Unlock the Future with Business Surrey’s AI Toolkit

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a luxury reserved for large corporations. Small businesses, too, can harness the power of AI to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and drive growth. In recognition of its importance, we have partnered with experts at the University of Surrey to create a cutting-edge AI toolkit designed to help small businesses embrace this transformative technology.

Why AI matters for small businesses

AI offers numerous advantages for small businesses, making it an essential tool for staying competitive. By automating routine tasks, AI frees up valuable time for employees to focus on strategic activities. It can also provide insights through data analysis, helping businesses make informed decisions and identify new opportunities. AI-driven customer service solutions can also enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty, even leading to increased revenue.

What’s included in the Business Surrey AI toolkit?

The toolkit takes the form of four video modules, each building on the last.

Video 1: The Foundations of AI

Covering how AI developed, and explaining some of the commonly-used jargon associated with AI.

Video 2: People-centred AI

Focusing on the impact AI is having on our day-today lives, explaining how – with human oversight – it can be used to support automation in tasks like interpreting data, making meeting notes and reviewing job applications.

Video 3: Applications of conversational AI

Explaining how the development of large language models means AI tools can play a key role in how businesses will have conversations in multiple languages in the very near future – with very real potential for businesses that export and trade internationally.

Video 4: Business view of AI

Focusing on applying the learning to your business – eg identifying fraud in financial services, supporting idea generation in the creative industries, or training and upskilling employees in any sector.

Why implement AI in your business?

Embracing AI is not just about keeping up with the latest trends; it’s about future-proofing your business. As AI continues to evolve, businesses that adopt this technology early will be better positioned to adapt to changes and seize new opportunities. The Business Surrey AI toolkit is your gateway to understanding and leveraging AI, ensuring your business remains competitive in the digital age.

Get started today

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to transform your business with AI. Download the Business Surrey AI toolkit today and take the first step towards a more efficient, productive, and innovative future.

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Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025 now open to Surrey farmers

The Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025 is now open. It means farmers in parts of Surrey can secure a six-figure cash injection as part of wider efforts to boost growth in the county.

Surrey County Council is offering capital grants of up to £120,000 to support innovative ideas to drive diversification in agriculture.

The aim is to help farmers in the districts of Tandridge, Guildford and Waverley to generate new income streams while increasing the long-term sustainability of their estates.

Ideas could include establishing farm shops, developing agritourism, generating sustainable energy or cultivating new crops and livestock.

A total of £360,000 is available as part of the government’s Rural England Prosperity Fund for 2025/6.

Applications can be made direct via the Business Surrey website, and close at the end of June 2025. .

It will be a competitive process. And the focus is on supporting a small number of large-scale, high-impact projects in eligible areas. Match funding is encouraged though not mandatory.  

Grants will be awarded and distributed via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund.

Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “As committed custodians of much of Surrey’s fantastic countryside, farmers play a key role in everyone’s way of life, producing the food we eat, managing our unique landscapes and creating employment in our rural communities.

“This fund is intended to support a small number of farmers to diversify and explore new commercial opportunities, supporting them to generate more income while supporting broader prosperity in our rural communities.

“It forms part of our wider commitment to drive sustainable growth across Surrey while ensuring no one is left behind.”

What is the Rural England Prosperity Fund?

The Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025 is integrated into the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It is government funding which supports productivity and prosperity in places that need it most.

In Surrey, this means the Rural England funding is only available in three of the 11 districts. These are Guildford, Tandridge and Waverley.

The Rural Fund is a rural top-up to UKSPF allocations. And it supports activities that specifically address the particular challenges rural areas face.

The Rural Fund sits alongside existing Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) schemes, including the:

Support with your bid

The Surrey element of the Rural England Prosperity Fund is a great opportunity for farmers and landowners to progress plans to drive growth. If you have any questions then contact the Business Surrey team.

But we recognise that some rural business owners may not be eligible. Or they may need additional help, either via email, phone or face-to-face.

So you can get in touch with our business advisors at any point. You could receive thousands of pounds-worth of free bespoke support from our expert team.

