Unlock new opportunities: Join our fully funded business events
Published 16 January 2026
Events and awards
Surrey businesses, get ready! We’re rolling out a series of high‑impact, fully funded events to help you innovate and grow. Dive into expert-led sessions on marketing and start‑up success and more – all free to attend, with no cost to you.
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.
23 January | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | online | fully funded
Boost your marketing skills with our series of fully funded online workshops. Together they form a series, but there’s no obligation to attend all three; just choose the subjects that are most relevant to your own business. Or come along to all three and really reap the benefits!
1. Communicate with confidence
22 January 2026 | 11:30 am – 12:00 pm | online
Learn how to define and express your brand with clarity and impact.
There’s no limit to the number of attendees, just be sure to register early!
2. Build your digital growth engine
12 February 2026 | 11:30 am – 12:00 pm | online
Explore smart digital strategies to expand reach and engagement.
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.
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.
Join us for this free online session, hosted by Business Surrey where we’ll explore the ins and outs of marketing and communications. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this event is perfect for anyone looking to enhance their skills and knowledge in the field.
Ready to dive into the world of marketing?
Workshop highlights
Develop a comprehensive marketing plan tailored to your business
How defining your target audience will help you focus your marketing activities
Explore the exciting possibilities of digital marketing to make the most of your time and resources including using AI tools effectively.
Event details
Date: 18 September
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Online
Cost: Free (Pre-registration required)
Meet your expert
The workshop will be led by Daniel Chidley, our Marketing Advisor. Daniel is an experienced business coach, mentor and director level communications, PR & marketing consultant with 20 years of experience in business. As a Chartered Marketer with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Daniel has experience in-house, agency and consultancy with experience across a range of industries.
In recent years, Daniel has worked with hundreds of SMEs and high growth businesses as a business coach and is accredited with the Association for Coaching. With a coaching approach, Daniel is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs and business owners in adopting new strategies and techniques to improve their marketing, with a particular focus on early-stage businesses, start-ups, scale up businesses and social enterprises
Why attend?
Actionable Strategies: learn why a strategy and plan are crucial foundations on which to build your marketing activities and how to focus your efforts to help your business grow.
Expert Guidance: Benefit from Daniel’s extensive experience and tailored advice.
This webinar is perfect for SME owners and entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses. There is no entry fee, and you can invite as many team members as you like. Be sure to register today to secure your spot!
Looking for a different type of business support?
We want you to grow and succeed – and have a range of ways you can access support for your company.
Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on exploring opportunities and how to tackle various challenges. Contact the team for free via our Business Support Form.
Browse our directory of business support in Surrey. The directory includes more than 120 local, regional and national schemes and initiatives, which can search through quickly and easily.
Find out more about what we do and how to access one of our many business-friendly services by completing our Contact Us form.
Meet the Regulator webinar
Published 8 August 2025
Advice and support, Events and awards
Join us for this free online session, hosted by Business Surrey in partnership with Surrey Trading Standards. It is designed to help local businesses understand their legal responsibilities, avoid common compliance pitfalls, and access expert support.
Led by Phil LeShirley, Trading Standards Specialist, the session will cover key areas such as product safety, consumer rights, and how to engage with regulators early to protect your business and build customer trust.
Workshop highlights
What Trading Standards does (and doesn’t do)
Product safety, food standards, and fair trading
Consumer rights and refund rules
The EASY 123 scheme for early-stage businesses
How to engage with regulators before problems arise
Event details
Date: 28 August
Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Location: Online
Cost: Free (Pre-registration required)
Meet your expert
The workshop will be led by Phil LeShirley a Senior Trading Standards Specialist with over 24 years’ experience in the field. He is responsible for business partnerships at Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards, and has had great success at building relationships with corporate clients and trade bodies
He has significant expertise in general product safety and also delivers delivers a wide range of training courses to businesses.
Phil and the team at Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards are seen as exemplars in their field and are multi award winning.
Why attend?
Actionable Strategies: learn why getting consumer right will help your business grow.
Expert Guidance: Benefit from Phil’s extensive experience and tailored advice.
This webinar is perfect for SME owners and entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses. There is no entry fee, and you can invite as many team members as you like. Be sure to register today to secure your spot!
Looking for free business support?
Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service providing free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey.
