3TOP Aviation embarks on growth plans thanks to £20 million loan from UK Export Finance
Published 8 September 2025
Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories
3TOP Aviation, a market-leading aircraft trading and refurbishment specialist, has secured multimillion-pound investment to meet growing international demand. This is thanks to support from UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK’s export credit agency.
The Leatherhead-based firm acquires mid-to-end-life aircraft and engines for onward trading, leasing and refurbishment. They also dismantle aircraft and rebuild the associated components for onward sale to clients, helping to make the aerospace industry more sustainable.
The company – which employs 18 staff in Surrey plus 16 outside the UK – aims to grow into new global markets and product lines such as new generation aircraft.
As a result of the UKEF-backed financing, 3TOP Aviation is also planning to expand its UK workforce by 20%.
Plus, it is relocating some of its warehouses in France and the US to a larger site in Leatherhead, bringing further benefits to the local economy.
The financing has been secured with backing from UKEF issued under its General Export Facility. This guarantee enabled HSBC UK to provide a trade finance facility of up to £20 million, supporting 3TOP Aviation’s export growth.
Chris Emechete, Managing Director of 3TOP Aviation, said:
“We are delighted to have secured substantial funding from UKEF which helps strengthen our position as a leading UK exporter of commercial aircraft aftermarket services and allows us to further exploit new opportunities around the world.
“We are very active in the aviation market globally, so capital backing from UKEF, a major credit export agency with an impeccable pedigree and reputation, aligns perfectly with our growth plans and aspirations.”
Tim Reid, CEO at UK Export Finance, said:
“3TOP Aviation’s story shows how our support empowers UK businesses to create prosperity at home while growing their footprint internationally.
“Their impressive growth in turnover from £3 million to £70 million in just four years demonstrates the huge potential for British firms by tapping into global markets. That’s where UKEF comes in: we’re here to ensure that lack of finance never stands in the way of firms achieving their true export potential.
“3TOP Aviation brings more than 25 years of industry expertise to the sector, with international offices spanning the United Arab Emirates, United States, Singapore, Germany and India. In the last four years, 3TOP Aviation’s business has boomed with revenue growing from a post-Covid low of £3 million in 2021 to £70 million in 2025.”
Grow your business with UK Export Finance
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK’s export credit agency. It’s a government department, working alongside the Department for Business and Trade as an integral part of its strategy and operations.
3TOP Aviation is one of more than 660 companies accessing support from UKEF in the last financial year. It has provided a record £14.5 billion in new financing, supporting up to 70,000 jobs.
UKEF works with over 100 private credit insurers and lenders to help UK companies access export finance. It complements not competes with the private sector.
UKEF helps UK companies to:
win export contracts by providing attractive financing terms to their buyers
fulfil contracts by supporting working capital loans
get paid by insuring against buyer default
Its export finance managers provide free and impartial consultations, helping UK companies to check they are getting appropriate support and exploring how to bridge any gaps.
There’s no summer break for grant funding being announced. Here’s a round up of grants that have come through my inbox this month. It’s fast moving so check back here every month for updates on what programmes have been released.
Good Luck and let me know how you get on!
Renée
Open Horizons #Opencall1
Open Horizons is a Horizon Europe-funded initiative. It has launched its first Open Call to provide funding for women-led startups in sectors such as AI, Green Tech, Blockchain and Advanced Materials. Successful applicants can receive up to €55,000 in equity-free funding, tailored mentoring and strategic matchmaking, and opportunities to co-design and test paid pilot projects with major European corporates.
Applications are open to startups led by at least one woman holding a key executive role (CEO, CTO or Founder) with a minimum 25% ownership, and in inception or early-growth stage. Eligible startups must operate in deeptech or digital innovation and be based in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe-associated country (including the UK).
Epic Games is offering financial support through its Epic MegaGrants programme, designed to advance innovation in real-time 3D creation. The scheme supports individuals and teams across gaming, media, enterprise and education.
Typical awards range from $5,000 to $150,000. Funding may be used for development costs or team-related expenses, such as staffing and continued production.
Creators and projects in the following areas are eligible:
Game Developers - using Unreal Engine (or transitioning to UE5).
Film and Media Creators - real-time content using Unreal Engine.
