What is Digital Enterprise?

Digital Enterprise is a well-established business support programme that launched in 2016, and since then we’ve been helping businesses across West Yorkshire to invest in the right digital technologies to support their growth plans.

About DE3

With our match-funded grants and advice from our team of specialist Digital Advisors, we’ve helped businesses across a wide range of sectors to improve performance, increase productivity, become more competitive, and offer new products and services.

We understand there isn’t a one-size fits all strategy with regards to digital technology, and the real value comes from providing impartial advice to make sure your project and the technology you buy meets the needs of your business now, and in the future, which is how we’ve been helping businesses over the past seven years.

We’ve secured our third round of funding (hence Digital Enterprise 3) to continue providing this vital support and offer grants for up to 50% of project costs ranging from £2,000 – £25,000. New for Digital Enterprise 3, we’re also offering a small number of match-funded grants to support digital projects worth between £25,000 – £100,000 that will have a significant and transformational impact on your business.

If you’re considering investing in a new digital project to accelerate the growth, or transform your business, then you can find out more information by clicking below.

Digital Accelerator Grant > Eligible digital projects >

Who’s Eligible

At Digital Enterprise we support businesses from a wide range of sectors across West Yorkshire.

Applications for Digital Enterprise are highly competitive, when assessing applications, we will use an eligibility framework as described below.

For Digital Enterprise 3, we can support your business if you’re focused on growth, have been trading for a minimum of 3 years, you’re based, or have operational premises, in West Yorkshire, whether that’s Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds or Wakefield, and you’re VAT registered (or can demonstrate an annual taxable turnover that meets or exceeds the VAT threshold).

We’re focused on supporting businesses with 5 – 100 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) as they scale their operations. However, we may consider exceptional projects from smaller or larger businesses based on their potential impact. If your business has less than 5 employees, you’ll need to demonstrate your commitment and a substantive plan to becoming a growth company. If your business has more than 100 employees, you’ll need to demonstrate that your project couldn’t be completed within a reasonable timescale without support from Digital Enterprise.

We can support your business if it trades in a Business-to-Business (B2B) environment and/or a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) environment. If you’re a B2C business, then we can offer you funding if you can demonstrate that more than 50% of your turnover comes from customers outside of West Yorkshire, or that your project will significantly boost turnover from your customers based outside of West Yorkshire.

Find out more about the application process >

De3 Funding

How is Digital Enterprise funded?

Digital Enterprise is is being delivered by Leeds City Council and is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). In West Yorkshire the West Yorkshire Combined Authority leads the implementation of the Fund as part of the Mayor’s ambition to make West Yorkshire the best place to work, learn and live.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

From 2016 – June 2023 Digital Enterprise was part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Our Success Stories

Here are just a few of the businesses we’ve helped — some in complex or challenging circumstances, others in urgent need of funding.

Xerogrid

From farms in Spain to factories in Ghana, Xerogrid helps people harness solar, wind, and battery technology to power their off-grid lives and businesses. Using traditional methods to manage and optimise their renewable energy systems the business recognised the need for digital innovation ...

Find out more >
TimberTight

Kirklees-based Timber Frame Construction company, TimberTight is experiencing a surge of growth, as demand increases for residential and commercial timber frame buildings. After recording 38 percent growth during October 2022 to 2023 - an increase from £3.75m to £5.2m - they have their ...

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TF Automation

TF Automation, a leading manufacturer of custom automation equipment in Bradford, is experiencing a surge in efficiency and positioning itself for significant growth thanks to a recent technology investment. The company caters to diverse industries like automotive, aerospace, and textiles, designing and building ...

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Powerrun

Powerrun Pipe-Mech, a company specialising in bespoke water industry pipework systems, has seen its growth plans accelerate after adopting 3D scanning technology. Since launching in 2017, Powerrun has relied on traditional, time-consuming site surveys involving tape measures and manual data collection. This not only ...

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VTR North

The development and improved capabilities of digital devices such as smart phones and tablets have, in recent years, removed the barriers to producing a range of media content, from photos to videos and voice recordings. Yet according to Spencer Bain, Managing Director at Leeds-based

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Involution

Digital transformation brings different benefits to businesses. One of the things that is almost universal is the time savings that come from introducing technology and building systems that automate day-to-day business processes. Having made some serious progress on its own journey into the digital ...

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Livewell

Digital technologies have broken down the barriers to innovation and enabled businesses of all shapes and sizes to reinvent themselves. For just a fraction of what it would cost without these tech tools, SMEs are now developing new products and services, accessing new markets, ...

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ShopAppy

Pre-pandemic, ShopAppy spent years promoting the importance of shopping local and supporting independent businesses. But as of 23 March 2020, their digital offering went from being optional to essential for retailers across the country. Huge numbers of businesses were forced to close their shops completely, ...

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XR Games

As a young boy, creating video games as a career seemed near-impossible for Bobby Thandi. But now, as the Founder of XR Games, he is bringing those dreams to reality for himself and others. Here, he discusses how the business now occupies a coveted ...

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Building Strong Foundations. Director Tamsyn Williamson stands in TimberTight's warehouse in front of pallets of cut timber.
Photo of Powerrun team
Our Partners and Funders

Digital Enterprise is funded by the UK Government and supported by the following organisations