Category: Advice and support

Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator goes live

Published 16 July 2026

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Innovation

Farmers and growers across Surrey can apply for grants of up to £35,000 plus expert support to innovate their offer as part of a £500,000 package to boost the rural economy.

The Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator is a Surrey County Council initiative. It’s designed to help eligible businesses drive growth, become more profitable and improve efficiency.

It offers 100% direct funding of between £10,000 and £35,000.

The grant requires no match funding. It supports projects designed to modernise operations, improve productivity, diversify and boost long-term resilience.

Participants will also receive expert support to improve their wider business, including specialist consultancy, courses and peer-to-peer learning.

The six-month programme is open to small and medium enterprises in farming, horticulture (including vineyards and hop growers), forestry, beekeeping and equine businesses. It is part-funded by UK Shared Prosperity Funding.

Applications are now being invited until 16 August, 2026. To apply and see full details – including eligibility – visit the Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator page.

Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “Surrey’s rural economy contributes a huge amount to our communities and wider economy. But the feedback from farmers and growers is that a lack of funding, time and support is holding them back from adopting the technology that could transform how they work.

“The Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator will give ambitious eligible businesses the tools they need to modernise, diversify and grow. Over time, this will create new jobs and contribute to the ongoing vitality of our villages and towns.

“I encourage anyone who is eligible to apply – and if it proves to be a success, we hope it will provide a model we can build on in the future.”

Applying to the Farming Innovation Accelerator

The programme is open to Surrey-based Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) whose primary activity involves owning, renting or actively managing agricultural or rural land.

Projects must demonstrate how the proposed digital project will deliver measurable improvements. This includes productivity, efficiency, profitability, resilience, sustainability or business growth.

To support your application, we’ve produced:

We advise that all prospective applicants read the above documents before submitting a proposal via the Farming Innovation Accelerator application page.

Support for rural businesses

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Surrey’s economy. According to a recent University of Surrey report, there are about 500 farms in the county. Together, they contribute around £502 million a year to the local economy. This accounts for 14% of national farming income.

Surrey County Council has provided a range of support to rural business in recent years.

Fourth generation farmer Alec Clouting, of Ivelle Farm in Cranleigh, is one of several rural businesses to benefit from support and funding through a different route. The Surrey Economic Growth Fund helped him to set up a 24/7 meat vending machine at the farm.

He said: “I’m very grateful for the opportunity the Economic Growth Fund has provided me with. And doubled up with the support from the team at Business Surrey, it’s really helped get the project off the ground and build a vision for the future. 

“Farming is a very difficult business to navigate with many layers of complexity. And with the recent added pressures of the farm inheritance tax, it’s becoming harder to make small family farms like ours financially viable.

“Many futures have been thrown into uncertainty. So having a futureproof way of selling my produce as profitably as I can will give me the best chance I could wish for!” 

To apply and find out more, visit the Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator page.

A man picks strawberry on a farm in Surrey

Making Tax Digital: what Surrey sole traders and small businesses need to know 

Published 7 July 2026

Advice and support, Business news, Thought leadership

Making Tax Digital is a major change to the way many self-employed people and landlords manage their tax affairs. But are you fully prepared for the change? Find out what steps you need to take.

HMRC’s Making Tax Digital for Income Tax programme is transforming the traditional Self Assessment process, bringing tax reporting into the digital age.

It’s the biggest change since HMRC launched Self Assessment more than 30 years ago.

So, if you are a sole trader or receive income from property, now is the time to start preparing.

Rather than completing one annual tax return using spreadsheets, Making Tax Digital requires businesses to keep digital records using compatible software and submit updates to HMRC throughout the year.  

Under the new system, businesses will use recognised software to:  

  • record income and expenses
  • send quarterly updates to HMRC
  • submit your final tax return digitally 

HMRC offers a range of approved solutions, including popular accounting platforms such as Xero, QuickBooks and Sage. You can also use software designed to connect existing spreadsheets to HMRC through so-called “bridging software”. This means you can choose a solution that matches your budget and your way of working.  

When will Making Tax Digital be introduced?

Making Tax Digital is now mandatory for sole traders and freelancers earning over £50,000. It also applies if you earn money from property.

Government is rolling out Making Tax Digital in further two stages.  

  • From 6 April 2027, MTD for Income Tax will apply to individuals with qualifying turnover above £30,000
  • From 6 April 2028, it will extend to those with turnover above £20,000 

Early preparation can help you avoid last-minute pressure and make the change much smoother.