Enterprise and Industry - Unreal Engine projects in other industries
Education and Research - university-level initiatives
Tool and Open-Source Developers – tools that integrate with Unreal or contribute to the 3D open-source ecosystem
UEFN (Fortnite Creative) Developers - creators using Unreal Editor for Fortnite.
The funding is intended to support social entrepreneurs by helping them nurture their social ventures and grow their impact.
The following levels of funding are available:
Starting Up - funding of up to £8,000
Scaling Up - funding of up to £18,000 for a social enterprise that has been operating for between one and four years.
Together with funding, award recipients will be assigned to one of UnLtd’s dedicated programmes to provide support aligned with the needs of their social venture for up to one year.
Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF) support talented people in universities, businesses, and other research and innovation environments.
They also allow universities, research institutes, independent research organisations and businesses to develop their most talented early career researchers and innovators or to attract new people to their organisations.
The aim of this competition is to:
Support ambitious research and innovation to tackle difficult and novel challenges.
Support excellence in innovation, across interdisciplinary boundaries and sectors.
Develop, retain, and attract the next wave of research and innovation leaders.
Working with a host organisation a Future Leaders Fellow will receive at least four years of funding to pursue an ambitious programme of innovation.
Closing date: 5 November 2025 at 11am.
More information can be accessed at the IUK website.
RTO Catapult Grant Scheme – Innovate UK
Launched in April this is an easy to access, easy to administer grant from Innovate UK for £15,000. Apply quickly as the pot ran out by September last year when launched at a similar time. Could be used for product testing, development work or if you need technical expertise to facilitate feasibility.
The fund offers financial support to UK-based independent studios developing commercial games-for-entertainment. Backed by the UK Government, the initiative aims to help companies scale up, attract investment and generate employment in the creative industries.
Grants will range from £50,000 to £150,000. The funding can be used to cover staff and contractor costs directly involved in hands-on development activity.
The scheme targets established games studios operating in the UK. Applicants must be able to demonstrate how the funding would provide clearly support their business growth plans and facilitate further investment.
Closing date: expressions of interest can be made at any time
Homes England and Octopus Real Estate have launched the second phase of the Greener Homes Alliance, providing discounted development finance to small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders. The initiative supports the construction of energy-efficient homes across England.
A total of £150 million is available. Loans range from £2 million to £20 million. Interest rate reductions of up to 2% are available for developers meeting environmental and social criteria. Eligible applicants include SME housebuilders and developers operating in England.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Co-operative and Community Finance is offering loans of between £10,000 and £85,000 for new or existing co-operatives across the UK to assist with the expansion, setup, or development of a co-operative enterprise.
Loans will only be made to economically viable enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled organisations registered in the UK.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Grants
The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.
The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of:
£350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant – for instance, if you want to install them at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket available per site
If there isn’t anything in this month’s roundup that suits your business’s specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.
Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on funding, business news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
Skills Bootcamps applications open for Surrey employers and training providers
Published 9 July 2025
Funding and grants, Skills and workforce
Skills Bootcamps applications are being invited from Surrey employers and training providers for 2025/26. Discover how these government-funded courses can upskill your team in a just a few weeks.
Are you a Surrey employer struggling to recruit? Does your team have skills gaps you’d like to fill? Apply today for Skills Bootcamps funding to equip your business with the talent and know-how to thrive.
Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks for anyone aged 19+ to enter employment, upskill or change career.
We – as part of Surrey County Council – have received £3.1 million from the Department for Education to deliver courses across Surrey during 2025/26.
We’re looking for innovative ideas from employers and training providers to design and deliver courses to equip our residents with the skills to grow our future economy.
Think Skills Bootcamps may be a good fit to help you upskill your team or address your workforce needs? Get in touch to find out more by emailing skillsbootcamps@surreycc.gov.uk.
A member of the team will then arrange a one-to-one discussion to talk through your challenges and objectives.
Of if you’re ready to apply, then scroll down to find out more about the process.
Skills Bootcamps 2025/26 – who can apply
Applications can be made by:
independent training providers
further education (FE) colleges
employers
As employers, you will possess the relevant intelligence to support a robust proposal. This includes demonstrating creative design and an understanding of local employers’ needs.
