Category: Surrey Success Stories

Surrey tech firm lands game-changing grant to bring cutting-edge fluid simulation software to market

Published 3 November 2026

Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

A Surrey-based tech company which has developed breakthrough software capable of modelling the behaviour of fluids is set to grow, after securing funding through the Surrey Economic Growth Fund.

Morpheus Fluid, based at Surrey Research Park in Guildford, has developed an algorithm which will help engineers understand how liquids and gases move. It creates digital simulations of things like air flowing over a car, water moving through pipes or even airflow in the human body. Its technology aims to make these simulations faster and easier than traditional methods, helping companies test ideas on a computer before building them in real life.

Co-founder Justin Read said: “We have an exciting new software algorithm for modelling fluids – and what’s really special is we make complicated simulations of those fluids much easier. That allows companies to optimise their products – it could be cars, or aircraft, or flood defence barriers – all in the computer, before they ever build the thing in the real world. And that means better products, faster to market, and more efficient, high-productivity outcomes.”

Having created the software, and tested it with major companies in the field, the business is now focused on the next critical step: scaling commercially.

“We now need to productise it, get it out there, and start making scalable sales,” Justin said. “This grant is really going to help us do that – give us the resources to develop that SaaS wrapper and start getting us to revenue, profit and growth.”

The ripple effect of the funding

The funding is expected to have a ripple effect well beyond the business itself. As Morpheus scales, Justin anticipates taking on additional software engineers and sales staff, contributing to both the local and national economy. The technology also promises wider benefits for the industries and businesses that adopt it.

“There’s the knock-on impact on all of the businesses that we work with,” he said. “More efficient products getting to market faster helps with climate challenges, helps other companies, and ultimately helps customers in their daily lives.”

He added that the backing from the Surrey Economic Growth Fund sends an important signal to the wider investment community.

“This has been a hugely transformative thing for us, because not only is the grant enabling us to productise our exciting new deep tech, but it also helps send a message to other investors and companies out there that we’re serious – we’re really getting off the ground,” he said. “I think this grant will be transformative in helping to get us to the next phase of our business. Without it, we’d be moving much more slowly. Hopefully, we’ll achieve in months what might otherwise have taken well over a year.”

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund

To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients across the county via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.

Although the Growth Fund is now closed to new applications, any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch to find out more via our Contact us form.

Surrey start-up Woven Bio advances sustainable packaging with grant-funded innovation hub

Published 23 October 2026

Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

A Surrey-based company is transforming the packaging industry with a groundbreaking bio-composite material that offers a truly circular alternative to traditional materials like polystyrene and paper pulp.

Woven Bio was founded by entrepreneur Rob Allen, who brings 20 years of experience in automotive and motorsports, including time spent at McLaren and in Formula 1. Four years ago, he pivoted into sustainability and start-up life, and is now founding Woven Bio to turn waste materials into innovative, circular solutions.

The company’s bio-composite material addresses a critical environmental challenge; up to 60% of fossil fuel-based foam packaging waste currently ends up in landfill. Their solution is 100% bio-based, with every component derived from renewable resources – using natural fibre material waste which would otherwise be left to rot or burned.

Unlike paper pulp, which lacks strength and humidity resistance, or polystyrene, which typically ends up in landfill, Woven Bio’s material is designed to withstand environmental stresses and naturally break down. It’s also reusable and compostable – designed with true circularity in mind.

A grant from Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund has proved vital to the company’s development, enabling them to establish their first facility, at an Innovation Centre at Dorking. “It really wouldn’t have happened without the grant,” Rob explained.

Future plans made possible by the funding

The facility will handle early-stage prototyping and initial orders, with plans for a much larger facility later in 2026.

And the grant’s impact extends beyond infrastructure. Initially intended to fund one part-time staff member, the company now plans to bring on five part-time employees.

The early-adopter customer base is diverse, and Rob said: “We’ve got a white goods manufacturer; a Surrey based perfume manufacturer testing the luxury, high end market, that’s more about aesthetics; an electronics product; and a medical customer, they need thermal protection. If we prove out all those, that is very broad.”

Rob is passionate about building the company in Surrey and establishing the region as an innovation hub. “I live here and I am very passionate about building this company here and Surrey being an innovation hub.”

He said the funding has been instrumental in turning that vision into reality, supporting local manufacturing while creating jobs and fostering innovation across the region.

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund

To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients across the county via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.

Although the Growth Fund is now closed to new applications, any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch to find out more via our Contact us form.

Rob holds up Woven Bio in its raw form and its final form. | Business Surrey

Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator gives £500,000 boost for rural businesses to grow and innovate

Published 8 October 2026

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

A wine producer using bird-repelling lasers and cattle farmer using GPS collars to track livestock are among 17 innovative projects funded from the Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator, a £500,000 pot to boost Surrey’s rural economy.

