Category: Funding and grants

Renée’s round-up of grants and funding – March

Published 11 March 2026

Funding and grants

I’m often asked what funding is available. I share this blog but I often ask my own question back : “do you mean funding or finance?”

There is grant funding around, but realistically not very much, and it’s often focused on projects and specific outcomes rather than covering day to day operational costs. If you’re a business caught in the chicken and egg scenario of investing (aka spending) to grow then it can be a tricky place. I often signpost people to the British Business Bank who offer guidance on what finance options there are as well as managing the Start-Up Loan Scheme for any business in the 1st 3 years of trading. So if you are looking for finance to grow your business they are well worth looking at for advice.

Things are always moving with funded support programmes so keep an eye out for my monthly updates. Good luck, and let me know how you get on!

Renée

Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme

This High Street Programme will support hundreds of small and medium businesses in Surrey’s town and villages throughout Spring 2026. It covers all corners of Surrey with dedicated sessions in 22 locations across all 11 district and boroughs in Surrey.

It offers free, practical and locally tailored support across Surrey high streets including:

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

Last Workshop: 8 April 2026
Find out more: Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme

Made Smarter South East

Made Smarter South East is a government-funded programme created to drive growth amongst the South East’s manufacturing SMEs and makers. The Made Smarter team will provide advice and support to manufacturers and makers to:

  • help them switch to advanced and automated technologies
  • identify the right technologies and tools
  • and use them to make everyday improvements to your business.

Support elements include:

  • Match-funding of up to £20,000 (50% is available)
  • Expert advice, guidance and support
  • Bespoke digital roadmap for your business
  • Leadership training
  • Workforce training
  • Fully-funded student internship (up to 300 hours).

The programme is open to SME manufacturers and makers based in the South East. In order to be eligible businesses must have fewer than 250 employees and not be part of a wider group, or be funded by Private Equity, with a turnover below £44 million, and not have received state aid of more than £315,000 over the last three years.

Closing date: 31 March 2027
Find out more: Made Smarter South East: funding & support for manufacturers

The Small & Mighty Enterprise Programme

This 6 week programme for sole traders and micro businesses, concludes with a plan to support the next year of business growth. It will be delivered entirely online.

  What does the course include?

  • Inclusion in an exclusive, supportive community to ask and answer questions, access experts and teachers, share experiences and network with other small businesses.
  • Live weekly sessions recorded and available on a private Small Business Britain website available exclusively to course participants.
  • Weekly worksheets to embed learning outcomes accessible on the private website hub, developed by each week’s expert trainers.
  • Development of an Action Plan: a twelve-month plan to grow and flourish with support of expert mentors.
  • 1 hour of 1-2-1 and group mentoring over the six weeks from expert mentors around the UK.

Start date: 26 March 2026
Find out more: Small Business Britain | Champion. Inspire. Accelerate.

CVC DIF-Allia Accelerator Challenge

The CVC DIF-Allia Accelerator Challenge is open to UK-based impact-driven startups and social enterprises seeking to scale their activities. The six-month programme provides structured support aimed at strengthening commercial development and long-term growth.

Participants receive expert mentorship, coaching and tailored guidance to refine their business models. This includes testing assumptions with users, developing a clear impact narrative and preparing for expansion. The programme concludes with a Pitch Day, where selected ventures present their progress. As part of the initiative, participants can compete for a share of up to £50,000. This financial support is intended to help organisations advance to the next stage of development following completion of the programme.

The challenge is open to startups and social enterprises operating in the UK with a proven concept and evidence of early traction. Applicants are expected to be generating revenue or preparing to raise seed investment. Support provided through the programme can be used to strengthen commercial strategy, validate products or services and build readiness for growth and investment.

Closing date: 31 March 2026

Find out more: CVC DIF–Allia Accelerator Challenge

IOSH Certificate in Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing

How good are you at spotting signs of stress in your team?

Build a healthier, happier and more resilient workforce with free accredited training for your business, fully funded by the Department for Work & Pensions.

Study online, in a virtual classroom, or at 12 regional centres to gain your IOSH Certificate in Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing. There are 5,000 free course places available until 31 March 2026 for qualifying SMES.

Closing date: 31 March 2026

Find out more: ttps://lets-crack-on.com

SNPN 5G Assured Integration (CR&D) Competition

Innovate UK has opened the SNPN 5G Assured Integration Competition to support collaborative research and development addressing system level integration challenges in advanced connectivity.

The competition aims to enable UK based components to be combined into complete, secure and operable end-to-end systems suitable for early market evaluation. Work supported includes non-recurring engineering, interoperability testing and verification needed to integrate multi-vendor Core, RAN and supporting hardware or software components.

Projects must integrate UK anchored advanced connectivity components across Core, RAN, hardware or software layers. Engagement with potential end users or adopters is expected to ensure solutions reflect operational needs.

Up to £18.5 million has been allocated for industrial research. Individual projects can request between £2 million and £4 million in grant support, with no single organisation able to claim more than £3 million.

