TWO early stage technology businesses celebrated winning resources to help them grow at York's annual science and technology conference Venturefest.

York company The Law Wizard, which has developed software to guide people through the process of probate law, negating the need for expensive legal costs, won the Innovation Showcase.

The business, based in The Catalyst at York Science Park, launched its product to consumers last March, and has developed the wizard so that solicitors' firms can use it to offer fixed fee probate packages, with the client mixing expert help and do-it-yourself.

The judges said Law Wizard had developed a truly “disruptive innovative technology”, which could make big changes to the way we create our wills. The company has won £13,000 worth of business support.

The Investment Competition was won by Manchester-based firm, Intuitive Business Intelligence Ltd, which won about £38,000 worth of business support prizes, including office space at York Science Park, in the hope of luring them to the city.

The company has authored Intuitive Dashboards, which aims to empower and inform business owners by gathering together critical business information from multiple sources and allowing them to create and customise their own graphical, interactive dashboards.

The annual event, in its tenth year, attracted about 1,500 delegates to York Racecourse to network, seek advice and investment, discover new businesses and hear from inspirational speakers.

Charles Cecil, managing director of Revolution Software and the main keynote speaker at the event, advised businesses to combine creativity with technology to succeed.

He said: "Like so many things going forward the key to success for an economy is the ability to go forward creating exciting ideas using technology.

"There are many countries out there able to beat us on the technoloigy that's why we need to stick with the creativity and encourage it."

He advised young entrepreneurs to have a go at creating things to help them get ahead.

"Get together with a friend and produce something. It shows you have got dedication, and have taken the time and initiative to do it.

"It will require you to work for nothing, it will require you to fall out with your friends because you're working with them, but at the end of it, it is impressive."