HMRC recommends three key steps:  

  1. understand when the rules will apply to you
  2. choose compatible software 
  3. sign up before your start date   

Free and paid software options are available, and many platforms can automate tasks such as bank transaction imports, receipt capture and expense tracking, reducing administration and saving time. 

Renée Canter, Enterprise Mentor at Business Surrey, said: “Changing your processes can feel daunting. But you may find that keeping records digitally give you better visibility to be able to track income, expenses and potential tax liabilities throughout the year, rather than waiting till January to complete you self-assessment and being surprised at the results. 

“Bite the bullet and prep now to make sure you approach the transition confidently.“

Benefits of Making Tax Digital

  • View up-to-date cash flow – useful for business planning
  • No more scrambling for lost receipts – log them as you go, instead of all at once
  • See your predicted tax bill, year round – goodbye to any January surprises
  • Make tax admin easier – software can tally up invoices for you
  • Fix any errors you spot as you go – so you don’t overpay or underpay tax

Have further questions? The FAQs section on the Making Tax Digital campaign page may be able to help.

Looking for support to grow your business? Get in touch via our Business Support Form.

Social graphis promoting HMRC's Making Tax Digital campaign

Surrey’s Local Area Energy Plan – powering a better future for Surrey

Published 15 June 2026

Advice and support, Innovation

Surrey is developing its first Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP). This is a major new initiative designed to address rising pressure on the county’s energy network and prepare for a future powered by cleaner, more affordable energy. The LAEP will act as an evidence-based roadmap for upgrading Surrey’s energy infrastructure, helping the county meet rising demand from new housing, electric vehicles, and a growing economy.

Why it matters

Surrey’s energy system is already under strain. Without coordinated action, this pressure will limit business and economic growth, increase costs, and slow progress toward net zero.

The LAEP aims to:

  • Encourage investment in renewable and locally generated energy
  • Improve home energy efficiency and reduce long term energy bills
  • Support new green jobs and skills development
  • Strengthen Surrey’s appeal as a place to live, work and invest

Who should get involved

Surrey’s LAEP team would like to engage with businesses and other organisations in Surrey to understand their current and future energy needs. If your organisation uses, stores, or generates significant energy, the team is keen to hear from you. This information will help them understand how Surrey’s energy needs are changing and where investment should be prioritised in future.

The team is particularly interested in organisations that:

  • Have a significant presence in Surrey now, or plan to in the future
  • Have high energy use, transport fuel use, or generate waste heat
  • Work in the energy, transport, infrastructure, or development sectors

Have experienced barriers to producing, generating, installing, or storing energy or fuels. Your insights will help shape a robust, realistic, and future proofed energy plan for the county.

Why get involved

By getting involved, your organisation can help shape Surrey’s future energy system. By taking part your business could benefit from:

  • Confidence that your future energy needs will be met
  • An opportunity to help influence where and when grid upgrades are prioritised
  • Opportunities for investment, innovation, and partnership
  • Support for your decarbonisation and growth plans
  • A stronger, more resilient local economy
  • A role in building a cleaner, more secure energy system for Surrey

Join the LAEP launch webinar to find out more

The Surrey LAEP team are holding a webinar on 21 July to provide an introduction to the LAEP. The webinar will cover the benefits of the LAEP, what it could mean for your business, and how your organisation can help shape Surrey’s future energy pathway. Register here to save your space.

For more information, visit the Surrey LAEP web page or contact the LAEP team at LAEP@surreycc.gov.uk.

43% hit by cyber attacks: Government calls on firms to take action now

Published 12 June 2026

Advice and support

The government is urging businesses across the UK to strengthen their cyber defences against evolving and increasing threats by signing up to a Cyber Resilience Pledge.

The threats businesses face in cyber space can take many forms – including ransomware attacks, denial of service (DoS) attacks, brand impersonation and malware – and they are evolving rapidly. A new generation of AI models is lowering the barrier for cyber criminals, enabling them to find vulnerabilities and carry out attacks at a speed and scale that would have been impossible even a year ago. Recent figures show 43% of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year, underlining the urgency of action.

Organisations are advised to invest in smarter, more resilient systems that can limit the impact of breaches and keep ahead of attackers, rather than reacting after the damage is done.

What is the Cyber Resilience Pledge?

