Harrogate business Wish Digital scores funding success

Wish Digital, which recently relocated to new studios at Hunsingore, has secured a grant through the European Union AD:VENTURE business programme.

Harrogate Borough Council were really pleased to support Wish Digital in securing the finance to build on their recent success. The £7,700 grant aims to assist Wish Digital in purchasing new equipment as the business expands its team. In conjunction with the company’s relocation, the grant has paved the way for Wish to take on new recruits, with two jobs created already and a further three over the next six months.

The company serves clients such as Arrow Self Drive, Animalcare Limited, and Spear and Jackson, having brought their websites to launch. Additionally, they’ve secured a digital marketing contract with multiple European companies, including CCL Label, the largest label manufacturer in the world. This puts Wish in a strong position for continued growth in 2018.

Councillor Graham Swift, Cabinet Member for Resources, Enterprise and Economic Development for Harrogate Borough Council, an AD:VENTURE Partner said, “Wish Digital is exactly the type of business that we want to support through this programme and are the type of business we are working to develop and attract as part of the recently adopted Harrogate District Economic Growth Strategy.

“They are an ambitious, growing business creating new and high skilled jobs in the region. We were really pleased to be able to support them in securing the finance to build on their recent success. The new studios are a fantastic working space for their team and it’s great to see the project support this expansion for a growing business in this key sector.”

Wish Digital Director Chris Kell is proud of the achievements the agency has made. He said, “We have secured significant new business over the past six months, including clients based in Germany and Belgium.

“The move to our new studios has been fantastic, creating a really contemporary working environment for our team, whilst the grant will help us to purchase the high end IT equipment we need to better service our clients.”

Wish Digital provide digital marketing services including website design and development, ecommerce, SEO and paid advertising services as a Google Partner. The agency is part of the Wish Group.

The AD:VENTURE programme delivers European Regional Development funded growth support to existing businesses in their first three years of trading and for people planning to start a business within the Leeds City Region, which includes Harrogate District. The programme supports businesses with high growth ambitions, and is generally aimed at businesses who supply to other businesses (Business to Business sales).

AD:VENTURE will enable businesses to grow in capability, credibility, confidence and competence. Support available includes; expert mentoring, grants, professional workshops, finance brokerage, incubator office space, director networks and specialist sector advice. For more information and to check eligibility please visit http://ad-venture.org.uk/

Funding: European Regional Development Fund

AD:VENTURE is receiving £6,161,084 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Fund Growth Programme 2014-2020. The total programme value is £12,322,168. The Department for Communities and Local Government (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund.

Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding