Lesh: maternity brand borne out of sleepless nights looks ahead to a bright future
Published 4 February 2026
Advice and support, Business news, Surrey Success Stories
Kat Fellows launched Lesh, a leak-proof nursing bra brand, from her Epsom home in August 2024. Now, with match funding from Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund, she’s scaling the business and plans to hire local mothers as her team grows.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Kat worked as a director in beauty marketing. “I got pregnant during Covid, not knowing what to expect when I returned to work,” she said. “As time went on, it became clear this corporate life wouldn’t mesh with being a mother.”
She decided to start a business solving a problem she’d experienced firsthand as a breastfeeding mother.
“The second my son latched on, it was amazing – I had this incredible experience,” Kat said. “I loved breastfeeding, but the only thing I didn’t love was that I leaked constantly.”
She cycled through countless disposable and reusable breast pads, and said: “They would move around, and I’d still wake up soaked, lying in a puddle of milk. Sleep is sacred when you have young children. Plus, the disposable ones are so wasteful.”
When she searched for alternatives, nothing met her needs. “Most products had clearly not been live-tested on a mum with oversupply like myself,” she said. I thought, “If no one is doing it the right way, I’m going to do it.”
Live-testing early Lesh prototypes
Kat spent a year and a half developing and testing prototypes during her second breastfeeding journey. “I never had to buy a disposable pad,” she said. “It took that long until I had something I was comfortable launching.”
Since launchingin August 2024, Lesh has gained momentum, and the Economic Growth Fund will help propel it further.
“This grant will allow me to drive brand awareness and grow the business to a place where I can pitch for additional funding to become an internationally recognised brand in the maternity space,” Kat said.
Looking ahead, Kat envisions building a team of local mothers. “The first hire I needed was for social media – I’ve been using an agency, but I’d like that work to go to a local mum. I want to employ mothers who need that extra income. Eventually, I want to convert the garage into an office and warehouse, with local mums supporting customer service, order fulfilment, packaging, and returns.”
Evidently, big plans lie ahead for this innovative Surrey business.
More about the Surrey Economic Growth Fund
To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.
Any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch via our Contact us form.
Emilia Hunt: high street dream becomes reality thanks to Growth Fund
Published 30 January 2026
Advice and support, Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories
Opening a shop was a long-held dream of maker and designer Emilia Hunt, and thanks to help from the Economic Growth Fund, that dream is now a reality.
She opened her self-titled shop on 17 Bell Street, Reigate, in September, selling handmade and bespoke items at accessible price points. As well as her own products, which include homewares, gifts and stationery, she also sells carefully selected items from other makers.
“I know hundreds of makers,”Emilia said.“And I’ve got all the good ones in my shop.”
British made products are the focus of the shop, with three quarters of the products made in the South East.
“Everything in the shop is UK made. I am a real stickler for making sure everything is actually made in the UK. Everything in the shop I have chosen.”
Emilia started her business 10 years ago after taking medical retirement due to cystic fibrosis, and since then has been building a homewares brand which is now stocked in places like Squires Garden Centres.
The High Street dream
It was when she had a small space above an antiques shop that Emilia realised a high-street stop could work.
“You couldn’t see my stuff from the front window,” she said. “Every single person came up and said I didn’t know you were here. But it was so well received. I was talking to my mum and said this could work, people really like it. It needs to be somewhere where people can see it.”
She then found out a shop vacancy was coming up on Reigate high street and made an enquiry with the owners.
“I found out it was very expensive,” said Emilia.“There were two offers higher than mine, but I shared with them my vision and they accepted mine. They’ve given me a chance.”
How the funding has helped
She said she couldn’t have done it without the Economic Growth Fund, which has gone towards helping the shop launch, as well as admin costs and things like a music license to play music on the premises.
On her vision for the shop, Emilia said: “I want it to have a welcoming feel and be accessible for people. I wanted things to be £3.50 and £10, I want people to know handmade doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. It can be done, it doesn’t cost the earth.
“I want to have conversations. I always try to be available for people to ask questions. Obviously, it’s about quality products, but if you make the customer experience the best it can be, that customer is going to remember that and talk about that when they get home, I want people to have the best experience.”
On her advice for budding start ups or established business owners who want to take a leap, Emilia said: “Anyone can do what they really want to do; do some drawing, make something, have a bit more faith in yourself, apply for the funding, see what you can get going. If you have got an idea, just believe in yourself.”
More about the Surrey Economic Growth Fund
Surrey County Council launched the Economic Growth Fund in April 2025 with the aim to support ideas that will accelerate growth, boost innovation and create new employment opportunities.
Approximately £2 million was distributed when the first round of grants was announced in September 2025.
With a further £1 million awarded in round two, the total invested locally in 2025 now stands at more than £3 million.
The Economic Growth Fund is one of several ways the council supports businesses and the regional Surrey economy.
To register for fully-funded support to start and grow a business get in touch via our Business Support Form.
Dorking Distilleries set for success thanks to the Surrey Economic Growth Fund
Published 17 January 2026
Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories
Dorking Distillery is a new custom-made distillery at Denbies Wine Estate, conceived by five co-founders who purchased the artisan drinks brand the Gin Kitchen. The grant from the Economic Growth Fund has been used to help repurpose and convert two fabricated sea containers to create their new distillery.
Co-founder Serena Billinghurst said: “ We are a premium spirits producer using the highest quality ingredients.We have been lucky to work with local artist Charlotte Godfrey to redesign the Gin Kitchen collection range, using the same much loved ceramic bottles, with new artwork which we are excited to share.
“We have built our distillery at Denbies, and are starting by selling the Gin Kitchen range, but also plan to develop a zero-alcohol drink and other spirits over time as well. We will also be offering a refill service, so instead of having to buy another bottle you can visit and refill straight from the still, or receive a refill pouch out in the post.”
Exciting plans for the future
As well as growing the product range, the team at Dorking Distillery has also set its sights on events.
“We would like to host tasting events from the distillery and start organising larger music events in the future,” said Serena. “That is a key part of where we see our growth. The events are an exciting opportunity for us to create more jobs in the county and put Surrey on the map as the place to go for artisan gin tasting.”
The grant from the Economic Growth Fund has helped get the project over the line and enabled the launch.
“This grant has been the life changing boost that we needed to get us over the line with creating the distillery,” Serena said.
“This project has been like an onion, with many layers, it has been a challenging but also an amazing experience and we’re excited to be open!”
What is the Surrey Economic Growth Fund?
Surrey County Council launched the Economic Growth Fund in April 2025 with a focus on supporting ideas to accelerate growth, boost innovation and create new employment opportunities.
With a further £1 million awarded in round two, the total invested locally in 2025 now stands at more than £3 million.
The Economic Growth Fund is one of several ways the council supports businesses and a growing Surrey economy.
To register for fully-funded support to start and grow a business get in touch via our Business Support Form.
Renée’s round-up of grants and funding – December
Published 5 December 2025
Funding and grants
As we head into the festive season, it’s the perfect time to start planning for 2026. There are plenty of new grants and challenges launching, so take a look at our latest grants and funding round-up to ensure you don’t miss out. Things move quickly, so check back each month for updates on new programmes and competitions. Good luck, and let me know how you get on!
Renée
National Materials Innovation Programme: Feasibility Studies Competition
This competition is operated by Innovate UK (IUK) and supports projects that accelerate the translation of advanced materials innovations into industrial adoption. Projects must align with one of six high growth themes identified in the National Materials Innovation Strategy, or with the strategic opportunity theme of metamaterials and metasurfaces.
Eligible focus areas include net zero energy solutions, future healthcare, structural innovations, advanced surface technologies and materials durability, next generation electronics, telecommunications and sensors, and consumer products, packaging and specialist polymers. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed work will enable faster progression of materials innovation toward industrial application.
The competition will fund feasibility projects with a total budget of up to £2 million. Eligible projects can request grant funding between £50,000 and £100,000.
World of Opportunity – SME Exporter Grants Programme
Heathrow is calling for SMEs in every corner of the UK to come forward and share their exporting ambitions. The UK’s hub airport is relaunching its World of Opportunity Programme, which helps UK exporters to sell their goods and services around the world, for 2025-2026.
The Programme is designed to support the UK’s SMEs in boosting their export potential, with previous grants being used for trade missions, research, and training to further exporting ambitions. This programme will provide £2,000 grants to 12 SME businesses across the UK, with one grant awarded to a business from each region and nation.
The funding is intended to support social entrepreneurs by helping them nurture their social ventures and grow their impact.
The following levels of funding are available:
Starting Up – funding of up to £8,000
Scaling Up – funding of up to £18,000 for a social enterprise that has been operating for between one to four years.
In addition to funding, award recipients will be assigned to one of UnLtd’s dedicated programmes to provide support aligned with the needs of their social venture for up to one year.
Finance Beyond Borders is a free learning programme offering funding and business support to small businesses engaged in, or planning, international trade.
The initiative provides practical guidance and tools to help businesses simplify cross-border payments, manage multi-currency accounts, and strengthen their financial operations. The programme aims to help founders understand how to expand internationally while managing costs, streamline financial management, and make informed decisions.
Through the programme, two grants of £1,000 each are available, alongside a mentoring session and live, interactive webinars. In addition, participants can benefit from an exclusive offer from Airwallex, a financial platform designed to support cross-border transactions, multi-currency management and cost efficiency.
TechX Clean Energy Accelerator is provided by the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC). The funding is intended to help innovative clean energy start-ups develop their technologies and grow their business.
Applications will be accepted from companies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) three to six, specialising in the following focus areas:
CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage)
Renewables and grid
Hydrogen and alternative fuels
Industrial decarbonisation.
Applicants must be developing a novel clean energy technology which is fully owned by the start-up. Up to £50,000 in grant funding is available for selected start-ups.
Small Business Britain, in partnership with BT, is proud to launch the Green Growth Awards. This is a celebration of 100 inspiring UK small businesses that are successfully using sustainability to drive business growth.
From cutting waste and saving energy, to rethinking supply chains and attracting new customers, these businesses are showing that sustainability isn’t just good for the planet, it’s good for business too!
Successful businesses will be invited to an awards event in March 2026, hosted by BT. At the event two standout firms will each receive a Green Growth Award. This is a £5,000 grant to help them scale their sustainability goals.
Enterprise Nation’s Work Reimagined Webinar Series & Prize Draw
Sign up to Enterprise Nation and Dell’s webinar series and download ‘Getting AI-ready: The small business tech checklist’ to simplify set-up, security and updates.
By signing up, you’ll be automatically entered into a prize draw to win a tech bundle worth over £1,000 including a Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 Laptop, a Dell Pro 14 Portable Monitor and Dell Pro Ear Buds.
Innovate UK is offering up to 60 Women in Innovation Awards to women entrepreneurs within SMEs across the UK. The aims of this competition are to support Women in Innovation Award winners:
Whose innovation is aligned to one of the following three high growth sectors defined in the Government’s Industrial Strategy: Advanced Manufacturing, Digital and Technologies and Life Sciences.
Who have a late stage start-up with ambitions to grow a scalable business which will involve raising considerable investment in the next 12 to 24 months.
The winners will receive a £75,000 grant and bespoke business support.
The business boost grants can help your business with:
Grant support up to £2,000 to help businesses improve their shop fronts or signage
Grant support up to £2,000 to help bring a shop that has been empty for at least 3 months back into commercial use
up to £1,000 to help town or village wide projects to drive new footfall, investment, street-scene improvements or sustainability.
All applications need at least 50% match funding and 2 quotes for each element. Town and village centre independents can also apply for support to help sell online with the digital high street boost and small and medium sized business can get help to invest in energy efficiency projects with the green business boost.
Business Support Grants of up to £1,000 for residents and businesses with fewer than 5 employees based in Reigate and Banstead.