Surrey County Council’s Farming Innovation Accelerator supports farmers and growers with funding for projects to modernise operations, improve productivity, diversify and develop commercially.

More than 50 organisations submitted proposals via a competitive process, which is funded via UK government’s Shared Prosperity Funding.

17 projects from all corners of the county have now been progressed, with each recipient receiving a grant of up to £35,000 along with a bespoke programme of expert support to enhance their business growth plans.

Projects supported by Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator

Thanks to the scheme, Albury Vineyard will install an automated bird‑repellent laser. This will protect 18 acres of grapevines to reduce crop loss which, in turn, will increase production by over 1,700 bottles per year.

Elsewhere Wintershall Valley Farm in Guildford will use cow-collar virtual fencing and a digital livestock management to improve grazing efficiency, extend the grazing season and strengthen medicine tracking.

Various vending machine projects will also benefit. This includes Nutfield Dairy which will invest in three facilities for dairy products, ice cream and coffee. Also Roehurst Farm in Walton will install a vending machine to expand direct sales of lamb, pork and eggs.

GPS tractor guidance

The family business behind Sondes Place Farm, made up of 320-acres between Dorking and Westcott, has been awarded funding for a GPS tractor guidance system. This will help to eliminate overlap, boost productivity and make sure fertiliser and nutrients are applied with precision.

Hugh Broom, the fourth generation of his family to manage the farm, said:

“The grant from Surrey County Council is a real step change for us. By putting proper Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) guidance on the tractor, we can finally match the precision of our genetics and feeding with the same level of precision in the field. It means less overlap, less waste and less diesel, but more importantly it means we’ll be growing better forage off the same acres, with a lower environmental footprint.

“In a year or two the system will have paid for itself in saved inputs, but the real value is that it locks our soil and cropping into the same high‑efficiency, low‑carbon trajectory as the rest of the beef business.

“Without the grant, it would have been very hard to justify that investment on a hired tractor. With it, we can get on and do the job properly.”

Using technology to make money from honey

Another recipient is Browners Bees in Reigate. It’s using digital hive monitoring and mechanised extraction equipment to make honey harvesting more efficient.

Beekeeper Harrison Brown said:

“The funding is going to make a huge difference because it will allow us to invest in technology and equipment that would otherwise be very difficult for our growing beekeeping operation to afford.

“Digital hive monitoring technology will allow us to remotely monitor things such as hive weight, temperature and humidity across our apiaries, giving us much better information about what is happening inside the hives without having to physically visit every colony as frequently.

“We’re also investing in mechanised and automated honey extraction, processing and bottling equipment. As the number of colonies and the amount of honey we produce increases, doing everything manually would become a significant bottleneck.

“The new equipment will allow us to process larger quantities more efficiently, while improving consistency and reducing the amount of repetitive manual work involved.

“Ultimately, the funding gives us the opportunity to build the infrastructure to grow from a small beekeeping operation into a much more efficient, technology enabled business, while continuing to produce locally in Surrey.”

Support for Surrey farmers

The Farming Innovation Accelerator is one of several ways Surrey County Council is supporting its rural economy.

According to a recent University of Surrey report, there are about 500 farms in the county, contributing around £502 million a year to the local economy. This accounts for 14% of national farming income.

Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said:

“It’s fantastic to see this funding reaching such a diverse range of rural businesses, from cattle farms to vineyards. Surrey’s rural economy is far larger and more varied than many people realise, and these projects show the energy and ambition out there to embrace new technology. This support is helping these businesses modernise, diversify and build long-term resilience, and I look forward to seeing the difference it makes in communities right across the county.”

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

Surrey funding helps ‘forever chemical’ technology start-up move to the next stage

Published 22 September 2026

Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

A Surrey start-up developing pioneering technology to destroy toxic ‘forever chemicals’ is preparing to accelerate its growth with support from the Surrey Economic Growth Fund.

Mantisonix, co-founded by a team of engineers from the University of Surrey, has received funding to help establish a new testing facility and strengthen its business development capacity. This will help the company respond to potential customers more quickly and reach new markets.

The company has developed a pioneering process that uses soundwaves to destroys PFAS, commonly known as ‘forever chemicals’. Its technology breaks them down into naturally occurring compounds without adding any chemicals to the system.

Explaining how the Economic Growth Fund support will help the business grow, co-founder Professor Madeleine Bussemaker said: “This grant will help us create a new facility where we can do enhanced testing of our process. At the moment we rely on external sources, so having enhanced testing in-house will mean we can tell clients much more quickly whether we can work with them, and how.”

The funding will also enable Mantisonix to bring in a new member of staff dedicated to business development, expanding the range of customers the can reach as it looks to grow beyond Surrey.

Tackling the challenge of ‘forever chemicals’

Professor Bussemaker and fellow co-founder Dr Mehrdad Zare explained why finding new ways to tackle PFAs is so important.

