A new initiative in West Yorkshire is re-shaping how early-stage founders connect, learn and grow their business. Startup Studio is the new initiative developed by Leeds Digital, and is part of the Regional Tech Booster programme, funded by the UK Government.
The Startup Studio has brought together 30 early-stage tech businesses from across West Yorkshire where founders can come together to form a new peer network, giving them entrepreneurial resilience and growth capacity.
Leeds is home to one of the UK’s most exciting digital economies, with a fast-growing healthtech sector. Its tech economy is estimated to be worth over £6.5 billion a year and supports more than 100,000 jobs.
However, early-stage founders in the region have faced numerous challenges, such as fragmented support, limited access to networks and a lack of representation for women, ethnic minorities and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Born out of the hugely successful Leeds Digital Festival, Leeds Digital was created to support and strengthen the region’s tech ecosystem with year-round events, networking and programmes.
Unlike traditional accelerator programmes, the Startup Studio flips the model and puts peer learning front and centre, with a focus on building long-term relationships and sharing knowledge. The initiative is built on international evidence that founders grow faster when they learn directly from others facing the same challenges.
Instead of moving businesses through a rigid syllabus, the Startup Studio enables founders to co-create the agenda, focusing on real-world issues like hiring, product-market fit, navigating procurement and getting funding. This creates practical, immediate value that no top-down model can replicate.
Founders share their experiences, exchange practical advice and collaborate through monthly studio days, fortnightly Peer Pods and targeted expert interventions where needed. The project culminates in a Showcase session in March to celebrate the milestones achieved.
Deb Hetherington, Director at Leeds Digital, explained further, “This initiative is giving founders genuine opportunities to learn from each other in order to build confidence, resilience and ultimately business growth for the whole West Yorkshire region.”
Research from Leeds Digital found that with multiple accelerators, incubators and business programmes running across the region, the landscape is crowded and also difficult to navigate for new founders. Many initiatives are time-limited or narrowly focused, meaning those without existing networks often struggle to find a route in.
They also found that there are limited opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and there were few structured ways for founders to learn directly from each other. Startups thrive when they can share lived experience and build high quality and long-lasting networks within their regions.
One of the key elements of this initiative was to drive diversity within the tech ecosystem. West Yorkshire is one of the most diverse regions in the UK, but its tech sector does not yet reflect this. Fewer than 15% of local founders are women, and entrepreneurs from lower socio-economic and ethnic minority backgrounds remain under-represented. Barriers such as lack of role models, cost of participation and limited connections continue to lock people out of opportunities.
Deb Hetherington explained how they tackled this problem, “The initiative was designed with a low-barrier to entry to encourage people from diverse backgrounds to be able to participate. This includes travel bursaries and online resources, which allow people with other commitments to join the programme.”
By March 2026, the Startup Studio expects to have:
- Supported 30+ businesses
- Facilitated 200+ peer exchanges
- Sparked 10+ new collaborations
- Enabled 15+ founders to reach investment readiness or secure investor interest
The Leeds Digital Startup Studio is fuelling a more connected, inclusive and resilient tech community for the region’s next generation of innovators. The creation of peer-to-peer networks reduce isolation and stimulate collaboration which will continue beyond the funded pilot initiative. The initiative was designed to be sustainable and replicable every year, as well being rolled out to other regions at the end of the pilot.
“The programme is proving to be a phenomenal experience. As a first time, very green entrepreneur, it has the right balance of practical information, mentoring, shared lived experience and wisdom from guest speakers and community developing peer-peer opportunity. I have made significant progress in developing my own business and getting out of my own way, the continuous learning guidance has been invaluable.”
Katy Gooblar, Rebel Hive
“The Startup Studio has been a great help in keeping me focused on what really matters at my stage as a founder. In a short space of time, it’s given me both the confidence and connections to really get my business to where it needs to be.”
James Exley, Byline content
“This was my first time properly discussing the idea outside my immediate circle, and Deb immediately understood what I was trying to build. That early clarity and reassurance made a huge difference. It’s helped me move from being very protective of the idea to being able to explain it clearly as an evolving business.”
Michael Rice, Kind Curve