Do you not have experience of skills training? You can partner with organisations that can evidence proven experience and strong local networks to design and deliver innovative courses shaped around the needs of jobseekers and employers.
We are now accepting Skills Bootcamps applications from interested parties under a competitive grant award process. They will form part of Wave 6 of the programme, completing by the end of March 2026.
Applications will need to evidence demand, strategic fit and innovation, setting out:
access to employment post training (preference to partnership bids with employers)
how you will meet demand in the local economy, using evidence such as Surrey Economic Growth Strategy and Labour Market Information
who your target learners are
your previous experience delivering employer-led training
previous collaboration with local employers (Training providers only)
how you will deliver the programme
We actively encourage joint applications from training providers and employers. Make sure they clearly evidence how the course will fill open vacancies.
There is no closing date. We will asses applications on a rolling basis for suitability. But we do advise applicants to submit entries as soon as possible. This is so courses are delivered before the end of March 2026.
Renée’s July round-up of business funding and grant sources
Published 8 July 2025
Funding and grants
Before I share details of all the grants and business funding that is available, did you know that 280 years ago this July, the first ever recorded women’s cricket match took place on Gosden Common near Guildford between the eleven maids of Bramley and the eleven maids of Hambledon. Apparently, it drew a large crowd and was reported in several newspapers.
The Sage Small Business XI 2025 Grant is linked to their sponsorship of The Hundred, the British cricket tournament that has taken off in the last few years and which is leading the way in giving women’s and men’s sport equal billing.
Part of the prize on offer is the chance to get promoted at one of the games which are broadcast live on TV. Now, you might be a cricket fan and the idea of your company being advertised over the hoardings at the Oval sounds like a dream come true, but how many of your potential customers are also cricket fans? Start thinking about the marketing opportunities on offer and how they might be just as beneficial as £10k.
By the way, if you haven’t been to The Hundred, go! Not only are the Surrey based Oval Invincibles the current men’s holders, but it’s also a great day out!
Good Luck and let me know how you get on!
Renée
Sage Small Business XI 2025
Are your potential customers cricket fans? Sage is giving away a total of £50k in business grants to 11 deserving small businesses plus in stadium branding at one local The Hundred Cricket Match and 2 x tickets to The Hundred Final.
The competition is open to all UK residents aged 18 or over who are an owner of a small business, charity or not-for-profit that’s been trading for a year that has fewer than 50 employees.
Closing date: 12:00pm on Monday 7th July
Apply here: Sage x The Hundred | Small Business Competition | Enter to Win
Santander X UK Awards
The Santander X UK Awards is Santander’s flagship entrepreneurship pitching competition. The competition has evolved to supporting 3 categories: university entrepreneurs, start-ups and a new SME category added for 2025.
Their aim is to award equity-free funding with prizes of between £10-30,000 and support for ambitious UK founders to take their ventures to the next level.
Closing Date: 16 July at 23.59
Apply here: Santander X UK Awards
Adobe Express £1,000 Grant
From now until August, 2 business owners a month will win £1,000 and mentoring from Adobe Express and Enterprise Nation.
All you have to do is share a creation you have made by using the templates in Adobe Express. It could be a social post, flyer or logo for your brand, upload it and complete the application for to be in with a chance of winning.
Closing date: until August 2025
Apply here: Adobe Express Brand Builder | Win £1,000 for your marketing strategy
Future Leaders Fellowships
Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF) support talented people in universities, businesses, and other research and innovation environments.
They also allow universities, research institutes, independent research organisations and businesses to develop their most talented early career researchers and innovators or to attract new people to their organisations.
The aim of this competition is to:
Support ambitious research and innovation to tackle difficult and novel challenges.
Support excellence in innovation, across interdisciplinary boundaries and sectors.
Develop, retain, and attract the next wave of research and innovation leaders.
Working with a host organisation a Future Leaders Fellow will receive at least four years of funding to pursue an ambitious programme of innovation.
Closing date: 5 November 2025 at 11am.
More information can be accessed at the IUK website.
RTO Catapult Grant Scheme – Innovate UK
Launched in April this is an easy to access, easy to administer grant from Innovate UK for £15,000. Apply quickly as the pot ran out by September last year when launched at a similar time. Could be used for product testing, development work or if you need technical expertise to facilitate feasibility.