You can also:

Business Continuity and Enhancing Resilience

Ashley Field, Resilience Lead for Surrey County Council, working in the Emergency Management and Resilience Team writes this month’s blog on Business Continuity.

You may not know, but this week is Business Continuity Week! It’s crucial for Surrey business owners and employees to understand the importance of business continuity and how to improve your resilience, but what does this mean in practice?

Business Continuity

I like the definition from the Business Continuity Institute, which defines business continuity as

“The capability of an organisation to continue the delivery of products and services within acceptable time frames at a predefined capacity during a disruption.”

Did you know that nearly one in five businesses suffer a major disruption each year? There have been some high-profile disruptions in the past few weeks, including the severe cyber-attack on M&S, which forced them to suspend online orders and halt recruitment. TfL also experienced a power outage that caused major disruptions across the London Underground network, affecting multiple lines and causing delays.

Business continuity planning ensures that your business can continue to operate during and after disruption. The goal is to minimise the impact on operations and enable quick recovery.

Assessing impacts and risk

The first step in business continuity planning is to identify your critical activities through a business impact analysis (BIA). The BIA estimates the impacts of disruption over time to establish the organisation’s response, recovery priorities, and the resource requirements.

The next step is to conduct a risk assessment and identify potential threats to your business. What would happen if you had an IT network failure, and your customers could not contact you or pay for your products/ services? What would happen if you had no access to your offices or premises or key documents or products were destroyed in a building fire?

Once you have identified these risks, it’s necessary to assess their potential impact on your operations. This will help you prioritise which areas need the most attention.

Developing a Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

A comprehensive BCP is essential and should outline the steps your business will take to continue operations during a disruption. Key components include:

  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Key contact details
  • Outline how the plan will be activated – when, by whom, how?
  • Critical functions/activities to be recovered, timescales and recovery levels needed
  • Actions to be carried out
  • Clear communication process
  • Process for standing down and returning to business as usual

A top tip is to regularly review and update your BCP to reflect any changes in your business operations or the external environment. This will help ensure that your plan remains relevant and effective.

Training and Testing

Once your BCP is in place, it’s important to train your employees on their roles and responsibilities during disruption. Regular training sessions will help ensure that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. Additionally, testing your BCP through simulations and exercises will help identify any weaknesses and areas for improvement.

Conclusion

Creating a culture of resilience within your organisation is key to effective business continuity. Encourage employees to be proactive in identifying risks and reporting any issues. Building strong relationships with suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders can enhance your business resilience. Collaborate with your partners to develop joint continuity plans and ensure that everyone is prepared for potential disruption.

By taking proactive steps to enhance your business resilience, you can ensure that your business is better prepared to handle disruptions. During this Business Continuity Week, why not take the time to assess your current plans, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to strengthen your resilience.

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Further business support

If you’d like further support for your Surrey business, 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 support, funding, business news, and events for all Surrey businesses.

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Economic Growth Fund webinar now live

Interested in applying to the Surrey Economic Growth Fund? A webinar providing top tips to support your bid is now available to watch.

Businesses, employer representative groups and partner organisations are all invited to apply for investment from the new Economic Growth Fund.

Up to £7 million is available for this financial year. Grants will be awarded to those demonstrating how they will boost economic outcomes for the people, places and businesses of the county.

More than 110 people attended the Economic Growth Fund webinar held today (8 May, 2025).

Applications for the first round are now open, closing at the end of May. Apply via the form on the Business Surrey website.

Watch the Economic Growth Fund webinar

Watch the webinar in full by clicking on the play button below.

Webinar: Understanding the Surrey Economic Growth Fund

What is the Economic Growth Fund?

The Economic Growth Fund has been created by the Council in collaboration with employers from across the county via the One Surrey Growth Board and Business Leaders Forum.

The idea is to make it as simple and easy-as-possible for those looking to apply for funding to boost growth.

So, a range of funds, such as UK Shared Prosperity Funding from government, have been pooled together into a single application process.

The first round covers three areas.

