Roadshow huge success for Finance Yorkshire

Finance Yorkshire’s 2014 roadshows ended on a high in Sheffield with speakers, left to right, James Newman, Chairman of Finance Yorkshire; Oliver Baker, CEO of Fox Wire Ltd; Alex McWhirter, Chief Executive of Finance Yorkshire; Bill Westwater, CEO of Xeros; Jan Rogoskwi, Technical Director of Red Star 3D; and Julie Kenny, Private Sector Board member, Sheffield City Region LEP.

Finance Yorkshire’s annual roadshows proved a huge hit this year with record numbers of people attending to learn more about the success of its investments in the region’s SMEs.

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More than 500 financial intermediaries were at the four roadshows held in York, Leeds, Hull and Sheffield, each one supported by the Local Enterprise Partnerships.

They heard that Finance Yorkshire has to date invested more than £68 million to help SMEs develop and grow their businesses. The invested figure equates to 545 investments in companies in Yorkshire, Humber, North and North East Lincolnshire.

Each roadshow also heard from businesses benefitting from investment from Finance Yorkshire’s three funds – Seedcorn Finance, Business Loans and Equity Linked Finance. Across the businesses featured, the investment has enabled them to develop products, enter new markets, support research and development and create jobs and growth.

Alex McWhirter, Chief Executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “There was a real appetite among the audiences at the roadshows to learn more about the successful investments we have already made as well as the funding opportunities that continue to be available to Yorkshire and Humber SMEs.

“We are seeing strong demand for investment from businesses – a factor reinforced by the considerable interest shown at the roadshows – and we are confident of making further significant investments across a wide range of sectors in the coming months.”

Seedcorn, Business loans and Equity Linked investments, ranging from £15,000 to £2 million, are available from Finance Yorkshire to help SMEs meet their funding requirements for development and growth.

Finance Yorkshire is supported financially by the European Union. It has attracted £30million investment from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of Europe’s support for the region’s economic development through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme, £15million from UK Government and £45million match funding from the European Investment Bank.

For more information about Finance Yorkshire, please visit www.finance-yorkshire.com or call 0845 649 0000.

Note: this news article is from Finance Yorkshire’s previous fund. Read more about Finance Yorkshire