Grants can be used to help fund things like marketing, new equipment or training. Please note the grant is NOT available for the development of prototypes or for IT equipment such as laptops, unless you are a brand new start up and do not possess any IT hardware.
Homes England and Octopus Real Estate have launched the second phase of the Greener Homes Alliance. The scheme provides discounted development finance to small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders. The initiative supports the construction of energy-efficient homes across England.
A total of £150 million is available. Loans range from £2 million to £20 million. Interest rate reductions of up to 2% are available for developers who meet environmental and social criteria. Eligible applicants include SME housebuilders and developers operating in England.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Co-operative and Community Finance offers loans of between £10,000 and £85,000 for new or existing co-operatives across the UK. Loans are to assist with the expansion, setup, or development of a co-operative enterprise.
Loans will only be made to economically viable enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled organisations registered in the UK.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Grants
The FiPL programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.
The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT). This is capped at a maximum of:
£350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant. For example, if you install at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket per site
The Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot
The Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot is a £50 million capital grant programme supporting large-scale research and development projects within the UK life sciences sector. The fund aims to strengthen health resilience, drive innovation and deliver economic benefits through significant investments in research capacity, facilities and technologies.
Projects should demonstrate how they will enhance the UK’s ability to respond to health emergencies and long-term healthcare challenges, for example by expanding or creating R&D capacity, improving manufacturing processes, accelerating clinical research or deploying new technologies.
If you can’t see something in this month’s round-up that suits your business’s specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.
Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on funding, business news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
Unlock hidden talent for hard-to-fill job roles with Connect to Work
Published 4 December 2025
Skills and workforce
Finding the right people for hard-to-fill roles is one of the biggest challenges facing employers today. With around 728,000 vacancies across the UK, many businesses are struggling to fill skills gaps. But what if there was a ready pool of motivated, loyal candidates – backed by expert support to ensure they succeed in your business?
Connect to Work is a new supported employment programme funded by UK government, and delivered by Surrey County Council. It connects employers with those who want to work but face barriers to employment. The scheme includes people living with disabilities, health conditions, and those experiencing other significant challenges in accessing the job market.
Compelling business case
Research by Mencap found that workers with learning disabilities often have no whole-day absences, far fewer late arrivals and significantly higher job loyalty than the UK average.
And according to a broad review by CBM UK, inclusive employment – correctly supported – can lead to equal or greater productivity, lower absenteeism, better attendance and stronger safety records. The review also found workplace accommodations for disabled staff often benefit the wider workforce (e.g. flexible work, better wellbeing support), improving overall staff retention and company resilience.
All this leads to lower staff turnover, which reduces costs associated with recruitment, onboarding and training. And sectors that struggle to recruit, such as retail, hospitality, social care and logistics, often match well to the skills and flexibility offered by disabled or learning-disabled candidates.
Tap into talent
By partnering with Connect to Work, you’ll also tap into a substantial, under-utilised talent pool. Research shows that 86% of people with learning disabilities who aren’t working want a job. These candidates are particularly well-suited to roles involving routine tasks, warehousing, retail, and basic admin – exactly the positions many employers struggle to fill.
Tangible business benefits
And the benefits extend beyond just filling job roles. Businesses that embrace inclusive hiring report improved workplace morale, better team cohesion and a more empathetic, supportive culture. Your reputation strengthens too, building community trust that’s invaluable for customer-facing businesses. Inclusive hiring also enhances your employer brand by boosting your evidence of social value, and can help your business secure contracts where diversity and social impact matter.
How to get involved
Connect to Work is completely free to employers of any size, matching Connect to Work’s supported candidates to your vacancies at minimum wage or above.
Your dedicated Employment Specialist will help with job matching, supporting the application process, and providing ongoing workplace support for as long as needed – ensuring success for everyone involved.
If you’re ready to build a stronger workforce, get in touch at STEPSurrey@surreycc.gov.uk to discuss how Connect to Work can benefit your business.