“Forever chemicals are a problem because they don’t get destroyed naturally – hence the name,” said Prof Bussemaker. “They last for thousands of years in our environment. There are probably five to ten thousand different types, and some have been linked to very serious health effects, including cancers, endocrine disruption and developmental disorders. Because of their toxicity and persistence, we really need to get rid of these chemicals by actually destroying them.”

Mantisonix’s processes use ultrasound to remove PFAS from sources including landfills, contaminated ground and water systems.

Explaining what sets the technology apart from other approaches, Mehrdad added: “We break PFAS down into naturally occurring compounds. And we can work with renewable energy because we can handle intermittent supply, and we don’t add any chemicals to our system.”

With its technology developed in Surrey and new support helping the company move towards further commercial growth, the founders believe Mantisonix could also help establish the county as a centre for expertise in this emerging field.

Mehrdad added: “By establishing Mantisonix at Surrey, we can say that Surrey can become the hub and the leader for PFAS destruction in the UK and maybe in Europe.”

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund

To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients across the county via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.

Although the Growth Fund is now closed to new applications, any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch to find out more via our Contact us form.

Two of Mantisonix co-founders – Dr Mehrdad Zare and Professor Madeleine Bussemaker

From family health challenge to business success: Growth Fund helps Surrey founder grow personalised probiotics venture

Published 1 September 2026

Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

When Lindsay’s mother faced a severe diverticulitis flare-up, her doctor’s advice was simple: take probiotics. But despite Lindsay’s 12 years of expertise in probiotic research and clinical trials, she couldn’t find a product that addressed her mother’s specific combination of needs. This frustrating gap in the market sparked an idea that would become GoodBac – a Surrey-based business crafting bespoke probiotic solutions.

Lindsay Rose, a Cambridge-educated scientist with a background in veterinary medicine and probiotic research, recognised a fundamental problem in the gut health industry. While awareness of the microbiome has exploded in recent years, the market offers predominantly one-size-fits-all solutions.

“When I started working with probiotics 15 years ago, no one knew what they were,” Lindsay said. “Awareness is growing so much – everyone is aware of their microbiome now.”

Turning cutting-edge research into personalised solutions

Operating from her laboratory in Tilford, near Farnham, Lindsay developed a platform that links customer health information to the latest probiotic research, creating truly bespoke blends tailored to individual needs. Customers can go on the website and fill out an assessment to create their own blends for their own personal needs.

“If a new study comes out, we can change the algorithm and then everyone is getting that in the mix,” Lindsay explained. “It makes us a lot more flexible – you can respond to the science.”

Funding support helps accelerate growth plans

The business, which launched in 2025, has been a success but has been entirely bootstrapped until now. A grant from the Economic Growth Fund means the business can now expand and respond to market demands.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from nutritionists,” Lindsay said. “We realised there was a need for a health professional service so they can go on the website and make products for their customers. They can design it themselves.”

The grant funding will support laboratory expansion and the development of a portal for health professionals to create evidence-based probiotic blends for their clients.

As a female-founded, science-led business manufacturing in Surrey, GoodBac represents the kind of innovative enterprise that strengthens the local economy. The laboratory expansion will eventually create jobs in advanced manufacturing and support the growing health technology sector in the region.

On receiving the funding, Lindsay said: “I think it is going to be game-changing for the business.”

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund

To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients across the county via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.

Although the Growth Fund is now closed to new applications, any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch to find out more via our Contact us form.

The fitness barn helping people fall in love with exercise

Published 19 August 2026

Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories

When personal trainer Frank moved his fitness community into a converted barn on a Surrey estate, he had a clear vision: a place where people who hate the gym could finally feel at home. With support from the Surrey Economic Growth Fund, that vision is becoming a reality.

Frank has been a personal trainer for two decades, and in that time, he noticed something that mainstream fitness has largely ignored.

“There is an opportunity to help people who do not want to be in gyms, or leisure centres and health clubs as the environment just doesn’t suit them,” he said.

That insight shaped his business, Fit With Frank, and his focus has been on helping people who don’t see themselves as the traditional gymgoer. He was mainly doing one-to-ones, but during the pandemic, Frank delivered home workouts online – which suited his audience. But as lockdowns lifted, something shifted.

“Post-Covid, people wanted to be back with other humans again,” he said. “So I started running group classes, and it got bigger and bigger. I had this crew of people who wanted to exercise and have a laugh.”

Not your typical gym location

In January 2026, Frank moved into a private barn on the Priory Farm Estate in South Nutfield, Surrey – a world away from the busy strip-lit gyms his clients want to avoid. The space has been fitted out with better floors, benches, weights and storage, and has an unmistakably relaxed feel.

“It’s got a sofa and a telly,” Frank added. “People feel comfortable.”