The pledge, launching later this year, sets out three concrete actions organisations can take to improve their cyber security:

  • Making cyber security a board-level responsibility
  • Signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)’s free Early Warning Service
  • Require Cyber Essentials certification across their supply chains – the UK government-backed cyber security standard that blocks the most common cyber threats.

Together, these steps help businesses reduce risk, protect customers and build confidence across the wider economy.

Cyber attacks are included in the list of nine key risks for Surrey. Information and links to help businesses prepare for and recover from attacks – including the NSCS’s free Cyber Action Toolkit – is available on the Surrey Prepared web pages on the Surrey County Council website. District and Borough councils also provide information about business resilience on their websites.

Support for your Surrey business

Looking for support for your Surrey business? Our team of experts are on hand to provide fully-funded advice to all Surrey businesses, including advice on strengthening your cyber resilience.

Get in touch via our Business Support Form to see how we could help your business grow.

cyber resilience pledge | Business Surrey | Cyber security

Surrey Venture Studio’s first incubation programme gets off to flying start

Published 12 May 2026

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

Surrey Venture Studio (SVS) is preparing to launch its first six‑month incubation programme, supporting early‑stage founders across Surrey to turn raw ideas and early‑stage concepts into customer‑ready businesses. The incubation accelerator is aimed at pre‑start‑ups who have completed SVS’s business ideation workshops and offers tailored support based on each entrepreneur’s stage of development.

One of the founders joining the inaugural cohort is Natalie Foo, creator of InchStone, a voice‑first app designed to support families raising children with developmental differences.

Meeting a need discovered from personal experience

InchStone was shaped by personal experience. Natalie explains, “I built it because I’m a parent in this community and the gap was too obvious to ignore.”

“The app organises your spoken observations into records ready for therapy, funding applications, and official assessments.”

Natalie first engaged with SVS through its intensive two‑day workshops, which focus on validating ideas before founders rush into building products.

As SVS Manager Odysseas Bassioukas, puts it, “SVS is a venture builder where people are coming to us to build from the idea to a company.”

“The workshops were intense but incredibly helpful,” Natalie says. “They helped me hone in on my idea and start making a plan. The focus on customer development really stood out; SVS puts that the right way around.”

The incubation programme will provide expert mentorship, peer support and hot‑desking facilities, alongside access to professional services such as legal advice, to help founders protect their intellectual property. For Natalie, the timing feels right. “It feels like the right moment to find out what’s actually working,” she says, as she prepares to pilot InchStone and connect with Surrey’s wider business network.

What is Surrey Venture Studio?

This is an exciting new pre-accelerator programme to help innovators, academics and entrepreneurs across Surrey explore whether turning an idea into a business is the right path to follow.

This exciting programme includes:

  • A two-day, in-person ideation workshop
  • Expert mentoring
  • Opportunity to progress to a six-month accelerator
  • Up to £25,000 catalyst grant funding, for successful six-month accelerator participant
  • Spaces on the workshop are limited and will be offered to applicants whose ideas are at the right stage of development and show strong potential for innovation and commercialisation.

At the end of the two-day workshop, participants will be invited to pitch their ideas ‘Dragon’s Den’-style. The successful applicants will secure a coveted place on the six-month accelerator programme and take a step closer to securing £25k in grant funding to launch their business!

South East manufacturers get £3.1m digital transformation boost through Made Smarter

Published 30 March 2026

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Innovation

Hundreds of manufacturers across the South East are set for a major digital upgrade after the Government confirmed fresh funding for the Made Smarter programme from April.

The £3.1 million investment will give SME manufacturers across the region access to expert technology advice, leadership training, digital skills development and match-funded grants to help boost productivity, drive innovation, create high-value jobs and cut carbon.

Made Smarter South East is a government-backed, industry-led programme delivered by Surrey County Council in partnership with 11 local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships across the South East region.

Made Smarter’s impact in the South East

Since launching in April 2025, the programme has supported 273 manufacturers, participated in 137 diagnostic workshops, developed 93 digital roadmaps, delivered 41 leadership and digital champions training interventions, placed 6 digital interns, and approved grants for 20 technology projects.

Over the last year, manufacturers have secured over £307,000 in matched funding to enable over £1 million of investment in technologies ranging from ERP systems and 3D printing to robotics and automation.