Call now open for CoSTAR National Lab’s “Advanced Production Technology” call
Published 28 November 2025
Funding and grants
The CoSTAR National Lab is looking for innovative approaches to advanced production that improve efficiency and enhance workflows—helping create impactful, audience-facing experiences.
If you’re a UK-based creative or technology-focused SME developing technical innovations for production pipelines, this could be the perfect opportunity for you. Potential applications include:
Film and TV development
Animation and visual effects
Games and digital content creation
Live performance production
Emerging media and new technologies
What’s on offer?
This R&D programme provides a generous support package, including:
Access to studio and AI compute facilities
World-class research expertise
Cash funding
Travel and residency stipend (subject to eligibility)
A total of £140,000 in cash funding is available to support 3–5 projects, with up to £40,000 per project.
What are they looking for?
The Lab is keen to explore new workflows and production tools, including (but not limited to) innovations in:
For information on other sources of funding and grants, read our regular Funding Roundup or sign up for our newsletter.
Surrey Business Awards 2025 – celebrating the best businesses in the county
Published 19 November 2025
Events and awards
Business Surrey was proud to be a sponsor at the Surrey Business Awards 2025. The awards culminated in a glittering event last week (12 November) at Guildford’s G Live to celebrate the successes of businesses across Surrey.
Each year, this highly anticipated event celebrates the incredible achievements and contributions of businesses and individuals across Surrey. The calibre of entries is consistently outstanding, with exceptionally high quality submissions, making it a hard task for the judges who consider each category.
For the 2025 awards Business Surrey’s Enterprise Mentor, Renée Canter was delighted to judge the Best New Business category. Renée was inspired by the professionalism and creativity shown by the founders and teams of a hugely varied group of organisations all doing great things across Surrey.
For a full list of finalists and winners see the Surrey Business Awards website. Why not enter next year for the chance to showcase your business and join the ranks of Surrey’s most successful and innovative companies.
Looking for further advice?
Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service providing expert support and advice to all businesses in Surrey. Our aim is to help you start, grow and thrive.
Upcoming Business Surrey events: learn, connect, grow
Published 18 November 2025
Events and awards
Business Surrey is here to help local businesses thrive with fully funded webinars, workshops, and networking opportunities. Whether you’re starting out, scaling up, or looking to future-proof your business, these events are designed for you.
Meet Trading Standards: Stay compliant and confident
Running a business means navigating complex regulations. Join our expert-led webinar to understand the role of Trading Standards and how to avoid common compliance pitfalls.
Live Q&A with Trading Standards expert Phil LeShirley
Who should attend? Business owners, managers, and anyone responsible for compliance or product safety.
Register here.
Start-up Surrey online workshop – Funding options
Join us for a hands-on workshop designed to help growing businesses navigate the funding landscape.
Discover the full range of funding options available to early-stage and scaling businesses, with a special focus on grants and private equity.
Our expert speaker, Mark Taylor from Grant Hero, brings extensive experience in securing innovation funding, including successful bids with Innovate UK. Mark has helped more than 20 businesses access grants and accelerate growth.
In this session, we’ll cover:
How different funding routes work
What funders are looking for
How to choose the right approach for your stage and ambitions
You’ll also gain practical insights into crafting a compelling fundraising narrative, so you leave with a clear understanding of the funding landscape and the confidence to take your next steps.
Decarbonisation is a strategic priority for UK businesses – and SMEs are part of the supply chain. This practical session will help you take the first steps toward reducing emissions.
Hear from our expert, Shelley Lawson who brings practical advice borne of tangible experience. Shelley has helped businesses deliver carbon reductions whilst tackling their biggest issues, and strengthening the bottom line.
Register here.
Start-up overview
Kickstart your self-employment journey with our interactive Start-Up Overview workshop. In just one hour, you’ll gain valuable insights into the realities of working for yourself, assess your personal and business readiness, and leave empowered to decide if self-employment is right for you.
17 December | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | Online
Register here.