  • Business Growth Grants support companies of all sizes to scale up and create jobs. Match funding of between £10,000 and £50,000, covering 50% of project costs is available.
  • The Innovation Spaces Fund focuses on physical infrastructure, such as training hubs, collaborative workspaces, and testing facilities. Minimum bid of £50,000.
  • The Future Surrey Fund is open to anyone, including partners – such as employer representative groups, local authorities, research institutions and schools. Applications should focus on innovative ideas that can scale while delivering economic impact in Surrey.

To apply, you’ll need to demonstrate how your bid delivers against the three priorities in the refreshed economic strategy. These are workforce and skills; business growth; and economic infrastructure in Surrey’s communities.

There’s a two step process for all three areas, starting with an expression of interest.

Read more about criteria and closing dates on the Economic Growth Fund page.

Close up of a computer screen during a online webinar. On the screen is a title page called "Understanding the Surrey Economic Growth Fund"

Marketing toolkit now available to Surrey businesses

A marketing toolkit to help Surrey businesses start, grow and thrive is now available via the Business Surrey website.

As part of our work to support businesses of all sizes across Surrey, we’ve developed a series of online training videos focusing on promoting and selling companies to customers.

Marketing is one of the most requested areas of support that we receive from Surrey businesses.

And this toolkit will help increase your understanding and confidence around marketing techniques while developing a bespoke approach to grow your customer base and increase sales.

You can access the toolkit in just a few clicks by completing the form on the Marketing Toolkit page.

What is the Business Surrey marketing toolkit?

The Marketing Toolkit videos are hosted by members of the Business Surrey team in conversation with specialist adviser Daniel Chidley. He has over 20 years of experience in supporting businesses of all sizes with marketing support.

The four videos cover a range of topics on a “learn as you go” basis.

Each one comes with a DIY worksheet document available for downloading. These can be completed as you go – meaning the learning can be directly applied to your own business.

Two completed case studies are also available to provide help and inspiration.

The videos are designed to be watched as a series and cover:

  1. Marketing Strategy
    • why a strategy and plan are crucial foundations on which to build your marketing activities.
  2. Understanding Your Customer
    • defining your target audience, identifying the channels you need to use to reach customers, and creating content to use in your communications
  3. Marketing Technologies
    • focusing on media channels, the importance of a website and social media – plus customer relationship management tools.
  4. Your Marketing Action Plan
    • covering off budgeting and how much you should be spending, while also looking at who should carry out marketing activities.

Download the guide in just a few clicks via our Marketing Toolkit form.

The toolkit has been funded by UK government as part of our Surrey Growth Hub service. The videos were filmed at Tannery Studios in Send by Lamplight Media.

Need additional support?

The Business Surrey Marketing Toolkit uses technology to provide a different way of providing bespoke business support.

But we recognise that some business owners may need additional help, either via email, phone or face-to-face.

So you can get in touch with our business advisors at any point.

You can also:

Filming of the Business Surrey marketing toolkit - two people sat in chairs look at laptops as filming takes place in the background
A man with glasses, beard and a purple shirt is presenting in an engaging way. He is looking to the right of the picture. A lamplight is in the background.

Made Smarter expands to the South East to drive UK manufacturing forward with digital technologies, innovation and skills

The Made Smarter Adoption programme is set to revolutionize the manufacturing landscape for SMEs and makers in the South East of England.

After operating successfully in the North West since 2019, and further expanding to cover the North East, Humber and the West Midlands, it is now rolling-out to the South East from April 2025.

This initiative is targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have a manufacturing element to their business. It aims to provide them with the tools and support they need to embrace digital technologies so they can improve productivity, boost their bottom line and achieve long term sustainable growth.

The Made Smarter Adoption programme – backed by world-renowned businesses and funded by UK government, is focused on digital transformation delivered by specialist advisors.
Applicants can get access to a range of personalised support to help them make everyday improvements to their operations and improve their competitiveness.

Businesses can register their interest now, in readiness for the April launch.

