York and North Yorkshire's innovative Business Accelerator Network has reported a successful first year of operation, with 22 "high growth potential" businesses on the programme and 40 in discussion.

The York and North Yorkshire Business Accelerator Network has also gathered 90 members among private and public sector 'intermediaries' who are available to help high growth businesses with their expansion plans.

Businesses which have already benefited from the scheme include two rapidly developing international suppliers of surgical equipment, high-tech businesses on York Science Park, a business software developer at Ripon, and Bioflame the Pickering-based biomass burner engineering company, which is to build North Yorkshire's first biomass-fuelled power generator.

The Business Accelerator Network is supported by Business Link York and North Yorkshire and regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, and has also received funding from the EU regional development fund.

John Guy, head of adviser services at Business Link York and North Yorkshire, said: "Feedback from the 22 businesses already on the programme is positive. They view the Business Accelerator Network as a helpful resource giving access to a wide range of support. After 12 months building up the network the results are encouraging".

Updated: 10:31 Friday, April 01, 2005