Become a go-to supplier for the public sector
Want to align with local authority programmes to thrive and grow? Learn more about the public sector supply chain and discover how to unlock local opportunities in facilities management.
Date: 20 January 2026 Time: 8:30 am – 12:00 pm Location: Woodhatch Place, Reigate | Fully funded | Free parking
Boost your marketing skills with our fully funded online workshops:
1. Communicate with confidence
22 January 2026 | 11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Learn how to define and express your brand with clarity and impact.
2. Build Your digital growth engine
12 February 2026 | 11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Explore smart digital strategies to expand reach and engagement.
3. Build, automate & accelerate
5 March 2026 | 11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Discover CRM tools, workflow design, and automation for sustainable growth.
Hear from Dan Chidley, our trusted coach helping people, organisations, communities and good causes through coaching, mentoring, personal and professional development. Accredited Member of the Association for Coaching. Director level marketing and communications professional with 20 years’ experience: in-house, agency and consultancy. Chartered Marketer and Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Here’s a round up of business grants that have come through my inbox this month, it’s fast moving so check back here every month for updates on what programmes have been released.
As we reach the end of the year, grants and competitions are gearing up for 2026 so look through to the end to make sure you’ve checked all opportunities.
Good Luck and let me know how you get on!
Renée
Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge
Hello Tomorrow aims to empower deeptech start-up entrepreneurs from around the world. The project must be in its early stages of development or about to be spun-out from academic labs as long as there is strong proof-of-concept.
It should be based on a new technology, scientific discovery or a complex engineering process. The project may solve an industrial, societal or environmental unmet need or create a new market. There should be a team of at least two people working on the project.
The programme will provide a platform for research and projects, providing equity-free prize money as well as other funding opportunities, global visibility and connections with key players in the deeptech innovation network and other fellow entrepreneurs.
Applicants should be able to fit in at least one of the following ten Global Challenge tracks:
Aerospace
Advanced Computing & Cyber Security
Automotive, Maritime, Rail Transportation and Operations
Powered by SeedLegals, the UK and Ireland’s largest pitching competition is back and bigger than ever, taking place in Dublin, Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham and London.
There is a grand prize of £25k for the winner and 2 weeks of exclusive mentoring for all 60 finalists to get pitch-ready before the events.
The Ideas and Pioneers Fund provides grants to individuals, groups and small organisations who are focused on exploring an innovative new idea or approach for change. Their ideas should be ‘bold and brave,’ have a charitable purpose and be:
Challenging injustice – Ideas should show a clear vision to help build a better society and contribute to shifting power and challenging and transforming the root causes of systemic oppression. There is interest in ideas working at a local level as those working at a national level.
Emerging – The funding is for ideas that are still forming. Applicants need to have a clear sense of the learning and experimenting they need to do to progress their idea.
Long-term potential – ideas with a long-term impact
The funding can support a number of things, including but not limited to research to develop the idea, gathering evidence for a campaign, bringing people or communities together to build power, and paying the applicant or others to deliver these activities.
The initiative recognises work that reduces emissions and delivers environmental, social and economic benefits by organisations delivering practical responses to climate and energy challenges. The awards aim to highlight approaches that strengthen resilience, support inclusive growth and reduce pollution, while encouraging policy and investment support for renewable energy.
Awards will focus on projects improving access to clean energy or protecting and restoring nature. Examples of eligible activities include local renewable energy systems, forest conservation models and clean cooking solutions. Winners will receive:
Up to £40,000 in grant funding
Tailored communications and organisational support
Global media exposure and storytelling support
Connections to funders, investors, and policymakers.
The opportunity to participate in Ashden’s wider programmes and alumni network
Made Smarter Innovation: SME resource and energy efficiency – feasibility studies
The aim of this competition is to explore new industrial digital technologies for manufacturers. These IDTs will improve the sustainability, resilience and productivity of micro, small or medium-sized enterprise manufacturers by improving energy or resource efficiency.
Projects must focus on the innovation of digital solutions relating to one or more energy or resource efficiencies, and must be affordable, easy to use and scalable across SMEs. This competition is split into two strands: one focused on Feasibility Studies and one focused on Industrial Research projects.