The fund offers financial support to UK-based independent studios developing commercial games-for-entertainment. Backed by the UK Government, the initiative aims to help companies scale up, attract investment and generate employment in the creative industries.
Grants will range from £50,000 to £150,000. The funding can be used to cover staff and contractor costs directly involved in hands-on development activity.
The scheme targets established games studios operating in the UK. Applicants must be able to demonstrate how the funding would clearly support their business growth plans and facilitate further investment.
Closing date: expressions of interest can be made at any time
Homes England and Octopus Real Estate have launched the second phase of the Greener Homes Alliance, providing discounted development finance to small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders. The initiative supports the construction of energy-efficient homes across England.
A total of £150 million is available. Loans range from £2 million to £20 million. Interest rate reductions of up to 2% are available for developers meeting environmental and social criteria. Eligible applicants include SME housebuilders and developers operating in England.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Co-operative and Community Finance is offering loans of between £10,000 and £85,000 for new or existing co-operatives across the UK to assist with the expansion, setup, or development of a co-operative enterprise.
Loans will only be made to economically viable enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled organisations registered in the UK.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Grants
The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.
The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of:
£350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant – for instance, if you want to install them at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket available per site
If there isn’t anything in this month’s roundup that suits your business’s specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.
Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on funding, business news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
Renée’s Round-Up of Grants and Funding – June
Published 16 June 2025
Funding and grants
Roll Up Roll Up! You’ll see in this line up of grants and funding available that there are a fair few competitions, where your business can win a prize … so what’s the difference between a grant and a prize?
It seems to me that corporate philanthropy is a way for an organisation (or collaboration) to enhance their brand. Traditional grant giving programmes therefore give way to campaigns, competitions and programmes that support their brand and enhance it.
But whichever prize or grant you apply for the devil is in the details. Like we don’t just have one CV these days, there isn’t just one grant application that you can copy and paste into a new application form. Check the eligibility criteria, check the ‘prize’ is one that supports your goals and then commit to writing (or producing) a bespoke application. Good Luck!
Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025
Farmers in Tandridge, Guildford and Waverley 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 and 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.
Closing date: 30 June 2025
Apply here: Economic Growth Fund application form – Business Surrey
Reigate & Banstead Thriving Communities Match Fund
Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) organisations whose projects help communities in Reigate & Banstead to thrive can now apply for grants between £2,000 and £10,000 from a pot of £50,000.
If you work with local organisations whose projects help our communities to thrive, please encourage them to check the fund criteria and apply if they are eligible.
Closing date: 23 June 2025
Apply here: Thriving Communities Match Fund | Funding for local voluntary and community organisations | Reigate and Banstead
Small Biz 100
This isn’t exactly a funding pot but an opportunity for promotion. Small Business Saturday is always the first Saturday in December. It’s been running for 12 years and is an opportunity to rally behind the small businesses we all love and wat to support.
#smallbiz100 highlights 100 small businesses, one a day for 100 days leading up to Small Business Saturday 2025! In the past the 100 have not only received exposure on Small Business Saturday’s social media channels and in the local and national press but also joined the Small Business Saturday team in London at receptions in Downing Street, House of Lords and with Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Closing Date: 30 June 2025
Apply Here: Small Business Saturday UK | Another year making a Big Difference!
Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Competition – Innovate UK
Innovate UK has opened a new round of its Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Competition (AKT4) offering support for projects aimed at addressing drug and alcohol addiction. The initiative will fund short, targeted collaborations between eligible research institutions and business partners.
Each project can receive a grant of up to £35,000 to support interventions that develop or evaluate innovation with potential impact on treatment, recovery, harm reduction or prevention for those affected by addiction.
Closing Date: 11am 2 July 2025
Apply here: Competition overview – Accelerated Knowledge Transfer 4 (AKT4) Addiction – Innovation Funding Service
AXA StartUp Angel Competition
The AXA Startup Angel Competition has been created to support entrepreneurs hoping to realise their business ambitions. The contest offers a variety of prizes to would-be businesses from across the UK to help them through the next phase of their startup journey.