Advice, skills and workforce support, plus funding

Made Smarter can support businesses in a number of ways, including:

  • Funding: up to 50% match funding available to help business implement new technologies
  • Skills: training and development opportunities for those working in the sector. This includes workshops, mentoring and expert advice
  • Sustainability: promotion and adoption of energy-efficient technologies to reduce environmental impact and enhance reputation with customers.

Coverage in the South East

The South East programme covers a wide area, with Surrey County Council acting as the lead and coordinator. The regions included are Berkshire, Brighton & Hove, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Medway, Oxfordshire, Solent, and Surrey.

Manufacturing SMEs and makers within the South East area of coverage are encouraged to register their interest now in preparation for when the programme launches in April 2025. Once the programme is live, the Made Smarter team will contact registered businesses to start the process with a free, personalised assessment carried out by a Technology Adoption Specialist advisor.

By leveraging the support and resources offered by the Made Smarter Adoption programme, SME manufacturers and makers can boost their productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability, securing their future in the digital age.

Register your interest now: Digital transformation support in the South East | Made Smarter

Other support to boost your manufacturing SME

Business Surrey is Surrey County Council’s service providing free and accessible support for all businesses across Surrey.

Whatever your business, our experts are here to help you succeed by providing access to quality resources, expert local knowledge and professional insight. Our offer incudes:

You can also register to receive our regular newsletter, packed with the latest news on funding, events, free training and support for all Surrey businesses. We’ll be including regular Made Smarter updates in the newsletter and on this website.

Digital changes coming for Surrey businesses

Digital changes are coming for Surrey businesses of all sizes, which may impact how customers and suppliers contact, pay and invoice you.

In less than two years, all analogue landlines in the UK will be switched off. This could impact how customers contact your Surrey business and how they pay for your services.

Government is also considering the roll out of e-invoicing, which could improve productivity and automate business processes.

Below we set out how and when these changes are coming into force. And why your Surrey business should start thinking about futureproofing your business today.

Digital changes: phone lines

Landlines in the UK are going digital – but is your business ready?

The existing analogue technology – the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) – which has supported phone and broadband services for decades is being retired and switched off. This is because the network is old, and becoming harder and more expensive to maintain.

So by early 2027, all landline calls will be delivered over digital technology, called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). You might also see this referred to as ‘digital phone’ or ‘digital voice’.

This is not happening only in the UK. These changes are taking place all over the world.

Business benefits of digital phone lines

Trade magazine ISPreview estimates one in five (22%) of all UK businesses are still using analogue systems.

New digital phone lines will allow communications providers (such as BT, Virgin Media O2, Sky and Vodafone) to offer consumers and businesses clearer and better quality phone calls. There could also be new features such as anonymous caller rejection or three-way calling. 

VoIP is also more resistant to severe weather. The cables used are waterproof and less prone to damage during a storm or other severe weather events.

Landlines may also be used for alternative devices such as lift alarms, fax machines, burglar alarms and card payment systems.

BT has taken the decision to retire its PSTN by January 2027. This means other providers that use BT’s network must follow the same timescale – so, at most, Surrey businesses have 18 months to move over to a new digital network.

Communications providers will not know which devices are connected to their network. So it is important for you to review which devices you’re using and decide if they need replacing or upgrading.

Then contact your current communications provider to discuss alternatives.

To help, Ofcom has published a list of FAQs and prompts. Openreach has also published factsheets for businesses who use phone lines to deliver services. This will help you understand how the move to VoIP services may affect you.

Digital changes: Electronic invoicing

Would electronic invoicing help your Surrey business? Government is seeking views on standardising and increasing its adoption across UK businesses.

E-invoicing is the digital exchange of invoice information directly between buyers’ and suppliers’ financial systems, even if these systems are different. The invoice is then automatically written into the buyer’s financial system without manual processing.

Increased e-invoicing uptake may support economic growth, business productivity, improve business cashflow and reduce errors in tax returns. It has the potential to both support businesses and tax administration.

HMRC and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) are currently running a joint consultation to understand how e-invoicing may align with you or your customers’ businesses.

Businesses of all sizes – whether they use e-invoicing or not – are encouraged to take part, along with interest groups, representative bodies, industry bodies and individuals.