Applications must be collaborative. The lead applicant must be a UK registered organisation and may be a business, academic institution, research and technology organisation, charity, not for profit organisation or public sector body. Partners must also be UK registered and drawn from similar organisation types.

Closing date: 1 April 2026 (11:00)

Find out more: ttps://lets-crack-on.com

Farming Innovation Programme

Defra, in collaboration with Innovate UK, is providing support through the Farming Innovation Programme for farmers, growers and foresters in England preparing Full ADOPT Grant submissions. The scheme is intended to improve application quality and encourage wider participation in innovation-related funding.

The support is aimed at individuals interested in on-farm trials or experiments that test new or emerging solutions in agriculture, horticulture or agri-forestry. Funding will be used to engage an external Project Facilitator to assist in developing Full ADOPT Grant applications.

Projects must address a clear challenge or opportunity on-farm or immediately post-farmgate. They should aim to enhance productivity, sustainability or resilience, including support for net zero farming practices. Proposals must also show how findings will be relevant to others in the sector and tested under real-world conditions.

Up to £100,000 has been allocated for the scheme. Grants of £2,500 will be made available to successful applicants. Eligible applicants must be active farming, growing or forestry businesses based in England and able to demonstrate that they are established, including sole traders. Only single applicants may apply.

Closing date: 8 April 2026 @ 11:00
Find out more: Competition overview – ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant: Round 7 – Innovation Funding Service

The Stephen Lloyd Awards 2026

The Stephen Lloyd Awards support early-stage projects aiming to achieve social or environmental change in the UK.

Successful applicants will receive at least £25,000 in funding, alongside pro bono support from social enterprise mentors. Shortlisted candidates will be awarded up to £2,500 to develop their ideas and may also access expert guidance.

The funding aims to help ideas progress from concept to implementation. UK-registered organisations and charities, are eligible to apply. Proposals should address a problem systemically and can take various forms, including new enterprises, expansions of existing initiatives, lobbying efforts or policy change campaigns.

Closing date: 8 April 2026
Find out more: Stephen Lloyd Awards | Supporting Sustainable Social Change Ideas

2026 Diamond Education Grant

The Diamond Education Grant offers financial support to women seeking to enter or return to the workforce or transition into growing industries by gaining new skills.

The grant prioritises women facing significant financial need or barriers to employment, with an average award of around £1,000. Funding can be used for course fees or essential materials, such as books or equipment, but not for living expenses. Applications are open to women who are permanent residents in eligible Federation countries, which includes the UK. Preference will be given to applicants aged 30 and over.

Grants are available for courses taking place during the academic year from September 2026 to July 2027. The funding is intended for one year only, with vocational courses receiving priority.

Closing date: 15 April 2026
Find out more: Diamond Education Grant | SIGBI

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK Programme

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme is designed to provide high-quality, practical education and business support to leaders of high-growth small businesses and social enterprises across the country.

Participants in the fully funded programme identify and execute the steps necessary to enable them to scale their ventures, create employment and expand to new markets. Each participant develops a business growth plan throughout the course to implement back in their businesses. Eligibility criteria:

  • Business operating for at least three years
  • Have between 5 and 50 employees
  • Business should have turnover of at least 250,000 GBP in the previous financial year
  • Applicant should not have any recent management education
  • Applicant should be the primary owner or main decision-maker of the business

Closing date: April 2026
Find out more: UK | Goldman Sachs

Amazon Sustainability Accelerator

Early-stage businesses developing sustainable consumer goods can apply to join the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator, an equity-free programme designed to support innovation addressing environmental challenges.

The accelerator aims to help entrepreneurs develop skills and expand their businesses while improving the climate impact of their products. Each year the programme focuses on different sustainability areas including circular economy, recycling technology and sustainable consumer products.

One of the 2026 challenges is the Consumer Product Programme, which targets startups producing physical business-to-consumer goods. Eligible products must have recently launched or be close to entering the market and demonstrate measurable sustainability improvements. Examples include items made from recycled or upcycled materials, reusable everyday products, eco-friendly gadgets and technology, more sustainable clothing, shoes and accessories, and alternatives to plastic.

Selected participants will take part in a nine-week accelerator that includes workshops, mentoring and access to Amazon’s network. Businesses will receive a £10,000 cash grant, $10,000 in AWS Activate credits and a £1,500 travel grant. Additional support includes a climate impact assessment, guidance on selling through Amazon and an opportunity to present their business to investors during a London Demo Day.

Applicants must be brand owners and operate in the early stages of development. Businesses must also be registered in the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area or Switzerland.

Closing date: 17 April 2026

Find out more: Amazon Sustainability Accelerator: Maximise your Impact

Invention for Innovation (i4i)

The Invention for Innovation (i4i) THRIVE (Translate Healthcare Research through InnoVation and Entrepreneurship) funding and training programme funds early stage innovations which tackle health inequalities.  This is a full researcher-led funding opportunity. 

THRIVE supports clinicians and researchers to accelerate the translation of healthcare innovations tackling health inequalities from bench to bed, speed up patient benefit and concurrently expand the entrepreneurial mindset of researchers and clinicians.

