The York St John Enterprise Centre has been celebrated as a vital support hub for startups, creative and digital businesses, and social enterprises, created by York St John University in partnership with York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

Since opening in May 2022, the Enterprise Centre has welcomed numerous businesses and entrepreneurs who have really benefited from a professional, collaborative workspace, as well as direct access to a range of support available on-site. This includes coaching and mentoring workshops from York Business School, support with digital and marketing, growth planning, finance skills and bid writing, and a package of free expert help, uniquely connected to the business support landscape via the Growth Hub.

AgriSound became the first firm to take advantage of the Centre’s free facilities and support networks. It’s a fast growing environmental tech business that was founded with a mission to protect pollinators by reinventing insect monitoring. They aim to deploy sensors across the planet to transform how people monitor insect activity and make a positive impact on biodiversity.

Since its establishment, AgriSound has partnered with a number of companies and projects, including Dyson Farming, Innocent Drinks, National Trust Scotland and Royal Horticultural Society to spread their message. In 2022, M&S announced a three-year collaboration with the agri-tech firm, designed to help farmers better manage pollinators and increase crop yields. The collaboration saw two M&S Select Farms install in-field sensors to track the number of pollinators visiting their farm in real-time and target specific interventions for improving numbers. Following the success of these trials, M&S has now announced an expansion of its partnership to an additional 18 sites across the UK.

Casey Woodward, founder of AgriSound said:

“Working with Emma from the Growth Hub has been absolutely great for our business. She has been able to open up a whole range of funding options that we have gone on to secure and signpost us to the wider support services within the university, including access to students and graduates to complete specific projects. Additionally, she has introduced us to other businesses within the local York ecosystem that have become clients of ours. So all-in-all, it’s been a fantastic experience.”