We want you to grow and succeed – and have a range of ways you can access support for your company.
Ready to take your business to the next level? Need new or upgraded skills to adapt to new ways of working? Or do you just require advice on how to access funding and grants? Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on exploring opportunities and how to tackle various challenges. Contact the team for free via our Business Support Form.
Browse our directory of business support in Surrey. The directory includes more than 120 local, regional and national schemes and initiatives, which can search through quickly and easily.
Find out more about what we do and how to access one of our many business-friendly services by completing our Contact Us form.
Local Government Reorganisation business webinar – sign up today
Published 3 July 2025
Business news, Events and awards
The way public services are delivered in Surrey is changing – and it could have a big impact on how you do business. Discover more at our Local Government Reorganisation business webinar.
Government wants to transfer more powers and funding from Whitehall to local areas, creating elected mayors in regions where they don’t currently have them – like Surrey – to drive economic growth.
For this to happen, some areas need to reorganise and streamline local government first, creating single unitary councils rather than the current two tiers of county and districts.
Discover what impact it could have on your business. And how it could transform the way that major issues like housing, transport and planning are delivered across the region.
The event will run via Microsoft Teams from 11.30am to 12.30pm on July 23. Register here.
Submit your questions for our Local Government Reorganisation business webinar
Surrey County Council, Elmbridge Borough Council and Mole Valley District Council are recommending Surrey is arranged into two new unitary councils, East Surrey and West Surrey.
Discover what this could mean for you at our Local Government Reorganisation business webinar
Attendees are encouraged to pre-submit questions in advance either via the registration form or email to: economy.growth@surreycc.gov.uk.
You’ll also be able to ask questions during the session via the Q&A function.
To attend the event, either join directly via the Microsoft Teams app, or via your web browser using Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome.
This session will be automatically recorded and sent via email to registered event attendees within a week following the event. We will also send all attendees a recording of the webinar along with a post-event survey.
The only visible people during the session will be the speakers. The names of event attendees may be visible as part of the recording.
Supercharge your innovation journey with Innovate Local: South East
Published 17 June 2025
Events and awards, Innovation
Do you want to grow or improve your business but aren’t sure how to get started or where to turn? Then Innovate Local: South East could be the answer you’re looking for.
On 15 July, at Royal Holloway, Innovate UK will explore the power of innovation and how it can:
Drive business growth: learn how innovation can lead to increased profitability, market share, and customer loyalty.
Boost competitiveness: discover how staying ahead of industry trends and embracing innovation can give your business a competitive edge.
Foster resilience: in today’s ever-changing business landscape, innovation is a key driver of adaptability and long-term success.
The day will also include dedicated sessions exploring opportunities, challenges, and innovation pathways within the defence and cyber security, AI, and creative industries—providing tailored insights and sector-specific support. There will be representatives from both Business Surrey and Made Smarter South East in attendance on the day, ready to share more information on how you can access funding and guidance to support your own innovation journey.
Who Should Attend?
Any business based in the South East from any sector / industry. Whether you’re a small start-up or an established enterprise, this event is designed to help you understand the power of innovation and its practical applications. It is the perfect opportunity for all South East businesses to connect with industry leaders, access funding, and fuel your innovation journey.
Why Attend?
Connect with innovation experts, funders and potential collaborators from your region.
Discover the opportunities and incentives for ambitious innovators and businesses in the South East.
Network with like-minded professionals from the South East’s thriving business community.
Take your next practical step towards transforming your business through innovation.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your business’s growth and competitiveness.
Surrey Business Awards 2025 now open for nominations
Published 4 June 2025
Business news, Events and awards
The Surrey Business Awards 2025 is back. This annual event, in association with Surrey Chambers of Commerce, is the largest and most prestigious business event in the county. Entries are now being welcomed with all Surrey businesses invited to apply.
Each year, this highly anticipated annual event celebrates the incredible achievements and contributions of businesses and individuals across Surrey. The calibre of entries is consistently outstanding, both in volume and in the exceptional quality of the submissions.
With a wide range of categories, this year’s event offers something for every business – regardless of size or industry. Whether you’re a startup or an established leader, there’s a category for you.
Business Surrey is a sponsor of the event once again, overseeing the Best New Business Award.