Responses will take a few minutes to complete via this online form.

Looking for further support?

Our team of experts can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.

You can also register to receive our newsletter, to receive the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses, direct to your inbox every month.

A man sat a desk with a laptop in front of him smiles while looking at a phone. He is in a business environment. There is a pot plant on the table too.

Surrey County Council launches workforce wellbeing programme to boost business performance

Businesses today face increasing pressure to balance operational demands while supporting their employees, and maintaining a competitive edge.  

While employee wellbeing often falls down the list of priorities, research shows that organisations which prioritise employee wellbeing experience a number of business benefits including:  

  • Fewer absences and greater productivity
  • Improved employee satisfaction and morale
  • Enhanced recruitment and retention

To help businesses improve mental heath and wellbeing across their teams, Surrey County Council has launched the Workforce Wellbeing programme. This is a free initiative aimed at Surrey businesses with 10 or more employees, and provides a clear path to improving workplace wellbeing and create healthier, more engaged workplaces (without increasing anyone’s workload).

Empowering businesses with tailored support

The Workforce Wellbeing Programme is designed to tackle the daily hurdles businesses encounter, from tight deadlines to workplace stress. By offering customised support, practical tools, and evidence-based strategies, this programme empowers organisations to improve employee engagement and build a workplace culture based on trust and wellbeing.

A comprehensive framework for success

The programme is built around six key pillars, providing businesses with a clear roadmap to improve workplace wellbeing. Through this initiative, organisations can access a wealth of free resources that make a tangible difference, including:

  • Customised Solutions: Tailored to meet each organisation’s unique needs.
  • Self-Assessment Tools: Identify key areas for improvement.
  • Engagement Materials: Inspire and involve employees in wellbeing initiatives.
  • Expert-Led Training: Training sessions provided by Surrey County Council experts.
  • Research-Backed Strategies: Practical strategies supported by evidence.
  • Collaborative Network: Join a supportive community of businesses prioritising workforce health.

The programme is flexible and accessible and designed to integrate into organisations of all sizes, from ten employees to several hundred or more.

Invitation to Surrey businesses

Surrey County Council invites organisations with 10 or more employees to take part in this free support programme. Whether you’re beginning your wellbeing journey or seeking to build on existing initiatives, this programme provides the tools, expertise, and community needed to succeed.

For more information and to register your organisation, visit the Surrey County Council Workforce Wellbeing page.

Looking for further support?

Use the Contact Us form on the Business Surrey website.

From pop-up to permanent: how a Multiply course helped Rita achieve her dream business

When Rita gave up her job in a creative agency for health reasons, she knew she wanted to do something different next: she wanted to help people in some way, and make use of the love and knowledge of plants she learned from her grandmother, (also named Rita). Here’s how a Multiply course helped make that happen.

Rita landed on the idea to open a plant shop with a difference – one with a strong community ethos and emphasis on mental health.

Rita and Nonna Rita - how a Multiply course helped Rita

“I just envisioned a place where it would be more of a community-based business. I wanted to not just have a plant shop, my goal was to create a space for people to feel more themselves.”

However, she wasn’t sure how to get started. She felt lacking in investment funds and business knowledge, and crucially, was also lacking in confidence about her numeracy skills.

And that’s where Rita discovered Multiply. Funded by government, Multiply courses were created to help adults without Maths GCSE to improve their maths skills and number confidence. There have been a huge range of different courses offered under the Multiply programme, including many with a practical element, or focusing on specific interests that are related to, but not limited to, maths and numeracy.

Rita was able to take a Multiply course on ‘How to start your own business without money’ run by The Rebel Business School (a Multiply provider for Surrey County Council). It didn’t cost her anything, and boosted her number confidence from a score of 1 out of 5 before the course, to a score of 4 out of 5 on completion.

Importantly the course helped her to understand tax, VAT, and the basics of setting up and running a small business so that she felt confident to make the leap and start her own. She says,

“In terms of numeracy, [the course] really boosted my knowledge. And then I got the confidence when I got through it.”

