An innovative start-up business is set to benefit from a prize worth £20,000, thanks to GSPK, The GSPK Group of companies, based in North Yorkshire, has teamed up with Venturefest Yorkshire 2007 to sponsor the event’s first ‘New Product Award’.

Venturefest is an event which focuses on technology, knowledge-based entrepreneurs and is the largest of its kind in the region. Dynamic, unique and free to delegates, Venturefest Yorkshire offers presentations, seminars, exhibitions, prestigious competitions and a wide variety of networking opportunities.

The concept of the event, of which the strap line is ‘opportunities to flourish’, is very much inline with the GSPK Group’s ethos; to encourage innovative, entrepreneurial, manufacturing focused businesses within Yorkshire. GSPK have taken the initiative to create and sponsor an award which encompasses their mission; as a result the ‘New Product Award’ was created.
The award is open to applicants that fulfill the following criteria:
• Have an innovative product that is in development phase, with either no sales to date or limited sales
• The company should be based in Yorkshire and have a view to continuing or developing their business operations in Yorkshire
• Be an innovative process or idea with high growth potential and a minimum selling price of between £250 and £2000 per unit

The value of the prize to the winner is £20,000, consisting of a combination of business accommodation and business support services as provided by GSPK from their premises in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
Chairman of the GSPK Group, Graham Keddie OBE commented – “GSPK is committed to developing young and innovative companies; and we look forward to lots of applicants.”

All short-listed applicants have the opportunity to present their product to a panel of judges before showcasing their product in the GSPK New Product Award area of the Venturefest Yorkshire Exhibition area on February 7th 2007 at York Race Course.
For further information on the New Product Award or for an application form, please visit the Venturefest Yorkshire 2007 website at www.venturefestyorkshire.net and click on ‘opportunities’. Closing date for entries is the 30.11.2006.