There are six opportunities to win in 2025. Two winners will receive the top prize of £25,000 to fund their business idea. These winners will also be awarded mentoring from the AXA Startup Angels and business insurance for a year.
There are also four runners-up prizes featuring over £18,000 of media, mentoring and exposure. Each runner-up will receive a profile on their business in The Standard, mentoring with a member of The Standard team, plus VIP access to SME XPO 2026.
Closing Date: 6 July 2025 (23:59 hrs)
Apply here: Startup Angel
Santander X UK Awards
The Santander X UK Awards is Santander’s flagship entrepreneurship pitching competition. The competition has evolved to supporting 3 categories: university entrepreneurs, start-ups and a new SME category added for 2025.
Their aim is to award equity-free funding with prizes of between £10-30,000 and support for ambitious UK founders to take their ventures to the next level.
Closing Date: 16 July at 23.59
Apply here: Santander X UK Awards
Adobe Express £1,000 Grant
From now until August, 2 business owners a month will win £1,000 and mentoring from Adobe Express and Enterprise Nation.
All you have to do is share a creation you have made by using the templates in Adobe Express. It could be a social post, flyer or logo for your brand, upload it and complete the application for to be in with a chance of winning.
Closing date: until August 2025
Apply here: Adobe Express Brand Builder | Win £1,000 for your marketing strategy
Future Leaders Fellowships
Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF) support talented people in universities, businesses, and other research and innovation environments.
They also allow universities, research institutes, independent research organisations and businesses to develop their most talented early career researchers and innovators or to attract new people to their organisations.
The aim of this competition is to:
Support ambitious research and innovation to tackle difficult and novel challenges.
Support excellence in innovation, across interdisciplinary boundaries and sectors.
Develop, retain, and attract the next wave of research and innovation leaders.
Working with a host organisation a Future Leaders Fellow will receive at least four years of funding to pursue an ambitious programme of innovation.
Applications will open on 23 June 2025 and close on 5 November 2025 at 11am.
More information can be accessed at the IUK website.
RTO Catapult Grant Scheme – Innovate UK
Launched in April this is an easy to access, easy to administer grant from Innovate UK for £15,000. Apply quickly as the pot ran out by September last year when launched at a similar time. Could be used for product testing, development work or if you need technical expertise to facilitate feasibility.
The fund offers financial support to UK-based independent studios developing commercial games-for-entertainment. Backed by the UK Government, the initiative aims to help companies scale up, attract investment and generate employment in the creative industries.
Grants will range from £50,000 to £150,000. The funding can be used to cover staff and contractor costs directly involved in hands-on development activity.
The scheme targets established games studios operating in the UK. Applicants must be able to demonstrate how the funding would provide clear additionality to their business growth plans and facilitate further investment.
Closing date: expressions of interest can be made at any time
Homes England and Octopus Real Estate have launched the second phase of the Greener Homes Alliance, providing discounted development finance to small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders. The initiative supports the construction of energy-efficient homes across England.
A total of £150 million is available. Loans range from £2 million to £20 million. Interest rate reductions of up to 2% are available for developers meeting environmental and social criteria. Eligible applicants include SME housebuilders and developers operating in England.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Co-operative and Community Finance is offering loans of between £10,000 and £85,000 for new or existing co-operatives across the UK to assist with the expansion, setup, or development of a co-operative enterprise.
Loans will only be made to economically viable enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled organisations registered in the UK.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Grants
The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.
The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of:
£350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant – for instance, if you want to install them at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket available per site
If there isn’t anything in this month’s roundup that suits your business’s specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.
Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on funding, business news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
Surrey Economic Growth Fund round one update
Published 12 June 2025
Business news, Funding and grants
The Surrey Economic Growth Fund round one has now closed – with hundreds of businesses and organisations expressing interest in funding for innovative ideas to drive growth in Surrey.
The Surrey Economic Growth Fund is overseen by Surrey County Council. It will see millions of pounds invested to drive growth, creating jobs, improving infrastructure, increasing productivity and upskilling our workforce.
This single pot is made up of a range of public and investment streams, such as UK Shared Prosperity Funding from government.
The idea is to make it as simple and easy-as-possible for those looking to drive growth to apply for funding.
Round one launched in April 2025, and closed at the end of May. Other rounds are expected to follow.