THRIVE offers up to £150,000 over 9 months to support the development of a technology-based product or service, and a structured programme of entrepreneurial training, mentoring, peer support and networking. Through the programme the innovators will explore the market for their innovation and identify potential routes for commercialising (spin-out vs licensing) or sustaining their innovation (Intrapreneurship) and leave the programme with a plan to achieve their goals, a network of support and with the skills for the next steps of commercialisation.

Closing date: 17 April 2026 (13:00)
Find out more: i4i THRIVE – March 2026 | NIHR

Green Heat Network Fund

The UK Government has opened Round 11 of the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF), a £288 million capital grant programme supporting the transition to low-carbon heat networks. The scheme funds technologies such as heat pumps, geothermal energy, and waste heat recovery to help reduce carbon emissions from heating systems.

Heat networks supply heat from a central source to multiple buildings, lowering reliance on individual gas boilers. The GHNF provides funding to public, private and third-sector organisations in England involved in developing heating and cooling networks.

Grants can cover up to, but not including, 50% of eligible commercialisation and construction costs, with a maximum of £1 million available for commercialisation support. Individual funding requests may be spread over multiple years.

Closing date: 1 May 2026 (23:59)
Find out more: Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF): Round 11 application guidance – GOV.UK

Materials Innovation Partnerships Grant

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is inviting applications for its Materials Innovation Partnerships Grant, which supports collaborative research between academic institutions and businesses. The grant is intended to advance materials research with potential for industrial use.

EPSRC has allocated up to £7.5 million for a minimum of four projects. Each project can receive £250,000, representing 80% of the full economic cost. The total full economic cost must be at least £312,500.

The initiative focuses on co-created and co-delivered research between industry and academia aimed at translating materials discoveries into practical applications. Projects must be led jointly by a primary academic partner eligible for EPSRC support, such as a UK university or research institute, and a primary business partner. The partners must have an established collaborative relationship of at least one year before applying.

Proposals must address one or more themes from the National Materials Innovation Strategy. These include materials for energy solutions, future healthcare, structural innovations, advanced surface technologies, next generation electronics telecommunications and sensors, and consumer products packaging and specialist polymers.

Closing date: 14 May 2026 (16:00)
Find out more: EPSRC Materials Innovation Partnerships – Innovate UK Business Connect

Business Boost Grants – Elmbridge

The business boost grants can help your business with:

  • Grant support up to £2,000 to help businesses improve their shop fronts or signage
  • Grant support up to £2,000 to help bring a shop that has been empty for at least 3 months back into commercial use
  • up to £1,000 to help town or village wide projects to drive new footfall, investment, street-scene improvements or sustainability.

All applications need at least 50% match funding and 2 quotes for each element.
Town and village centre independents can also apply for support to help sell online with the digital high street boost and small and medium sized business can get help to invest in energy efficiency projects with the green business boost.

Closing date: Applications can be made at any time.

Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme

Eligible adult social care employers in England can claim staff training costs from the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS). The LDSS is available for non-regulated care staff, including deputy and Care Quality Commission-registered managers and agency staff, within the adult social care workforce. Staff taking the training must be in qualifying roles.

Eligible ASC employers can claim funding for certain training courses and qualifications on behalf of eligible care staff. This funding is for eligible courses and qualifications that have been both paid for in financial year 2025 to 2026, as well as those paid for in financial year 2024 to 2025.

Closing date: When the fund is exhausted.
Find out more: Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme – GOV.UK

Business Support Grants – Reigate & Banstead

Business Support Grants of up to £1,000 for residents and businesses with fewer than 5 employees based in Reigate and Banstead.

Grants can be used to help fund things like marketing, new equipment or training. Please note the grant is NOT available for the development of prototypes or for IT equipment such as laptops, unless you are a brand new start up and do not possess any IT hardware.

Closing date: applications can be made at any time.
Find out more: Business Support Grants | Business Support Grants | Reigate and Banstead

Help to Grow: Management Course

The Help to Grow Management Course runs over 12 weeks and includes online and face-to-face sessions, 1-to-1 mentoring and peer networking. Whether you need to identify more efficient ways of working, target new markets, or create a plan to take your business and team to the next level, the Help to Grow Management Course will provide the knowledge and support you need.

To join the Help to Grow Management Course you should:

  • Work for a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise based in the United Kingdom
  • Employ between 5 and 249 employees
  • Be a member of the senior leadership team and have direct reports.

The full course is worth £7,500 but it is 90% government funded so small businesses pay just £750 per person. Our local Business Schools are Kingston University, Canterbury Christ Church University, University of Southampton, University of Brighton and Brunel University of London.

Closing date: Courses start at different times but applications can be made at any time.
Find out more: About the Help to Grow: Management Course | Small Business Charter

The Workplace Charging Scheme 

The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites. 

The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT). This is capped at a maximum of: 

  • £350 per socket 
  • 40 sockets across all sites per applicant. For example, if you install at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket per site 

All chargepoints must be installed by an OZEV authorised installer. 

