A Celebration of Innovation and Growth in West Yorkshire

Greenborough Management has successfully delivered the Northern Max Accelerator programme for the sixth time, marking another year of supporting ambitious, growth-driven businesses and helping them to get ready for further investment and growth. This year, the programme was once again run under the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, with businesses placed in both Bradford and Leeds. Previously funded by the ERDF and limited to tech businesses in West Yorkshire, the accelerator is now open to all early-stage businesses under three years old that are focused on scaling up.

A Collaborative Effort

The success of the Northern Max Accelerator is made possible through key partnerships with Leeds City Council, Bradford Council, and AD:VENTURE. Their collaboration ensures that businesses receive expert guidance, essential resources, and the strategic support they need to thrive. Read more about Northern Max in our recent case study.

The 2025 Cohort and Programme Structure

This year’s Northern Max Accelerator was a condensed version of the 10×10 programme that Greenborough Management typically delivers. Despite the shorter recruitment and workshop timelines, feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. The programme initially welcomed 28 businesses, with 20 completing the full programme. An additional 5 businesses participated in a ‘Lite’ version, allowing them to access workshops, materials, and some programme benefits.

In this video, Founder of Mix the Dots and member of the 2025 cohort shares her thoughts on Instagram as she prepares for the Pitch Final. In this video, Delia says “Where I sound [now], versus where I was 7 weeks ago – I can’t quite get over it really.” She also mentions the peer support from the group, and the importance of taking a step back. Watch her video here.

The 2025 cohort included:

The Pitch Final

On Friday, March 28th, the programme culminated in an exciting pitch final. Seventeen businesses took the stage to present their ventures, with one participant delivering their pitch remotely. The event was opened by Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning & Transport at Bradford Council, and Paula Dennison, Operations Manager at AD:VENTURE.

The judging panel consisted of:

  • Colin Glass OBE – Investor and Mentor
  • Amber Kershaw – Business Enterprise Fund
  • Caroline Freeman – Local Investor and Mentor
  • Nick Hird – Founder of ViDrate and a Northern Max 2022 participant

Each business had two minutes to pitch their business and growth plans without slides or visual aids, followed by a five-minute Q&A session with the judges.

Jeroen Tuller and Kim Baxter from House of Growth won the prize for the pitch closest to the target of two minutes, exceeding it by just a couple of minutes.

A Diverse and Innovative Cohort

The 2025 cohort was exceptionally broad, featuring businesses utilising AI, pursuing sustainable solutions, addressing gaps in healthcare, and innovating within HR and telecoms. Many businesses sought valuable introductions, whether to potential partners, mentors, or investors. Some also took the opportunity to pitch for financial backing.

For example:

  • Charlie Bartle of Decodifi pitched for a £165k investment to expand their team, refine their product, and drive revenue growth.
  • Gilbert Alegue of JGME Consulting sought £250k to scale his e-health platform.
  • Ava Wilson of SensEquip Electronics asked for £181k to cover start-up costs, marketing efforts, and participation in the 2025 World Health Expo in South Africa.
  • Kiren Singh of Fabric Change, a previous recipient of a £50k grant from the Innovate UK programme, demonstrated how her business had already gained traction in the industry.

The Winner: Kiren Singh of Fabric Change

After careful deliberation, the judges selected Kiren Singh of Fabric Change as the winner of the 2025 Northern Max Accelerator. Kiren’s innovative approach, coupled with her entrepreneurial spirit, earned her the trophy and the prestigious title of this year’s winner.

Reflections from Mentors and Organisers

Russell Copley, Founder of Greenborough Management, praised this year’s cohort, stating: “It’s been truly impressive to see how well this group of entrepreneurs has absorbed the knowledge and insights from the workshops, especially given the condensed timeframe of this year’s programme. Northern Max is all about peer support, professional growth and investment readiness – and this cohort has demonstrated exactly that. By refining their business propositions, they’ve made a really a strong case for growth and funding.”

Rebecca Hopwood, from Youbee Media and a member of the 2022 cohort who returned as a mentor, shared her excitement about this year’s pitches: “I just love to see businesses at such an early stage in their journey presenting with so much clarity, excitement and ambition. The way they articulate their plans and ideas to the panel makes it clear that these are businesses you want to invest in and be part of.”

Looking Forward

The Northern Max Accelerator is designed to help ambitious, growth-minded businesses become investment-ready. This year’s programme has once again highlighted the immense potential of early-stage businesses in West Yorkshire. Greenborough Management, along with its partners, remains committed to fostering innovation, providing expert guidance, and ensuring that the next generation of entrepreneurs has the tools to succeed.

As we celebrate the achievements of this year’s cohort, we look forward to seeing how these businesses evolve and continue to make an impact in their respective industries.

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