Following the Multiply course, although Rita still didn’t have any funds to invest in starting a business, she took the resilience and adaptability skills she’d learned on the course and applied to a business competition to win a pop-up-shop premises in Guildford.

“I didn’t have a lot of things to help me to go where I wanted, but [the course] pushed me to find alternative routes. They taught me skills of dig deep, keep looking, just keep going, it will happen, you’ve just got to keep searching, it might take longer but you’ll get there. And how to barter, how to get things.”

Rita won the pop-up premises, and made such a success of it that her plant shop, Rita Botanicals (named after her Nonna Rita), now has a permanent home in Guildford’s White Lion Walk. All thanks to that initial Multiply course she took.

How a Multiply course helped Rita open her dream shop

And has Rita fulfilled her dream of running a business that is also a place for the community to benefit from? She says,

“It’s like this bridge between generations and a common interest, which is really nice to see. And also a lot of people get educated on nature again, because they don’t have the means to get out and about.  Whatever they’re going through it encourages them to bring it home. And I think that really helps a lot of people with their anxieties as well. I have a lot of people with depression that come through and I see how much they feel more at ease in the shop and I love that. So it’s not just a business it’s more of a place as well.”

Support for Surrey businesses

Although the Multiply programme comes to an end in March 2025, there are still many opportunities for Surrey residents to gain skills. Find out more on the Surrey County Council website.

And if you’re looking for support for your Surrey business, speak to our team of experts who can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.

You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.

Two exciting new opportunities for creative businesses with CoSTAR network

CoSTAR network, the national R&D network serving the UK’s world-leading gaming, TV, film and performance sectors, has put out the call for creative businesses to apply to two new exciting opportunities: CoSTAR Ideate: Growth Lab and Residency, and CoSTAR Live Lab.

CoSTAR Ideate – creative technology

The CoSTAR Ideate call is open to 24 early growth companies in the creative technology sector. The programme will deliver enterprise and funding finance support from four of the new CoSTAR Network Labs.

The 24 successful companies will each benefit from a 5-month residency at one of the four CoSTAR Labs, (including desk and lab space). They will also receive business development guidance, lab time to enable product development, access to expert technical support and resources, and access to a community of like-minded start-ups and entrepreneurs from the creative technology sector.  And there are no fees to pay for any of this support.

Join an information session to find out more about Ideate and how to apply.

CoSTAR Live Lab – live performance

CoSTAR Live Lab, is inviting companies, technologists, and creatives to apply for their call to help shape the future of live performance.

While based at the world-renowned Production Park in Yorkshire – where icons like Beyoncé, Metallica and The Rolling Stones prepare for their world tours – this call is open to applications from across the UK.

This call invites applications from teams with creative R&D projects focussed on the live performance sector, looking for the opportunity to accelerate and advance their innovation activity.

The following support packages are available for the successful applicants:

  • up to two intensive one-week development sprints at the CoSTAR Live Lab. This includes on-boarding and orientation by the technical team.
  • research staff will guide and collaborate with you during the tenancy, with further ad-hoc support possible outside of the sprint windows.
  • cash funding of up to £13,000 to contribute towards costs in undertaking the project, such as contracting performers, interaction design, editing, consumables etc.
  • if a project requires a period of residency (two or more days) and if travel distance is more than two hours from that lab, a company stipend of up to £4,000 is available to support travel and accommodation. 

To find out more about the CoSTAR Live Lab call, watch the recording of the information webinar here.

Application timings

Both calls are open to applicants across the UK.

Applications for CoSTAR Live Lab close on Thursday 20 March, 2025, and the CoSTAR Ideate call closes on Monday 24 March 2025, so click the links to find out more information and apply today.

Further support for Surrey businesses

Business Surrey is Surrey County Council’s service providing free and accessible support for all businesses across Surrey. Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on exploring opportunities and how to tackle various challenges.

Whatever your business, our experts are here to help you succeed by providing access to quality resources, expert local knowledge and professional insight.

Our offer incudes:

You can also register to receive our regular newsletter, packed with the latest news on funding, events, free training and support for all Surrey businesses.