Closing Date: extended to 31 March 2027 

Find out more: Before you start

The Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot

The Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot is a £50 million capital grant programme supporting large-scale research and development projects within the UK life sciences sector. The fund aims to strengthen health resilience, drive innovation and deliver economic benefits through significant investments in research capacity, facilities and technologies.

Projects should demonstrate how they will enhance the UK’s ability to respond to health emergencies and long-term healthcare challenges, for example by expanding or creating R&D capacity, improving manufacturing processes, accelerating clinical research or deploying new technologies.

Closing Date: 31 March 2028 (23:59)

Find out more: Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot – GOV.UK

Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Grants 

The FiPL programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.   

Closing date: Extended to March 2029 

Find out more: Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes FiPL 

Co-operative Enterprise Loans 

Co-operative and Community Finance offers loans of between £10,000 and £85,000 for new or existing co-operatives across the UK. Loans are to assist with the expansion, setup, or development of a co-operative enterprise.   

Loans will only be made to economically viable enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled organisations registered in the UK.  

Closing date: Applications can be made at any time 

Find out more: Co-op Loan Fund – Unique lending: to co-ops, from co-ops

Greener Homes Alliance Development Loans 

Homes England and Octopus Real Estate have launched the second phase of the Greener Homes Alliance. The scheme provides discounted development finance to small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders. The initiative supports the construction of energy-efficient homes across England. 

A total of £150 million is available.  Loans range from £2 million to £20 million. Interest rate reductions of up to 2% are available for developers who meet environmental and social criteria.  Eligible applicants include SME housebuilders and developers operating in England. 

Closing date: Applications can be made at any time 

Find out more: Greener Homes Alliance | Octopus Capital 

Further business support in Surrey

If you can’t see something in this month’s round-up that suits your business’s specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.

Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on funding, business news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.

Fundraising data for 2025 sees £1 billion boost to Surrey economy

Published 9 March 2026

Business news, Funding and grants, Innovation

Fundraising data for 2025 highlights a £1 billion boost to Surrey’s economy in the last year. The top 20 businesses alone brought in millions of pounds and created dozens of new roles, helping cement Surrey as one of the UK’s regional economies.

Data supplied by private company data platform Beauhurst and its partners Mercia Ventures shows there were 111 fundraisings from registered businesses with trading offices in Surrey in 2025. In total more than £1 billion is estimated to have been raised.

This is nearly half the total amount raised across the whole of the south east (£2.25 billion). Plus one in six deals in the last year across the south east took place in Surrey (111 out of 667).

The largest was McLaren, the Woking-based automotive company, which is estimated to have raised £811 million in December 2025.

The figures are highlighted in a report called The Deal 2026, compiled by Beauhurst Insights and Mercia Ventures.

It examines all equity investments received by UK-headquartered companies across all industries.

Key findings from The Deal include:

  • Amount raised into UK companies in 2025 has increased by 3.34% from last year
  • Number of first-time deals in 2025 has increased by 23.6% year on year
  • Amount raised has also reached a record high since 2020, up 74.3% to £6.27b
  • Total number of deals has continued to ease, down 7.87% from 2024

Fundraising in 2025 – top 20 Surrey businesses

  1. McLaren (automotive) – £811 million
  2. Gordon Murray Design (automotive) – £88.9 million
  3. AFC Energy (renewables) – £23 million
  4. Nature Metrics (environmental) – £20.3 million
  5. CelLBxHealth (biotechnology) – £6.8 million
  6. Futura Medical (biotechnology) – £2.75 million
  7. Evolve Dynamics (aerospace) – £2.73 million
  8. The HOPP (sports and leisure) – £2.45 million
  9. Orthofuse (manufacturing) – £2.2 million
  10. Fiinu (financial) – £3.25 million
  11. Bruce’s (pets) – £1.75 million
  12. Hofmeister (beverages) – £1.74 million
  13. Money Guided (financial services) – £1.55 million
  14. Assisted Living Project (property) – £1.54 million
  15. Mater-AI (clean energy) – £1.5 million
  16. Bots For That (accounting) – £1.5 million
  17. BetterPoints (technology) – £1.34 million
  18. Limetrack (technology) – £1.32 million
  19. Cignpost (medical) – £1. 26 million
  20. SchoolsMobile.com (technology) – £1.09 million

Fundraising data 2025 and The Deal

The fundraising date for 2025 is presented in a report titled The Deal 2026.

Will Clark, Managing Director for Mercia Ventures, writes: “This year’s data suggests that the UK equity market is not retreating so much as refining its focus, and that founders remain firmly at the centre of that recalibration.”

He adds: “While the overall number of deals eased again in 2025, the amount of capital being deployed did not. Total equity investment rose modestly year on year, and average deal sizes continued to increase, passing £4m for the first time since 2021.”

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.

Aerial image of Surrey UK

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.

Active Travel Grant for employers – help your staff travel to work in a more sustainable and healthy way

Published 10 February 2026

Advice and support, Business news, Funding and grants

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to help your staff travel to work more sustainably and healthily, and in turn help boost productivity. Applications close on 5th April.

