Retired business "angels" are being encouraged to help develop emerging companies as a way of boosting North Yorkshire's economy.
The proposed business "buddy" scheme aims to use the expertise and experience of successful executives and capitalise on the country's reputation as a popular retirement destination.
It follows the launch of a project to try to match up potential investors with young companies.
A survey of the country's rural uplands areas, covering the moors and dales national parks, found 23 per cent of the population was of retirement age or older, compared with less than 19 per cent for Great Britain as a whole.
Last year Business Link launched a scheme aiming to encourage retired executives to invest in small firms.
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