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Business Innovation Hub

Sustainable Innovation Hub Feasibility

Circular Malton & Norton is exploring the feasibility of a Sustainable Innovation Hub for Malton & Norton — a practical, welcoming space that helps local businesses, start-ups and community partners innovate, and grow.
 
We’re gathering insight from businesses and employers across Ryedale and wider North Yorkshire to understand what’s needed, what would be used, and what would make the biggest difference.
Take the Business Survey
Attend the Co-Design Event

What is the project?

This feasibility project will test the case for creating a Sustainable Innovation Hub in Malton & Norton: a place-based centre designed to support low-carbon innovation, circular economy solutions, and business growth in a rural market town context.

The hub concept could include:

Practical workshops and masterclasses

focused on real business challenges

Access to experts

of energy, resource efficiency, innovation, funding, skills

Connections to partners

across the region’s bioeconomy and innovation ecosystem

Facilities that help businesses

trial new ideas, products, or processes (where viable)

Flexible workspace and meeting space

 for collaboration

This is a feasibility stage — we are listening first, testing demand, and shaping the model with local employers.

Why now?

Businesses across our area are navigating fast change: rising operating costs, shifting customer expectations, skills shortages, and growing pressure to decarbonise and reduce waste.
A local innovation hub could help by:
  • Making it easier to access advice, skills and support locally
  • Helping start-ups and SMEs survive and
  • Strengthening Malton & Norton’s role as a centre for sustainable enterprise
  • Creating more opportunities for collaboration, supply-chain links and new markets

What we’re doing in the feasibility

Over the coming months we’ll be:
  • Speaking with businesses and employers to understand needs and barriers
  • Exploring delivery partners and operating models 
  • Testing which services and facilities would be used (and by whom)
  • Building an evidence base to support future investment and funding bids
Your input will directly shape what happens next.
Jan – Mar
Business engagement, outreach and data gathering
Apr 
Co-design event
May 
Taster Event (Masterclass)
June
Feedback analysis
August
Final report

Who is it for?

We want to hear from:
  • SMEs and microbusinesses
  • Manufacturers and makers
  • Food and drink businesses
  • Retail, logistics and service firms
  • Land-based and rural enterprises
  • Larger employers who could mentor, sponsor, host learning, or collaborate with SMEs
  • Anyone considering starting a business in the area
If you operate in or around Malton, Norton, Ryedale, or the wider North Yorkshire area — your view matters.

Complete the survey

We’re inviting local businesses to complete a short survey to help us understand what would make a Sustainable Innovation Hub genuinely useful.
It takes around 5–8 minutes.
Your responses will help shape priorities, strengthen the evidence for investment, and ensure any future hub reflects real business need.
Take the Business Survey
We’ll use your feedback to inform the feasibility work. Data will be handled responsibly and reported in summary form.

Sustainable Business Hub Co-Design Event

We’re inviting local and rural businesses to take part in a co-design session to help shape a new Sustainable Business Innovation Hub designed by businesses, for businesses. Get your tickets below.

Who should attend?

This session is ideal for:

  • Rural businesses of any size
  • Start-ups, sole traders and growing SMEs
  • Businesses from specific sectors (e.g. food, manufacturing, creative, environmental, agri-business)
  • Anyone interested in collaboration, innovation or shaping local business support


You don’t need prior experience of innovation hubs just real business insight and a willingness to share ideas.

Why take part?

By joining the session, you’ll:

  • Help shape whether the hub goes ahead and how it works
  • Influence the facilities, services and events on offer
  • Share challenges and ideas with other local businesses
  • Start building connections and collaborations
  • Be part of creating something designed around rural business reality


This is about listening, learning and co-creating not presenting a finished plan.