This competition is jointly operated by Innovate UK (IUK) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
Innovate UK is providing funding through the Biomedical Catalyst programme to support industry led research and development projects addressing health and healthcare challenges. The competition is aimed at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises developing innovative solutions that improve patient outcomes or transform healthcare delivery.
Projects may focus on areas such as disease prevention, early diagnosis, tailored treatments, healthcare transformation, digital health technologies and consumer focused self-care. Eligible sectors include advanced therapies, biosciences, preclinical tools, therapeutics, diagnostics, medical technologies, precision medicine, digital health and healthy ageing, among others.
Applicants must demonstrate commercial and technical feasibility, with proposals showing how the project will enhance the competitiveness and productivity of at least one UK SME partner. The competition has two strands:
Biomedical Catalyst 2025: Industry led R&D small projects – up to £500,000 grant funding
Biomedical Catalyst 2025: Industry led R&D large projects – over £500,000 grant funding.
National Materials Innovation Programme: Feasibility Studies Competition
This competition is operated by Innovate UK (IUK) and supports projects that accelerate the translation of advanced materials innovations into industrial adoption. Projects must align with one of six high growth themes identified in the National Materials Innovation Strategy, or with the strategic opportunity theme of metamaterials and metasurfaces.
Eligible focus areas include net zero energy solutions, future healthcare, structural innovations, advanced surface technologies and materials durability, next generation electronics, telecommunications and sensors, and consumer products, packaging and specialist polymers. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed work will enable faster progression of materials innovation toward industrial application.
The competition will fund feasibility projects with a total budget of up to £2 million. Eligible projects can request grant funding between £50,000 and £100,000.
World of Opportunity – SME Exporter Grants Programme
Heathrow is calling for SMEs in every corner of the UK to come forward and share their exporting ambitions. The UK’s hub airport is relaunching its World of Opportunity Programme, which helps UK exporters to sell their goods and services around the world, for 2025-2026.
The Programme is designed to support the UK’s SMEs in boosting their export potential, with previous grants being used for trade missions, research, and training to further exporting ambitions. This programme will provide £2,000 grants to 12 SME businesses across the UK, with one grant awarded to a business from each region and nation.
The funding is intended to support social entrepreneurs by helping them nurture their social ventures and grow their impact.
The following levels of funding are available:
Starting Up – funding of up to £8,000
Scaling Up – funding of up to £18,000 for a social enterprise that has been operating for between one to four years.
In addition to funding, award recipients will be assigned to one of UnLtd’s dedicated programmes to provide support aligned with the needs of their social venture for up to one year.
Finance Beyond Borders is a free learning programme offering funding and business support to small businesses engaged in, or planning, international trade.
The initiative provides practical guidance and tools to help businesses simplify cross-border payments, manage multi-currency accounts, and strengthen their financial operations. The programme aims to help founders understand how to expand internationally while managing costs, streamline financial management, and make informed decisions.
Through the programme, two grants of £1,000 each are available, alongside a mentoring session and live, interactive webinars. In addition, participants can benefit from an exclusive offer from Airwallex, a financial platform designed to support cross-border transactions, multi-currency management and cost efficiency.
TechX Clean Energy Accelerator is provided by the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC). The funding is intended to help innovative clean energy start-ups develop their technologies and grow their business.
Applications will be accepted from companies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) three to six, specialising in the following focus areas:
CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage)
Renewables and grid
Hydrogen and alternative fuels
Industrial decarbonisation.
Applicants must be developing a novel clean energy technology which is fully owned by the start-up. Up to £50,000 in grant funding is available for selected start-ups.
Small Business Britain, in partnership with BT, is proud to launch the Green Growth Awards. This is a celebration of 100 inspiring UK small businesses that are successfully using sustainability to drive business growth.
From cutting waste and saving energy, to rethinking supply chains and attracting new customers, these businesses are showing that sustainability isn’t just good for the planet, it’s good for business too!