Many people live close enough to walk or cycle to work, but without the right encouragement and support, they find it hard. Something as simple as improved lighting, or an internal comms focus on walking, cycling and public transport can make a big difference.

Supporting staff to travel to work by walking, cycling or using public transport more helps employees be more active. This in turn helps improve mental health, relieves stress, and boosts productivity. Additionally, the cost to businesses of road congestion in Surrey has been estimated at £550m per year – so doing what we can to reduce road congestion will bring benefits to us all.

As well as funding, support is available in the form of a helpful resource toolkit: Surrey’s Smarter Travel Toolkit. Download it today to get started on your journey.

Get inspired

According to the Sustrans Walking And Cycling Index, 50% of adults want to walk and cycle more, compared to just 15% of us who say we want to drive more frequently. Employers can help their staff travel better, feel better, and work better by applying for an Active Travel Grant from Active Surrey, and by following the practical steps in Surrey’s Smarter Travel Toolkit.

Surrey businesses are using their grant for improved lighting, electric pool bikes and charging points, lockers, active travel events, cycling accessories, and bike shelters and servicing sessions.

What are the benefits?

Commuting through active modes improves the physical and mental health of employees and can also enhance job performance. And healthier employees take fewer sick days, boosting productivity. It is estimated that poor mental health costs employers an estimated £45 billion each year.

Improving staff travel options can help widen your recruiting pool

Commuting makes up roughly 10–20% of an employer’s Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Encouraging sustainable travel can help support employers reach their corporate goals and ambitions.
Implementing an employer travel plan signals a strong commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility, enhancing the organisation’s reputation and appealing to environmentally conscious customers and employees.

Encouraging active commuting like walking or cycling, and use of public transport, can help alleviate car park capacity issues. 10 to 20 bicycles can typically be stored in the space required for one vehicle.

Healthier and happier employees: the UK Chief Medical Officer recommends adults should aim to be physically active every day. Walking or cycling to work or use of public transport can help employees reach this goal and improve their physical and mental health.

Reducing the need for car parking allows space to be reallocated to other uses, for example more attractive public realm or space for further development.

Travel plans can help to improve access to the workplace for all, especially for people with mobility issues, as a result of reduced traffic.

Wider community benefits: implementing a travel plan can have wider community benefits such as reduced local traffic congestion and improved air quality.

What can you do next?

Apply for an Active Travel Grant today, and download the Surrey’s Smarter Travel Toolkit. Got any questions? Contact Active Surrey on active.surrey@surreycc.gov.uk.

Need further support and advice? Get in touch with our team of experts via the Business Support Form.

Emilia Hunt: high street dream becomes reality thanks to Growth Fund

Published 30 January 2026

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories

Opening a shop was a long-held dream of maker and designer Emilia Hunt, and thanks to help from the Economic Growth Fund, that dream is now a reality.

She opened her self-titled shop on 17 Bell Street, Reigate, in September, selling handmade and bespoke items at accessible price points. As well as her own products, which include homewares, gifts and stationery, she also sells carefully selected items from other makers.

“I know hundreds of makers,” Emilia said. “And I’ve got all the good ones in my shop.”

British made products are the focus of the shop, with three quarters of the products made in the South East.

“Everything in the shop is UK made. I am a real stickler for making sure everything is actually made in the UK. Everything in the shop I have chosen.”

Emilia started her business 10 years ago after taking medical retirement due to cystic fibrosis, and since then has been building a homewares brand which is now stocked in places like Squires Garden Centres.

The High Street dream

It was when she had a small space above an antiques shop that Emilia realised a high-street stop could work.

“You couldn’t see my stuff from the front window,” she said. “Every single person came up and said I didn’t know you were here. But it was so well received. I was talking to my mum and said this could work, people really like it. It needs to be somewhere where people can see it.”

She then found out a shop vacancy was coming up on Reigate high street and made an enquiry with the owners.

“I found out it was very expensive,” said Emilia. “There were two offers higher than mine, but I shared with them my vision and they accepted mine. They’ve given me a chance.”

How the funding has helped

She said she couldn’t have done it without the Economic Growth Fund, which has gone towards helping the shop launch, as well as admin costs and things like a music license to play music on the premises.

On her vision for the shop, Emilia said: “I want it to have a welcoming feel and be accessible for people. I wanted things to be £3.50 and £10, I want people to know handmade doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. It can be done, it doesn’t cost the earth.

“I want to have conversations. I always try to be available for people to ask questions. Obviously, it’s about quality products, but if you make the customer experience the best it can be, that customer is going to remember that and talk about that when they get home, I want people to have the best experience.”

On her advice for budding start ups or established business owners who want to take a leap, Emilia said: “Anyone can do what they really want to do; do some drawing, make something, have a bit more faith in yourself, apply for the funding, see what you can get going. If you have got an idea, just believe in yourself.”

More about the Surrey Economic Growth Fund

Surrey County Council launched the Economic Growth Fund in April 2025 with the aim to support ideas that will accelerate growth, boost innovation and create new employment opportunities.

Approximately £2 million was distributed when the first round of grants was announced in September 2025.

