A DRAGONS' Den judge has visited North Yorkshire to breathe fire into the region's business world.

Doug Richard, an entrepreneur and former judge on the BBC show, was in Harrogate to pass on hints to 200 businessmen about how best to take their products to market.

During the event - which was organised by the Yorkshire Science and Technology Network (YSTN) - Doug revealed the 16 questions that he asked of all innovations before forming a strategy.

He also offered some pearls of wisdom in how to overcome the obstacles faced by all businesses, regardless of their size.

He said: "It's great to be involved in events such as these, which bring businesses together to discuss the way in which we can tackle the issues surrounding taking our products to market.

"There are a lot of resources available for entrepreneurs, perhaps too many and some with very little value.

"It's by talking to other business professionals and sharing our experiences that we learn most and how to avoid the same mistakes as others before us."

YSTN aims to increase contact between innovative companies and academic researchers in the region.