 10% within a year. By strengthening collaboration between public, private and third-sector partners, the Growth Hub will help local firms to build long-term relationships, find new customers and suppliers, and access the expertise that they need to grow boldly and sustainably.

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 – underlines West Yorkshire’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth. The region’s green economy cluster alone is worth more than £8 billion, employing over 53,000 people.

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.