Up to £7 million is available in round one, and we’ve received more than 300 expressions of interest totalling nearly £35 million of funding.
What happens next?
We want to say a big thank you to everyone who submitted an expression of interest in round one of the Surrey Economic Growth Fund.
Due to the high volume and quality of initial submissions, not every application will be funded.
Those who have expressed interest will receive a unique online link in the coming days. This will have an invitation to submit further information to support their application. The deadline is the end of June.
Our Investment Panel will meet throughout July to review full applications and make funding decisions.
Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025 now open to Surrey farmers
Published 21 May 2025
Advice and support, Funding and grants
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.
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.
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:
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.
Lots of information about grants and funding passes through my inbox and this is an opportunity for me to share that with you. This month the funds range from hyper-local to national with some for general small businesses or with a sector focus.
I’ve shared an overview but also links for you to double check the eligibility and requirements of each individual grant. Note the closing dates and times, as some are very specific!
RTO Catapult Grant Scheme – Innovate UK
Launched in April this is an easy to access, easy to administer grant from Innovate UK for £15,000. Apply quickly as the pot ran out by September last year when launched at a similar time. Could be used for product testing, development work or if you need technical expertise to facilitate feasibility.
Reigate & Banstead Thriving Communities Match Fund
Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) organisations whose projects help communities in Reigate & Banstead to thrive can now apply for grants between £2,000 and £10,000 from a pot of £50,000.
If you work with local organisations whose projects help our communities to thrive, please encourage them to check the fund criteria and apply if they are eligible.
Closing date: 23 June 2025
Apply here: Thriving Communities Match Fund | Funding for local voluntary and community organisations | Reigate and Banstead
The Surrey Economic Growth Fund
This is funding to drive growth across Surrey. The Surrey Economic Growth Fund has been created by pooling a range of public and investment streams, such as UK Shared Prosperity Funding from government, into one Economic Growth Fund.
The Fund is administered by Surrey County Council and is now open for applications across three funding streams: Business Growth Grants, Future Surrey Fund, and Innovation Spaces Fund. The Council is seeking bold, innovative ideas that will drive sustainable economic growth across the county and align with Surrey’s strategic priorities.
Closing date: the current round of applications is open until 31 May 2025. Other rounds may follow.
Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Competition – Innovate UK
Innovate UK has opened a new round of its Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Competition (AKT4) offering support for projects aimed at addressing drug and alcohol addiction. The initiative will fund short, targeted collaborations between eligible research institutions and business partners.
Each project can receive a grant of up to £35,000 to support interventions that develop or evaluate innovation with potential impact on treatment, recovery, harm reduction or prevention for those affected by addiction.
Closing Date: 11am 2 July 2025
Apply here: Competition overview – Accelerated Knowledge Transfer 4 (AKT4) Addiction – Innovation Fun
Adobe Express £1,000 Grant
From now until August, 2 business owners a month will win £1,000 and mentoring from Adobe Express and Enterprise Nation.
All you have to do is share a creation you have made by using the templates in Adobe Express. It could be a social post, flyer or logo for your brand, upload it and complete the application for to be in with a chance of winning.
Closing date: until August 2025
Apply here: Adobe Express Brand Builder | Win £1,000 for your marketing strategy
AXA StartUp Angel Competition
The AXA Startup Angel Competition has been created to support entrepreneurs hoping to realise their business ambitions. The contest offers a variety of prizes to would-be businesses from across the UK to help them through the next phase of their startup journey.
There are six opportunities to win in 2025. Two winners will receive the top prize of £25,000 to fund their business idea. These winners will also be awarded mentoring from the AXA Startup Angels and business insurance for a year.
There are also four runners-up prizes featuring over £18,000 of media, mentoring and exposure. Each runner-up will receive a profile on their business in The Standard, mentoring with a member of The Standard team, plus VIP access to SME XPO 2026.
Closing Date: 6 July 2025 (23:59 hrs)
Apply here: Startup Angel
NatWest Accelerator Pitch Competition
NatWest has announced a £1 million competition to support small business growth in the UK. The NatWest Accelerator Pitch invites entrepreneurs to submit a 60-second video outlining how financial support would aid their expansion.