Don’t miss the chance to showcase your business and join the ranks of Surrey’s most successful and innovative companies. Enter today for the opportunity to be recognised as one of the region’s top performers.
Submit your entry today via the Surrey Business Awards website.
Timeline
Entry Deadline: July 9th 2025
Judging: July 21st to September 19th 2025
Finalists Announced: September 24th 2025
Event: November 12th 2025, G Live Guildford
Categories
Business Surrey, as part of Surrey County Council, is a proud sponsor of the Surrey Business Awards 2025.
We’re sponsoring the Best New Business Award. This award recognises a business with entrepreneurial aptitude, vision, ambition, drive and commercial acumen to build a successful enterprise from start-up.
It is open to any business with an office based in Surrey. The business must have started to trade no earlier than April 2022 and no later than September 2024.
Other categories include:
Large Business of the Year
SME Business of the Year
Future Talent of the Year
Best Customer Service Award
Best New Business Award
Business Growth Award
Businessperson of the Year
Community Hero Award
Company of the Year
Employer of the Year
Innovation of the Year
International Business of the Year
Professional Services Award
Sustainability Champion Award
For full details on categories and eligibility visit the categories and entry forms page of the Surrey Business Awards website.
Surrey Business Awards – tips for your entry
Winning an award is not just about how great your business is. It’s about how effectively you can present your case to the judges.
Creating a winning entry takes time, careful consideration and the ability to get straight to the point. You will also need to back up your claims with evidence.
Not sure where to start? Here are some helpful tips to ensure your entry for the Surrey Business Awards 2025 stands out.
Give yourself enough time. Judges can easily tell who has invested time in preparing a thoughtful submission and who hasn’t!
Stay on point. Ensure your answers directly address the questions and stay focused on the topic.
Don’t skip questions. It may seem obvious, but many people skip questions. Leaving questions unanswered or lacking detail will cost you points with the judges.
Stick to the 1,500-word limit. Be concise—remember, you have limited space to grab the judges’ attention. (That’s 1,500 words for the entire submission.)
Quantify your results. Always provide facts and figures. Winning entries back up their claims with solid proof.
Get your staff and colleagues involved. Gather evidence, metrics, examples, testimonials – anything that strengthens your application.
Add the finishing touch. Include achievements or activities like community involvement, staff training and health and wellbeing initiatives.
Choose your best writer. Tell a compelling story. Ensure your submission is free of spelling errors and grammar mistakes and avoid overuse of exclamation marks, fluff, or marketing jargon.
Mark the deadline – July 9th 2025 – in your calendar. This might sound obvious but set reminders and avoid leaving it until the last minute.
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.
King’s Awards for Enterprise 2025 winners announced
Published 14 May 2025
Business news, Events and awards
The King’s Awards for Enterprise recipients for 2025 have been announced with six Surrey businesses receiving a royal seal of approval. Want to join this elite group? Applications for 2026 can now be submitted.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise are among the most prestigious awards for UK organisations. They recognise and reward outstanding business achievements in Innovation, International Trade, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity.
Six Surrey businesses are receiving The King’s Award for Enterprise in 2025. Three in Innovation, two in International Trade and one in Sustainable Development. Scroll down to view the list.
His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant Michael More-Molyneux – the King’s representatives in Surrey – will present the awards throughout the year. One representative from each winning business will also be invited to a special Royal reception event.
Want to join the winners of the King’s Awards for Enterprise 2025? You can now apply for the 2026 awards until 9 September 2025.
His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey said: “As the most prestigious business award in the UK, winning the esteemed King’s Award Emblem is an incredible honour. It’s an internationally recognised symbol of excellence – one that sets your business apart and gets you noticed.
“These Surrey companies exemplify the talent and entrepreneurial spirit of British business, and it will be a great honour to present them with their King’s Award for Enterprise over the coming months. They are all truly outstanding representatives of Surrey business, leading the way in technological development and thoroughly deserving this recognition.”
King’s Awards for Enterprise – 2025 Surrey winners
Gordon Murray Group – Innovation
Gordon Murray Group is an iconic Surrey-based firm, renowned around the world for exclusive lightweight supercars.
The King’s Award for Innovation is for the T.50. This is the lightest, best packaged, least environmentally impactful, highest revving, and best driving supercar globally.
