TECHNOLOGY has been a buzz word in Yorkshire's economic strategy for a number of years.

It is seen as an industry that has the potential to revitalise sub-regional economies, following the decline of more traditional industries.

York reflects this trend well - on the one hand is the decline of long standing and much-loved mainstays of the city's economy, such as chocolate manufacturing and railways; on the other is the growth of Science City York backed up by the higher education institutions.

The growth of technology jobs in York has been dramatic, with about 9,000 people - or ten per cent of the working population - employed in a science or technology-based position. This figure is now equivalent to that of the city's tourism industry.

However, despite all this hype, Yorkshire and Humber is still ranked eighth out of nine in a table of the most innovative regions in the UK. Great efforts are being made by various organisations, including Yorkshire Forward and Science City York, to move Yorkshire up the innovation league table.

One way of doing this is to offer support to individuals from the moment a great idea is formed right through until that idea has become a commercially viable, stable technology business.

The journey has many stages which differ depending on the company - sometimes a product needs research, at other times the potential market needs research. Often the individual is an academic who has had relatively little contact with commercial enterprises; alternatively someone may have the vision but not the technical expertise.

Connect Yorkshire, launched in 2001, is designed to help with all these issues and more. Put simply, Connect's remit is to prime technology companies for growth and investment. Over four years Connect has helped more than 90 technology companies raise about £13 million in international backing. Every year another 40 to 50 technology companies take advantage of Connect's services.

Connect helps companies align their offering with the market; it acts as a catalyst to help companies reach financial stability more quickly; and it promotes innovation by bringing companies and sponsors together to learn from each other.

What helps Connect to do this is its funding structure: it is a not-for-profit-organisation which operates as a public-private partnership.

Connect Yorkshire is part-supported by the regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward.

However, significant funding also comes from Connect's 30 or so private sector sponsors who not only support it financially but also contribute vastly to the relevance and quality of its services. Sponsors are made up of venture capitalists and professional service companies alongside well established technology companies.

This network of sponsors enables Connect to tap into many of the region's most successful technology entrepreneurs, who are looking to help the next generation of technology companies. It brings people together to achieve more than they could alone.

Connect Yorkshire started as part of an international network of "Connects" covering Sweden, Denmark, Norway and California. In addition there are two other UK Connects - Scotland and the Midlands. So the precedent is set for a Connect to expand beyond Yorkshire and it is obvious that the north of England generates more technology companies than Yorkshire alone.

This in turn would attract more international and London-based investors, bringing increased entrepreneurial activity both to Yorkshire and the whole of northern England.

Connect's job is to load the die in favour of success, by giving technology entrepreneurs the resources they need to nurture their initial seed of an idea until it reaches sustainability.

It has recently received a shot in the arm to accelerate this process through two new appointments. Serial entrepreneur Barry Dodd is already well known and respected on the local business scene. As chairman, he is conducting a strategic review of Connect Yorkshire's activities. He brings a wealth of business experience and innovative ideas to the table as founder and chief executive of the GSM Group, a company which is a testament to the advantages of sharing information.

It was judged the 1999 Best Small and Medium Sized Enterprise in a competition organised by Inside UK Enterprise (IUKE) which aims to increase the productivity and profitability of UK businesses through sharing best practice with each other.

He said: "Connect Yorkshire has the expertise and contacts to put budding entrepreneurs in touch with the people they need to know. It has an impressive track record - out of the 60 plus companies Connect has helped, 33 per cent have gained investment and the number that have failed are in single figures."

New managing director, Dr Glen Hopkinson brings to Connect Yorkshire more than 20 years' experience in managing and growing technology businesses. He took his most recent venture, Synopsys Scientific Systems, to trade sale in 2000.

As the saying goes, success breeds success, and a vibrant technology economy will encourage more people to start up knowledge-based businesses. If Connect can help do this for York and Yorkshire that's great, but if more is achieved by talking to our northern neighbours, so much the better.

Updated: 10:07 Wednesday, May 03, 2006