Selected entrants will compete in live events, starting with a final in Manchester in July, followed by a London event later in 2025. Five finalists at each event will deliver a 10-minute pitch to a panel of industry experts, who will assess their business models, growth strategies and the potential impact of the prize money.
The competition is open to UK businesses with up to £1 million revenue, registered in the UK and trading for between one to five years.
Closing date: For Manchester, the closing date for entries is 5pm 25 May 2025.
For London, entries are coming soon
Apply here: Natwest Accelerator Pitch
Future Leaders Fellowships
Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF) support talented people in universities, businesses, and other research and innovation environments.
They also allow universities, research institutes, independent research organisations and businesses to develop their most talented early career researchers and innovators or to attract new people to their organisations.
The aim of this competition is to:
Support ambitious research and innovation to tackle difficult and novel challenges.
Support excellence in innovation, across interdisciplinary boundaries and sectors.
Develop, retain, and attract the next wave of research and innovation leaders.
Working with a host organisation a Future Leaders Fellow will receive at least four years of funding to pursue an ambitious programme of innovation.
Applications will open on 23 June 2025 and close on 5 November 2025 at 11am.
More information can be accessed at the IUK website.
The UK Games Fund Content Fund
The fund offers financial support to UK-based independent studios developing commercial games-for-entertainment. Backed by the UK Government, the initiative aims to help companies scale up, attract investment and generate employment in the creative industries.
Grants will range from £50,000 to £150,000. The funding can be used to cover staff and contractor costs directly involved in hands-on development activity.
The scheme targets established games studios operating in the UK. Applicants must be able to demonstrate how the funding would provide clear additionality to their business growth plans and facilitate further investment.
Closing date: expressions of interest can be made at any time
Homes England and Octopus Real Estate have launched the second phase of the Greener Homes Alliance, providing discounted development finance to small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders. The initiative supports the construction of energy-efficient homes across England.
A total of £150 million is available. Loans range from £2 million to £20 million. Interest rate reductions of up to 2% are available for developers meeting environmental and social criteria. Eligible applicants include SME housebuilders and developers operating in England.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Co-operative and Community Finance is offering loans of between £10,000 and £85,000 for new or existing co-operatives across the UK to assist with the expansion, setup, or development of a co-operative enterprise.
Loans will only be made to economically viable enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled organisations registered in the UK.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Grants
The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.
The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of:
£350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant – for instance, if you want to install them at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket available per site
That’s all for this month. Good Luck and let me know how you get on!
Renée
Business support in Surrey
If you can’t see anything in this month’s roundup that suits your specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.
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Economic Growth Fund webinar now live
Published 8 May 2025
Advice and support, Funding and grants
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.
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.
Funding to boost growth for Surrey’s businesses and economy
Published 1 April 2025
Business news, Funding and grants
Funding to boost growth is now available from Surrey County Council with millions available for innovative ideas to enhance the economy.
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.
Applications for the first round are now open, closing at the end of May. Apply via the form on the Business Surrey website.
The launch comes as the Council also publishes Surrey’s Economic Growth Strategy 2025 to 2035, which sets out the long-term focus and priorities to drive sustainable growth in the county for the next decade.
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.
Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Economic Growth, said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for businesses, training providers and partners to secure immediate investment in ideas to drive growth in Surrey.
“We know that Surrey has a strong economy, contributing £50 billion a year to UK PLC. But the refreshed economic strategy highlights several challenges around start-ups, high-growth businesses, retaining talent and an increasing number of people out of work.
“The new Economic Growth Fund is one of the ways we can tackle those challenges while delivering benefits to the people, places and businesses across the county. Our ambition is simple: we want to position Surrey as one of the UK’s leading regional economies while ensuring No One is Left Behind.”
Chris Hurren, Chair of the Surrey Business Leaders Forum, said:
“Growth in Surrey, like much of the country, has slowed in recent years. We can only tackle the challenges by working together while focusing on the needs of businesses and outcomes for our people and places.
“The refreshed Economic Strategy, which is evidence-led and developed in partnership with businesses, employer representative groups, academia and other key stakeholders, is very much the starting point of our journey.
“Together, we’re determined to drive forward this ambitious agenda and deliver our ambition to benefit our residents, businesses and wider communities.”