Professor Gordon Murray CBE, founder and executive chairman of Gordon Murray Group, said: “As a proud British business, it is such an immense honour for the team at Gordon Murray Group to receive The King’s Award for Enterprise.
“The fact that the award specifically recognises innovation is a source of great pride as we aspire to deliver Driving Perfection through our innovative, highly exclusive supercars.
“It is through the collective skills and creative minds of our entire team that we have built a brand that is recognised around the world as the pinnacle of automotive engineering excellence.
“We will wear our King’s Award with pride, using it as yet more motivation to strive for ever higher levels of innovation in the unique supercars we create.”
RENOURISH Limited – Innovation
Renourish Limited was established in 2019 in Surrey. It is the world’s first fresh soup in a microwaveable, fully recyclable, grab-and-go bottle.
The founder is a former critical care nurse and nutritional therapist. It makes soups from 100% fresh ingredients, with no additives or preservatives.
Designed for busy health-conscious consumers, the soup can be heated and consumed directly from the bottle. At its core is RE:NOURISH’s patented soup bottle, which is a global first.
It combines hot-fill compatibility, blast-chill durability, BPA-free microwave safety, and thermal insulation that keeps soup warm for 40 minutes. No other bottle globally meets these combined demands.
As a result, this innovative packaging is protected by international patents and design registered intellectual property.
Guildford-based RE:NOURISH is not only shaking up the UK’s fresh soup market. It is gaining international recognition as a disruptive force in the global health food sector.
Sirius Constellation Limited – Innovation
Sirius, which is based near Godalming, is a highly entrepreneurial SME that has developed and deployed next generation maritime domain awareness technology. This promotes and enhances security, safety and sustainability at sea in the UK and in overseas markets.
Sirius’s technology provides maritime authorities with real-time information and autonomous alerts about unusual or suspicious activity at sea. It supports their work tackling modern maritime challenges across defence, environmental damage, illegal fishing, and security.
Malcolm Glaister, Chief Executive Officer of Sirius Insight, said:“It is the greatest possible honour to receive a King’s Award for Enterprise. This is a proud day for Sirius Insight and a marvellous accolade for the business and the journey that Sirius Insight has been on since we set up the Company in 2016.
“It is a wonderful tribute to the brilliant and tireless work of our amazing team, and our clients in the UK and overseas whose support and custom have played such a pivotal role in making Sirius the world-class AI maritime surveillance technology business that it has become today, recognised in markets around the world.”
Penta Consulting Limited – International Trade
Penta Consulting is an Epsom based business. It is a global leader in delivering Technology Resource Solutions across the Information Communication Technology sector.
Penta’s unwavering focus on nurturing its workforce organically has been a cornerstone of its success.
By prioritising local recruitment, comprehensive training, and professional development the “Penta way,” the company boasts an impressive average tenure, defying industry norms.
In 2024, it was ranked among the top 60 UK Technology companies.
Stanhope-Seta Limited – International Trade
Stanhope-Seta’s King’s Award for Enterprise 2025 is the fifth time it has received the honour. It follows previous Queen’s Awards for International Trade in 2012 and 2022, and Innovation in 2014 and 2019.
The manufacturing company in Chertsey creates laboratory quality control instruments across a range of applications. This ranges from jet fuel to lipstick.
Giles Verity, director and owner, said: “Receiving the King’s Award is a tremendous honour and a testament to our team’s passion, commitment and technical excellence.
“The Kings Awards celebrate the very best in British companies. They are internationally recognized as a trusted symbol of excellence worldwide. We continue to fly the flag for British manufacturing and innovation.”
Denbies Wine Estate Ltd – Sustainable Development
Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking is one of England’s largest single estate vineyards. The estate, independently owned and run, comprises of 380 acres with 265 acres currently under vine. It has a production capacity of 1 million bottles. The first vines were planted on the estate in 1986.
The owner for the last 20 years is Christopher White. Under his leadership, Denbies has become one of the largest and most successful wineries in England.
It has been recognised for being a leading light in sustainable and ethical wine tourism. It is also the first vineyard in UK to be certified UKCCC Net Zero.
What are the King’s Awards for Enterprise?
The King’s Awards for Enterprise were previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.
The awards are now in its 59th year. And it has awarded over 8,000 companies since its inception in 1965. The awards are valid for 5 years.