Bryan Vint, Programme Manager for Made Smarter South East, said: “This new wave of funding is a huge boost for manufacturers across the South East. In our first year we have already shown what the region can achieve when SMEs have access to the right advice, skills and technology.

“The continuation of the programme gives businesses the confidence to plan ahead, invest in digital tools and build the skills they need to grow. We are excited to help hundreds more manufacturers unlock productivity, resilience and long-term growth.”

The support available with Made Smarter

Made Smarter is designed to give manufacturers a fast and practical route into digital transformation. Businesses begin with an expert digital assessment to identify their technology and skills priorities, followed by a tailored roadmap to guide future investment.

Leadership development programmes, workforce training and digital internships help companies build the capabilities needed to adopt new technologies and embed change across their organisations.

To support technology adoption, businesses can also access match funding of up to 50 percent, with grants of up to £20,000 available for capital technology projects.

How one Surrey business has benefitted from the programme

Cambertronics, based in Cranleigh, Surrey, is a contract electronics manufacturer providing design, prototyping and full turnkey production for sectors including automotive, marine, agritech and industrial electronics. Through Made Smarter South East, the business completed a Digital Transformation Workshop and joined the Leadership and Digital Champion programmes to help shape its digital strategy and build internal capability for change.

Jasper Whitefield, Business Development Manager, Cambertronics, Cranleigh, Surrey, said: “We’ve invested heavily in advanced manufacturing equipment over the years, but many of our systems still rely on manual processes. We wanted to explore how digital technology could help improve traceability, streamline processes and give us better visibility across the business.

“The Digital Transformation Workshop helped us identify clear priorities, including automated barcoding, ERP integration and strengthening leadership capability across the team. Taking part in the leadership and Digital Champion programmes is helping us build the confidence, skills and internal ownership needed to drive that change. It means we can modernise our operations, respond faster to customers and continue delivering the quality and expertise they expect as the business grows.”

To learn more, and start your journey to digitisation with free support from Made Smarter, visit the Made Smarter website.

Funding support for your Surrey business

Looking to raise funding or investment into your Surrey business? Our team of experts are on hand to provide fully-funded advice to all Surrey businesses.

Get in touch via our Business Support Form to see how your business could access finance to help you grow.

Picture credit: Cambertronics

Surrey County Council supporting farmers to diversify in a tough climate for rural economy

Published 17 March 2026

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories

Rural businesses in Surrey are finding ways to adapt and thrive thanks to funding and support from Surrey County Council.

Rising costs, falling prices and policy uncertainty have left farming communities across the UK struggling to make ends meet. But across Surrey, farmers are finding ways to adapt – and Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund is providing the investment to make it possible.

From a new vineyard in Surrey Hills, to shepherd hut stays and meat vending machines, a new generation of farming entrepreneurs are finding innovative ways to diversify, sustain and futureproof their businesses.

About £380.000 in funding has been invested in Surrey’s rural economy in recent months via the Economic Growth Fund, unlocking more than £100,000 in private sector investment and supporting dozens of jobs.

Support is set to be stepped up later this year with a dedicated farming business support specialist working with farms and rural businesses across Surrey to help them navigate challenges.

Anyone interested in finding out more can get in touch using our contact us form.

Diversifying to overcome challenges

Louise Wilkinson is the third generation of her family at Upper Birtley Farm, and she returned with her two children after a career in hospitality. Her father still runs the arable side of the business, growing wheat and oats in a market which is very challenging to make a profit.

Something needed to change – and Louise’s solution was to bring in shepherd’s huts offering rural escapes, alongside a community events space hosting courses with local beekeepers, foragers and butchers.

Alongside her hospitality experience, Louise said camping on the land with her daughters is what gave her the idea to create a countryside escape.

“It’s about adding to British farming,” she said. “We have this piece of land that can’t be farmed for whatever reason , and it makes the farm more sustainable.”

With a test run planned for April and a full launch targeting the May bank holidays, Louise is building something that she hopes will carry the farm through for another generation. “I’m third generation with two children who will be excited to grow up here,” she said. “It’s everything really.”

Innovative ways to increase sales and grow markets

Almost a decade ago, fourth-generation farmer Alec Clouting was at a farming event and spotted vending machines selling local produce. He immediately saw their potential, but without the funds to make it happen, the idea stayed on the backburner.

Now, thanks to the Economic Growth Fund, it’s becoming reality, and Alec was able to buy a shipping container, commercial freezer and vending machine to sell frozen beef, lamb and pork directly to consumers, seven days a week at Ivelle Farm in Cranleigh.