With a further £1 million awarded in round two, the total invested locally in 2025 now stands at more than £3 million.

The Economic Growth Fund is one of several ways the council supports businesses and the regional Surrey economy.

To register for fully-funded support to start and grow a business get in touch via our Business Support Form.

Dorking Distilleries set for success thanks to the Surrey Economic Growth Fund

Published 17 January 2026

Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories

Dorking Distillery is a new custom-made distillery at Denbies Wine Estate, conceived by five co-founders who purchased the artisan drinks brand the Gin Kitchen. The grant from the Economic Growth Fund has been used to help repurpose and convert two fabricated sea containers to create their new distillery.

Co-founder Serena Billinghurst said: “ We are a premium spirits producer using the highest quality ingredients. We have been lucky to work with local artist Charlotte Godfrey to redesign the Gin Kitchen collection range, using the same much loved ceramic bottles, with new artwork which we are excited to share.

“We have built our distillery at Denbies, and are starting by selling the Gin Kitchen range, but also plan to develop a zero-alcohol drink and other spirits over time as well. We will also be offering a refill service, so instead of having to buy another bottle you can visit and refill straight from the still, or receive a refill pouch out in the post.”

Exciting plans for the future

As well as growing the product range, the team at Dorking Distillery has also set its sights on events.

“We would like to host tasting events from the distillery and start organising larger music events in the future,” said Serena. “That is a key part of where we see our growth. The events are an exciting opportunity for us to create more jobs in the county and put Surrey on the map as the place to go for artisan gin tasting.”

The grant from the Economic Growth Fund has helped get the project over the line and enabled the launch.

“This grant has been the life changing boost that we needed to get us over the line with creating the distillery,” Serena said.

“This project has been like an onion, with many layers, it has been a challenging but also an amazing experience and we’re excited to be open!”

What is the Surrey Economic Growth Fund?

Surrey County Council launched the Economic Growth Fund in April 2025 with a focus on supporting ideas to accelerate growth, boost innovation and create new employment opportunities.

About £2 million was distributed when the first round of grants was announced in September 2025.

With a further £1 million awarded in round two, the total invested locally in 2025 now stands at more than £3 million.

The Economic Growth Fund is one of several ways the council supports businesses and a growing Surrey economy.

To register for fully-funded support to start and grow a business get in touch via our Business Support Form.

Dorking Distilleries set for success thanks to help from the Surrey Economic Growth Fund

Economic Growth Fund round two recipients announced

Published 15 January 2026

Business news, Funding and grants, Innovation

Greentech innovators and gourmet food producers are among businesses benefiting from a further £1 million investment from Surrey Economic Growth Fund round two.

Nearly 30 companies and entrepreneurs are receiving individual grants of up to £75,000 in the latest round of funding.

The investment, which is largely made up of UK Shared Prosperity Funding from government, will unlock millions of pounds of match funding while creating dozens of local jobs.

Among the recipients are Mantisonix, a University of Surrey spinout in Guildford, which has developed ultrasonic technology to sustainably destroy “forever chemicals”. The new facility will reinforce Surrey’s position as a leader in environmental innovation.

MS Venison will create a new butchery facility in Oxted while family-run catering business Afromufasa will purchase a new food truck, creating up to eight jobs in Weybridge.

Godalming-based DIY Her Way will look to provide online training for 100 women to become electricians, helping addresses Surrey’s shortage of skilled tradespeople.  

Councillor Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “This investment represents another significant step in strengthening and growing Surrey’s economy.

“The quality and breadth of the bids within the hundreds of applications that we received is testament to the vibrancy of the business community across the county.

“I’m delighted we have been able to support close to 30 companies with their innovative ideas to grow and look forward to seeing them delivering benefits to our people and places over the months to come.”

What is the Surrey Economic Growth Fund?

Surrey County Council launched the Economic Growth Fund in April with a focus on supporting ideas to accelerate growth, boost innovation and create new employment opportunities.

About £2 million was distributed when the first round of grants was announced in September.

With a further £1 million awarded in round two, the total invested locally this year now stands at more than £3 million.

The Economic Growth Fund is one of several ways the council supports businesses and a growing Surrey economy.

To register for fully-funded support to start and grow a business get in touch via our Business Support Form.

Growth Fund case study: Streetwise Technology

Among those to benefit from the Surrey Economic Growth Fund are Rhevia in Reigate. The firm used to be called Streetwise Technology. It uses hardware and AI to make highways safer for pedestrians while improving vehicle flow.

Dorian Isaacson, of Rhevia, said: “Being selected for funding by Surrey County Council was a huge vote of confidence for us at a critical stage of our growth.

“The grant has been genuinely transformational, it enabled us to recruit two new team members and significantly advance our technology, making our product more sophisticated and commercially viable.

“That progress has directly helped us win new customers and accelerate our growth. As we scale, we expect this to translate into high-value jobs, continued innovation, and a growing contribution to the Surrey economy.”

A man in a blue suit and white shirt smiles while posing for an image in front of a Business Surrey promotional banner.