Almost all UK businesses can apply, and the application process is free and straightforward.
If you get an award you’ll be:
invited to a Royal reception
presented with the award at your company by one of The King’s representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant
able to fly The King’s Awards flag at your main office, and use the emblem on your marketing materials
given a Grant of Appointment (an official certificate) and commemorative crystal trophy
Organisations that got an award have reported benefiting from:
GDLX25, a leading games expo showcasing the best indie talent in the UK, is coming to Surrey for the first time.
More than 600 people attend the annual event run by Game Dev Local. It’s normally held in east London but was at risk of being cancelled after the venue fell through.
The University for the Creative Arts (UCA) came to the rescue, hosting the fourth edition of GDLX at its Farnham campus this weekend (April 12, 2025)
Stuart De Ville, CEO of GDL, contacted UCA to ask if anything could be done to help. The team at the university then stepped in.
Andy Bossom, UCA’s Industry Engagement Lead for the School of Games and Creative Technology said:
“UCA prides itself on its can-do attitude – we are agile and were able to step in at the last minute, to become the host partner institution.
“It’s important for us to support the indie developer community, as many of UCA’s games graduates aspire to work on unique indie games after graduation. The last couple of years has been tough for the games industry, in terms of studio closures and the pausing of other key UK games events.”
Stuart De Ville, CEO of GDL, said:
“The support from UCA has been nothing short of amazing. When we faced the unexpected challenge of losing our venue, it stepped up to ensure GDLX25 could still happen.
“Events like this are vital to the indie games industry, providing a space for developers to showcase their work, connect with industry professionals, and build a stronger community. Thanks to UCA, we can continue that mission and bring together some of the brightest talent in indie games this year.”
What is GDLX25?
GDLX25 is an indie games expo for indie game developers and enthusiasts.
GDLX25 is taking place Saturday 12 April, from 12pm to 7pm at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, Surrey.
With more than 50 independent games companies and around 600 attendees, it will showcase the brightest talent in the industry.
There will be industry talks, networking opportunities, and a careers stage led by experts on a wide range of topics, including game design, programming, art, and sound.
UCA can also announce, GAIN – Games and Innovation Nexus – will be the main sponsor of the event. GAIN is a partnership between UCA, the University of Surrey, and the University of Warwick supporting the wider gaming industry.
Games and Surrey
Surrey’s video game industry is one of the largest and most vibrant in the UK. It has over 85 studios and is often called the ‘Hollywood of Gaming’.
Surrey has seen many world-first innovations in this growing sector. In total it generates more than £3 billion a year for the UK GDP and employs almost 50,000 people.
The region is home to a diverse array of studios, from small independent teams to large companies.
We’ve worked closely with UCA and the University of Surrey on the GAIN programme. This aims to strengthen links and develop infrastructure between gaming businesses in Surrey.
SME Surrey Business Awards 2025 deadline approaches
Published 11 March 2025
Events and awards
The countdown is on for Surrey businesses to enter the Surrey SME Business Awards 2025.
The SME Surrey Awards are an exciting opportunity to support and share in our vision to raise the profile of industrious, hardworking and enterprising SMEs in Surrey.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are businesses whose personnel numbers are 250 employees or less.
SMEs are also said to be responsible for driving innovation and competition in many economic sectors. These awards are the perfect chance to showcase your work to a wider audience.
As the organisers of the event say: “Business awards are a sought after accolade of achievement, a veritable endorsement of success in business which offers exceptional marketing and PR opportunities as well as increasing your credibility and standing in the eyes of your peers and your customers. Of course, it feels pretty wonderful too!”
All entries are judged by up to four of the awards’ national panel of judges.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in the Harbour Hotel, Guilford, on June 10.
SME Surrey Business Awards 2025 categories
There are 20 categories to enter, including:
Apprentice of the Year
Best Enterprising Business
Best New Business
Business Person of the Year
Employer of the Year
Corporate Social Responsibility Award
Community Business of the Year
High Growth Business of the Year
Young Business Person of the Year
Service Excellence
Website of the Year
There are also two separate Business of the Year Awards – one for businesses with fewer than 50 employees; and one for those with more than 50 employees.
You may enter up to 3 awards categories and 1 public vote category. Each entry costs £21.50 plus VAT.