Most of the farm’s meat currently goes to livestock markets and on to supermarkets – a model that leaves farmers with little control and thinner margins. Selling direct means better profit margins while making a connection with consumers locally.

“I am a big believer of people being in touch with where their food comes from,” Alec said. “For the local community to be able to come to the farm where it comes from and get it direct.”

The model also creates a ripple effect, supporting a local butcher and abattoir and strengthening a network of rural businesses. Looking further ahead, Alec sees franchise potential – a blueprint that other farms could replicate.

He said: “Farming is a very difficult business to navigate with many layers of complexity, and with the recent added pressures of the farm inheritance tax, it’s becoming harder to make small family farms like ours financially viable. So having a future-proof way of selling my produce as profitably as I can will give me the best chance I could wish for.”

Using natural resources in new, sustainable, ways

Jason and Emma Robertshaw bought Blakes Lane Farm in 2018, but they weren’t sure what came next – only that they wanted to put the land to good use. The land was home to a run-down equestrian centre and was used by tenant sheep farmers. They soon discovered the farm sits on the same chalk that extends beneath the English Channel into France’s Champagne region.

“We started planting vines in 2020,” Jason explains. “It was a pretty small-scale experiment to see how they grow. We then realised we’ve got the ideal growing climate for sparkling wine.”

That experiment has grown into The Guildford Vineyard, an English sparkling wine producer now building a purpose-built, sustainably-designed winery – with match funding from the Economic Growth Fund providing the financial foundation they needed. When at full capacity, the vineyard aims to produce 10,000 bottles a year, with ambitions to export to Japan alongside domestic sales to restaurants and hotels. And the tenant farmer’s sheep will remain on the land grazing between the vines in winter, which brings in regenerative farming practices, something which was important to the plan, as Jason comes from a farming family.

“We couldn’t have done it without the grant,” the couple said. “We wouldn’t have been able to build the winery. It has been fantastic.”

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund

To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients across the county 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 – rural or urban, looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch via our Contact us form.

Alec Clouting at Ivelle Farm, Cranleigh | Surrey Economic Growth Fund | Rural economy

High Streets Support programme gathers pace – with online events now available

Published 16 March 2026

Advice and support, Business news, Innovation

The High Streets Support and Innovation programme continues to be delivered across Surrey this spring. Nearly 140 businesses have registered so far – and online events are now available.

The Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme is open to a wide range of businesses. This includes independent retailers, start-ups, market traders, charities and social enterprises.

It helps high street businesses in winning new customers, boosting sales and creating growth as part of wider efforts to strengthen and futureproof centres of the community.

It’s funded by Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund and delivered by specialists Smarter Society and The Retail Group. It includes free practical workshops, online resources and one-on-one tailored support.

There is also a focus on 22 high streets in all 11 of the county’s district and borough areas, with detailed workshops developed to help retailers attract more customers, boost footfall, improve visibility and increase customer spend.

Business can register for the support directly via the Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme enrolment form.

What is the High Streets Support scheme?

The High Streets Support scheme is developed in collaboration with economic development teams from district and councils. Representatives from Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) across Surrey have also been involved.

It launched last month with workshops running through February, March and April in key locations.

The Smarter Society outreach team is already pounding the pavements of Surrey’s high streets, meeting hundreds of business owners face-to-face and signing retailers up for workshops.

In the first few weeks, nearly 140 businesses have registered and 75 received support across five areas.

Four free workshops will take place in each district and borough. This will cover practical topics such as increasing footfall, improving online and in-store visibility, getting more from social media and promotions, and planning for growth.

Matt Furniss, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “High streets are the lifeblood of our communities. They’re integral to the character and vitality of our towns and villages, which is why we’re committed to supporting them alongside our district and borough partners and Business Improvement Districts.

“This programme is a real investment in the people behind Surrey’s independent businesses, giving them the tools and knowledge to thrive – which is good for our economy, our residents and our communities.”

Geoff Baxter, Managing Director of Smarter Society, said: “The Surrey High Street Growth & Innovation Programme is gaining real momentum. Businesses across the county are engaging enthusiastically with our on‑street support and workshops, and we’re proud to see such strong early signs of growth and innovation on Surrey’s high streets.”