Economic Growth Fund round two – full list of recipients

The businesses to win funding in round two of the Surrey Economic Growth Fund are:

  • Afromufasa
  • Aqua Broadcast Limited
  • Batts Hill Distillers
  • BecDan Limited
  • Carpet Ease Limited
  • Carry on Coffee
  • Charlie and Ginger LTD
  • DigiKind Ltd (Kathy Kyle)
  • Fit with Frank
  • Hurtwood Events CIC
  • Kampyro Ltd t/a Emovement
  • Lesh
  • MS Venison Ltd
  • Mantisonix
  • More Meals Ltd
  • Morpheus Fluid Ltd
  • Old School Longcross Ltd (t/a Old School Windscreens)
  • Parcours Velo Ltd
  • Porky Whites Ltd
  • Rawlings Opticians
  • Rhizo PTX
  • Shetland Pony Club (registered as Shetland Pony Centre LLP)
  • Silvermere Gymnastics
  • Star Player Ltd
  • Surrey Signs & Display Limited
  • Systems & Networks Training
  • The Nourishment Academy (t/a Strength & Bloom LTD)
  • West Fisher Winery
Three people sit at a table discussing a business proposal. Behind them is a Business Surrey promotional banner.

Woodlark Nurseries case study: greenhouse expansion sparks growth 

Published 9 December 2025

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories

Woodlark Nurseries is family-run nursery in Hersham. Thanks to the Surrey Economic Growth Fund it is doubling its production area, increasing produce, improving efficiency and creating local jobs.

Woodlark Nurseries, run by Graeme Edwards and his father Colin, supplies national and local garden centres including Squires, Garsons Farm and Chessington.  

The five-figure investment via Surrey County Council’s Surrey Economic Growth Fund is allowing it to double the size of its production area, increasing output by an extra 270,000 pots per year. 

It means the team can produce more plants, allowing them to better serve their customers, support the community and create more local jobs. 

The investment has come at just at the right time for the nursery, allowing it to produce a plethora of poinsettia plants just in time for the festive season. 

Graeme Edwards, of Woodlark Nurseries, said: “We grow seasonal plants and bulbs, mainly bedding plants but also Poinsettia plants at Christmas, along with planted containers and hanging baskets. Mainly to local garden centres and also national garden centre groups as well as local landscapers and gardeners.  

“The funding will allow us to expand and upgrade one of our greenhouse facilities, so we can grow more and grow it better and earlier to match demand from our customers. And to make sure they can get more plants that are grown locally, meaning better quality plants for their customers. The funding will also pave the way for increased efficiencies in production in the future.” 

Woodlark Nurseries: supporting the community

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund was launched by the council earlier this year. It brings together a range of public and private funds, including government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, into a single pot. 

Woodlark Nurseries was one of the first to receive investment following a highly competitive process. It’s using the grant to expand its production area from 1400m2 to 2800m2. 

As well as boosting the business, it will allow the team at Woodlark to support the wider community too. 

Graeme said: “We are proud to sponsor both Hersham in Bloom and work closely with Weybridge in Bloom and Claygate Gardening Society which are all fantastic things run by great people, improving the community for everyone, so we’re looking forward to continuing that. If there’s any other local initiatives which are similar and we could work with, we would love to hear from them.  

“We also look to employ from the local community so this project will mean we’ll need to expand this.  

“And we deal with lots of local garden centres. So this project will hopefully enable us to help them even more by supplying them with locally grown plants, which have a lower carbon footprint and better quality than European imports. 

“We’re really looking forward to starting the project and improving our business as well as supporting the local businesses that we deal with even more.” 

Surrey Economic Growth Fund

Close to £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This is unlocking significant match funding and private investment.  

The successful bids are collectively estimated to grow Surrey’s economy by £9 million. They are also creating or safeguarding 300 jobs and bringing 1,350 residents into employment. 

Further applications were welcomed in the autumn. And an announcement of recipients from round two will be made in the new year. 

Any business looking for funding or support to grow can receive fully-funded support. Get in touch via our Business Support Form.

A man in an orange fleece and black hat pushes a trolley full of beautigul pot plants around a busy horticultural site.

Call now open for CoSTAR National Lab’s “Advanced Production Technology” call

Published 28 November 2025

Funding and grants

The CoSTAR National Lab is looking for innovative approaches to advanced production that improve efficiency and enhance workflows—helping create impactful, audience-facing experiences.

If you’re a UK-based creative or technology-focused SME developing technical innovations for production pipelines, this could be the perfect opportunity for you. Potential applications include:

  • Film and TV development
  • Animation and visual effects
  • Games and digital content creation
  • Live performance production
  • Emerging media and new technologies

What’s on offer?

This R&D programme provides a generous support package, including:

  • Access to studio and AI compute facilities
  • World-class research expertise
  • Cash funding
  • Travel and residency stipend (subject to eligibility)

A total of £140,000 in cash funding is available to support 3–5 projects, with up to £40,000 per project.

What are they looking for?