Successful businesses will be invited to an awards event in March 2026, hosted by BT. At the event two standout firms will each receive a Green Growth Award. This is a £5,000 grant to help them scale their sustainability goals.
The business boost grants can help your business with:
Grant support up to £2,000 to help businesses improve their shop fronts or signage
Grant support up to £2,000 to help bring a shop that has been empty for at least 3 months back into commercial use
up to £1,000 to help town or village wide projects to drive new footfall, investment, street-scene improvements or sustainability.
All applications need at least 50% match funding and 2 quotes for each element. Town and village centre independents can also apply for support to help sell online with the digital high street boost and small and medium sized business can get help to invest in energy efficiency projects with the green business boost.
Business Support Grants of up to £1,000 for residents and businesses with fewer than 5 employees based in Reigate and Banstead.
Grants can be used to help fund things like marketing, new equipment or training. Please note the grant is NOT available for the development of prototypes or for IT equipment such as laptops, unless you are a brand new start up and do not possess any IT hardware.
Homes England and Octopus Real Estate have launched the second phase of the Greener Homes Alliance. The scheme provides discounted development finance to small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders. The initiative supports the construction of energy-efficient homes across England.
A total of £150 million is available. Loans range from £2 million to £20 million. Interest rate reductions of up to 2% are available for developers who meet environmental and social criteria. Eligible applicants include SME housebuilders and developers operating in England.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Co-operative and Community Finance offers loans of between £10,000 and £85,000 for new or existing co-operatives across the UK. Loans are to assist with the expansion, setup, or development of a co-operative enterprise.
Loans will only be made to economically viable enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled organisations registered in the UK.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Grants
The FiPL programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.
The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT). This is capped at a maximum of:
£350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant. For example, if you install at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket per site
The Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot
The Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot is a £50 million capital grant programme supporting large-scale research and development projects within the UK life sciences sector. The fund aims to strengthen health resilience, drive innovation and deliver economic benefits through significant investments in research capacity, facilities and technologies.
Projects should demonstrate how they will enhance the UK’s ability to respond to health emergencies and long-term healthcare challenges, for example by expanding or creating R&D capacity, improving manufacturing processes, accelerating clinical research or deploying new technologies.
If you can’t see something in this month’s roundup that suits your business’s specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.
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Surrey firm named among UK’s fastest-growing companies
Published 29 October 2025
Business news, Innovation
Guildford-based technology firm Crowd Connected has been recognised as one of the UK’s 50 fastest-growing private companies in the UK Fast Growth Index 2025. This prestigious ranking celebrates innovation and commercial success across the country.
Celebrating innovation in spatial intelligence
Crowd Connected specialises in real-time location systems (RTLS) and spatial intelligence. Its solutions make it possible to measure the use of physical spaces more easily. Sectors such as events, commercial real estate, healthcare and higher education make use of Crowd Connected’s software.
“Being named in the UK Fast Growth Index is testament to our commercial momentum and our mission to make physical spaces measurable, efficient, and intelligent,” said James Cobb, Founder and CEO of Crowd Connected. “Recognition like this reflects the UK’s strength in location intelligence and smart-building technology.”
From events to smart buildings
The company initially gained traction in the events industry, providing real-time visitor navigation and behavioural analytics at exhibitions and conferences. Since then it has expanded into smart buildings and healthcare. Its technology enables indoor navigation, asset tracking, and occupancy analytics, helping organisations optimise people and resource management.
A broad picture of UK growth
The UK Fast Growth Index, founded by Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, showcases the most dynamic and high-performing private businesses across seven UK regions. Jones-Evans said: “The [2025] Index highlights how innovative companies like Crowd Connected make a measurable impact on both regional economies and national productivity. These high-growth firms are proof that advanced digital technology continues to drive the UK’s competitiveness.”
Explore the full list
Crowd Connected joins 49 other standout companies in the 2025 Fast Growth Index. Access the full list of the Top 50 fastest-growing companies via the official website: UK Fast Growth Index – Top 200
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