High Streets support – online events

Are you a high street business struggling to attend in person? We’ve just released a series of online sessions to allow you to pick up tips and advice virtually.

Recordings will be available on demand afterwards.

How do I sign up?

The programme is free and open to any business trading on a Surrey high street. To find out more, visit the Business Surrey High Streets page.

Or register direct via the Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme enrolment form.

Three people stand posing in a busy high street next to a promotional banner for Surrey County Council's Business Surrey service.
A high street florist smiles as she stands next to a colourful display of flowers in her shop

Surrey Venture Studio underway turning innovative ideas into businesses

Published 12 February 2026

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Innovation

Surrey Venture Studio is underway turning innovative ideas into businesses. The scheme is funded by Surrey’s Economic Growth Fund giving innovators and entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their bright ideas to a Dragon’s Den style panel to win a £25,000 cash boost.

Surrey Venture Studio has been developed by the county’s three universities – Royal Holloway University of London, University for the Creative Arts and University of Surrey – to boost innovation, launch successful businesses and create jobs.

Funded by Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund, it brings together entrepreneurs, academics and students for intensive two-day workshops before they present their ideas to an expert panel.

Successful participants secure places on a six-month accelerator programme with the possibility of receiving up to £25,000 in catalyst grant funding to launch their businesses.

The first event was held this month at the University of Surrey’s Surrey Technology Centre in Guildford. 13 budding entrepreneurs worked through their ideas in specialist sessions.

Further fully-booked workshops are scheduled this month. They’ll take place at Royal Holloway University of London, University for Creative Arts’ Epsom campus, and Surrey County Council’s headquarters in Reigate.

It is one of dozens of innovative projects funded by the council’s Economic Growth Fund. This has seen millions of pounds of government and private funding invested to drive growth, create jobs, improve infrastructure, increase productivity and upskill Surrey’s workforce.

Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “In less than a year, the Economic Growth Fund has seen millions of pounds of funding invested in creating jobs and boosting growth across Surrey.

“Surrey Venture Studio is just one of dozens of projects which secured funding from the competitive process – and I’m looking forward to seeing some of these bright ideas develop and grow into fully-formed businesses in the months and years to come.”

How does Surrey Venture Studio work?

Surrey Venture Studio is designed to support those with ideas, prototypes or early-stage research that haven’t yet reached their full revenue-generating potential.

The programme provides expert mentoring and structured support to help innovators determine whether turning their idea into a business is the right path forward.

Successful accelerator participants will commit approximately two days per month over the six-month programme. They’ll also receive ongoing mentorship and support as they develop their business propositions.

Chris Pett, Digital Innovation Sector Lead at SETsquared, who led the first sessions, says: “The idea is that we’re building people up to the point where they feel more confident and capable to get out of the building and discover potential market opportunities based on the spark of an idea they’re thinking about right now.

“For a lot of them, this could result in a major change in their career from academic research into becoming an entrepreneur and potentially building a business.”

Speaking at the first workshop, Caroline Fleming, Director of the Surrey Innovation District at the University of Surrey, said: “We are delighted to launch this Surrey Venture Studio programme. We’ve got a brilliant collection of really bright minds – students, entrepreneurs and academics from the University of Surrey and the wider community – and we’ve been giving them some tips on how to think about what they need to do to develop their business.

“They’ve been really engaged, coming up with some fantastic questions and feedback. Hopefully they get really good value out of our workshop.”

A second round of applications is expected to open in spring 2026.

For further information visit the Surrey Ventures Studio page on the Business Surrey website.

You can also follow the project at the Surrey Venture Studio LinkedIn page.

A group of people - some sitting and some standing - pose for a picture in front of promotional banners for Surrey Venture Studios and Business Surrey.

High Street Support and Innovation programme launches for Surrey businesses

Published 11 February 2026

Advice and support, Business news

The High Street Support and Innovation Programme will support hundreds of small and medium businesses in Surrey’s town and villages. Find out how you can get involved with this fully-funded scheme, which is running this spring.

The Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme is a county‑wide initiative funded by our Economic Growth Fund to support independent businesses across the whole of Surrey.

It covers all corners of Surrey with dedicated sessions in 22 locations across all 11 district and boroughs in Surrey. And it offers free, practical and locally tailored support across Surrey high streets.

It’s been developed with representatives from district and borough councils plus Business Improvement Districts representatives.

We’ve commissioned Smarter Society and The Retail Group to deliver the programme in spring 2026.