The Lab is keen to explore new workflows and production tools, including (but not limited to) innovations in:

  • 2D and 3D capture or asset production
  • Motion capture or motion extraction techniques
  • AI-powered production pipelines
  • Democratised production*
  • Converged production*

Further details are available in the call brief.
Application deadline: Monday 15 December 2025, 12:00 GMT
Full details and application: https://bit.ly/CSNL_Call2_APT

For information on other sources of funding and grants, read our regular Funding Roundup or sign up for our newsletter.

Costar national lab - advanced production call - funding for creative industries

Misty Moon Cider: turning food waste into profit

Published 3 November 2025

Funding and grants, Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

Misty Moon Cider is a drinks producer in Farnham that turns surplus fruit into thirst-quenching products. Thanks to the Surrey Economic Growth Fund, the business is investing in new equipment. This will help is scale up, increasing production by six times.

There’s been a bumper crop of apples this season thanks to the hottest summer on record. So a business growth grant from Surrey County Council came at the perfect time for craft drinks producer Misty Moon Cider. 

Kathryn Lockett founded the drinks brand in 2021, making sustainable craft cider from surplus garden and orchard apples in Farnham. She wanted to reduce food waste and make use of the area’s abundant apple stocks by creating an artisan cider. 

Starting out producing 200 bottles in 2024, the investment will help the business scale up to produce up to 12,000 bottles in 2025. And there will be kegs for pubs and bars by 2026.

Kathryn, who is an international development consultant by day, has been able to invest in new pressing and brewing equipment for Misty Moon.

Before receiving the funding, Kathryn and a small team were pressing and bottling all the cider by hand using small-scale equipment. 

“Our new equipment means we don’t have to do everything by hand anymore. It means we’re going to have over 6,000 litres of Misty Moon Cider to sell next year,” Kathryn said. 

The funds have also gone towards hiring more student workers in the area. They have helped to pick and press the apples, in what has been a ‘monumental harvest’ this year. 

Misty Moon Cider: rooted in nature

Kathryn said: “This is something we started about four years ago, motivated by a love of locally produced craft cider.” 

She also wanted to do something to protect the area’s apple trees. Kathryn explained that Farnham has a long history of apple trees and orchards, but many of these have now disappeared. 

When people have too many apples from their trees that fall, rot and attract pests, these also risk being cut down.

Misty Moon Cider was the perfect solution, allowing people to donate their surplus apples, avoiding food waste and helping to protect the area’s precious trees. 

“This year there’s been a massive crop of apples,” Kathryn said.

As well as donations from people’s gardens, Misty Moon partners with community-based organisations too. 

“We get apple donations from the Countryside Regeneration Trust, National Trust Swan Barn and the Enton Community Orchard, where we also help them care for the orchard in partnership with the charity COPSE. 

“We’ve just collected 4,500 tonnes of apples in a week that would have just rotted. And we give the apple pomace to the Hairy Pig Company in Guildford, so nothing goes to waste.

“We’re very much about making delicious cider, supporting the community, protecting trees and preventing food waste.” 

Misty Moon Cider and local businesses

Misty Moon Cider was first sold at the Farnham Sustainable Festival in 2023. Now it’s stocked in Wine Rack, Hogs Back Brewery Shop, the Star Pub in Godalming and the London Cider House in Borough Market.

Misty Moon Cider is also served at the Michelin ‘Maison’ Restaurant in Farnham. 

Support from Surrey’s local independent businesses has been crucial to Misty Moon. And local events are a mainstay for the business, with stands at Farnham Food Festival and various events at Gostrey Meadows. 

The grant has made a huge difference to the business. Kathryn said: “It has given us the professional bottling stock of 2,600 bottles that we have been selling this year which has meant we can sell to more people in more places.  

“It’s paid for our student workforce which has enabled us to bring in this monumental harvest.  

“And crucially, we’ve been able to buy this amazing new equipment, meaning we do not have to hand process everything. It was getting unfeasible doing everything by hand. 

“It will give us the boost we need to produce enough stock to keep our product costs down, expand into new markets and get our brand known more.” 

Kathryn added: “Cider making is one of the oldest UK industries, it’s around 3,000 years old, and we have everything we need for it right here in Surrey – the apples, the tools, the knowledge. 

“However, it is really challenging for small businesses like ours to compete with much larger producers. As such we always encourage people to buy local, support local businesses and support local brewing, whilst enjoying a deliciously tasty Misty Moon Cider.” 

About the Surrey Economic Growth Fund

Do you have a business idea that can drive growth across Surrey?

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund from Surrey County Council has the sole focus of driving economic growth across the region.

Applications are now live for the Business Growth Grant scheme, closing at midnight on 16 November 2025.

It is open to all small and medium size businesses in Surrey.

The award is a match-funded grant of between £10,000 and £75,000, covering up to 50% of eligible project costs.

Funding can support: 

  • Purchasing new equipment or technology
  • Developing new products or services
  • Expanding operations or facilities
  • Investing in staff training and upskilling 

We particularly welcome applications from rural businesses, farms, and those contributing to the rural economy.

Questions? Get in touch via our Contact Us form.

Two women smile while holding bottles of Misty Moon Cider, a drink made in Farnham, Surrey.