It will include:

  • In-person business engagement
  • Free practical workshops
  • Business toolkits and resources
  • Tailored support

Register for the Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation via the Smarter Society form (external).

Who can take part in the High Street Growth and Innovation programme?

The programme is open to any business on a Surrey high street. This includes:

  • Independent retail and service‑based businesses
  • Start‑ups and early‑stage ventures
  • Pop‑ups and market traders
  • Charities, CICs, mutuals and cooperatives

Register for the Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation via the Smarter Society form (external).

What does the High Street Growth and Innovation programme offer?

  • In-person business engagement
    • The Smarter Society outreach team is currently visiting high streets across Surrey meeting business owners face‑to‑face.
    • Scroll down to see the full list of engagement sessions
  • Free practical workshops
    • Join practical, high‑impact workshops delivered locally in each district. Designed specifically for independent retailers and service‑based businesses
    • Scroll down to see the full schedule of workshops
  • Business toolkits and resources
    • Participants gain access to a suite of practical High Street Business Toolkits including
      • Downloadable guides
      • Templates and checklists
      • Short explainer videos
    • Downloadable resources will be available online soon via our Resources page.
  • Tailored support
    • We know not all businesses can attend in person, so the programme is designed to offer multiple ways to engage with the content, including:
      • In‑person workshops at convenient, local venues
      • Live virtual attendance via broadcast
      • On‑demand recordings available to watch at any time
      • Ongoing access to resources through the Business Surrey website
      • 1‑to‑1 support, where appropriate, for businesses needing tailored guidance

Engagement sessions

The High Street Support and Innovation programme will see teams from Smarter Society visit high streets across Surrey.

They will meet business owners face‑to‑face to share information about the free business support on offer. They will also register businesses for upcoming workshops, gather valuable local insights and answer any questions.

The dates are:

  • Redhill – 10 February
  • Oxted – 16 February
  • Reigate – 17 February
  • Walton – 17 February
  • Esher – 18 February
  • Guildford – 19 February
  • Leatherhead – 23 February
  • Dorking – 24 February
  • Caterham – 2 March
  • Guildford – 4 March
  • Camberley – 4 March
  • Chertsey – 5 March
  • Egham – 17 March
  • Ashford – 18 March
  • Farnham – 19 March
  • Woking – 24 March
  • Epsom – 25 March
  • Godalming – 26 March
  • Staines – 3 April

Workshop Schedule

Four workshops will be held in all 11 district and boroughs in Surrey. These sessions will help local business owners to:

  • Attract more customers and boost footfall
  • Improve in‑store and online visibility
  • Increase customer spend

Workshops are delivered by experienced specialists from The Retail Group and sessions are held in accessible high street locations across Surrey.

The cover a range of themes held over morning and afternoon sessions, as follows:

  • Attracting more customers and encouraging them to spend more (workshop 1 and 4)
  • Making better use of promotions and social media to drive sales and planning for growth (workshop 2 and 3)

Tandridge

  • Oxted – 24 February (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Caterham – 9 April (Workshops 3 & 4)

Reigate & Banstead

  • Redhill – 18 February (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Reigate – 25 February (Workshops 3 & 4)

Guildford

  • Guildford (Session 1) – 26 February (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Guildford (Session 2) – 4 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Elmbridge

  • Esher – 3 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Walton – 10 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Mole Valley

  • Leatherhead – 4 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Dorking – 11 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Runnymede

  • Chertsey – 12 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Egham – 19 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Surrey Heath

  • Camberley (Session 1) – 17 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Camberley (Session 2) – 24 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Spelthorne

  • Staines – 18 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Ashford – 25 March (Workshops 3 & 4)

Waverley

  • Farnham – 26 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Godalming – 2 April (Workshops 3 & 4)

Woking

  • Woking (Session 1) – 31 March (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Woking (Session 2) – 7 April (Workshops 3 & 4)

Epsom & Ewell

  • Epsom (Session 1) – 1 April (Workshops 1 & 2)
  • Epsom (Session 2) – 8 April (Workshops 3 & 4)

Online events

Support for High Street businesses

We are a Surrey County Council service offering expert advice to help Surrey businesses thrive.

Our experts are on hand to provide tailored advice to help your business to grow and succeed.

Get in touch with a member of the team via our business support form.

And make sure you always hear about upcoming events by registering for our regular e-newsletter.