Frank said his clientele is largely aged over 40, with strength training for long-term health at the heart of what’s on offer.

“It’s giving them the confidence to say: I can do this stuff,” he said. “There is a definite demand for this.”

Until recently, Fit With Frank was built entirely around Frank himself – one-to-one sessions that, however popular, have a natural ceiling. The Economic Growth Fund grant has helped him make a pivotal shift: investing in the new space and equipment, and building towards a business that can grow beyond him.

“It is just me at the moment,” he said. “The growth fund will help us to grow. We need to be building a business that can go beyond me. The Growth Fund has helped – it has really accelerated it.”

Frank’s ambition is to recruit a like-minded trainer – someone who shares his values but might not thrive in a conventional setting. “Someone who is great with people but does not want to be in the mainstream gyms,” he said.

Fit With Frank knows its purpose and is solving a clear problem – helping people who feel excluded from mainstream fitness to build strength, community and confidence, all in a setting that is genuinely different. It’s a great example of how creative thinking can really take a business to the next level.

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund

To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients across the county via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.

Any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch to find out more via our Contact us form.

Surrey electronics firm powers growth through digital skills with Made Smarter

Published 11 August 2026

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

A Surrey electronics manufacturer is investing in digital leadership and workforce skills to build the foundations for its next phase of growth with support from the Made Smarter programme.

Cranleigh-based Cambertronics, has completed a Digital Transformation Workshop, a Leading Digital Transformation programme and Digital Champions training, helping the business develop a clear roadmap to improve traceability, streamline operations and strengthen digital capability across the organisation.

The starting point

Cambertronics specialises in the design and manufacture of high-tech electronic assemblies. It provides services from prototype development through to full turnkey production for customers across the automotive, marine, agritech, semiconductor test and industrial electronics sectors.

Founded in 1991, the business has built a strong reputation for technical expertise, quality and customer service.
Over the years, it has invested heavily in advanced manufacturing technologies, helping ensure the highest standards of production and reliability. However, many operational activities, including production tracking, quoting, inventory management and customer visibility, were still reliant on manual processes and disconnected systems.

With increasing customer expectations around traceability, responsiveness and supply chain transparency, the business wanted to explore how digital technologies could overcome these historic challenges and enable growth. Simultaneously, Cambertronics recognised that successful digital transformation depends on people, developing the digital leadership capabilities and the culture needed to support future change.

The solution

Cambertronics engaged with Made Smarter South East and completed a Digital Transformation Workshop. The process explored not only where digital tools could deliver most value, but also the skills required to support successful adoption.

Recommendations included barcoding systems to improve traceability, reviewing ERP solutions capable of integrating production, inventory and business data, enhancing customer relationship management processes, and increasing the use of digital tools to automate production tracking and inventory management.

The result was a tailored digital roadmap, providing Cambertronics with a plan for future investment. Jasper Whitefield, Business Development Manager, said: “We’ve invested heavily in advanced manufacturing equipment over the years, but many of our systems, from tracking production to managing inventory, still rely on manual input. We wanted to explore how digital technology could help us improve traceability, streamline processes, and get better visibility across the business.
“The workshop was incredibly valuable. It helped us identify the right areas to prioritise: automated barcoding systems, ERP integration, leadership training, and staff development.”

Jasper also participated in the Made Smarter Leading Digital Transformation programme, helping him strengthen his understanding about how to embed a strategy for change, and his colleague Joe Hildreth, (Production Supervisor), completed the Digital Champions programme, building additional digital capability.

The benefits

Cambertronics has developed a clear roadmap for future improvement and a stronger understanding of the technologies, processes and skills required to achieve its ambitions. The business now has a structured plan to improve operational visibility, strengthen traceability, streamline workflows and build the internal capabilities needed to support continued growth.

Participation in the Leadership and Digital Champions programmes has also helped reinforce the importance of aligning people, processes and technology, creating a strong foundation for future digital investment and organisational development. Jasper said: “Cambertronics is entering an exciting new chapter of growth and innovation. By embracing digital transformation, we are streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and creating opportunities to deliver even greater value to our customers. This investment ensures we can respond faster, offer new services, and maintain the quality and expertise our customers trust, while building a future-ready business.”

The Future

The digital roadmap identified several opportunities for future development which Cambertronics is now exploring, along with opportunities to introduce new technologies helping the business further improve efficiency, quality and customer service.

Support for Surrey businesses

Made Smarter is a government-funded programme to help SME manufacturers and makers boost productivity and increase their competitive edge through the adoption of new industrial technologies and tools. Start your own journey to digitisation – register for a free personalised assessment today.

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

Lights, camera, innovation: Surrey firm transforms product development thanks to Made Smarter South East

Published 23 July 2026

Funding and grants, Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

Removing barriers to growth

Surrey-based specialist film equipment firm Camera Revolution Limited is taking its final step to becoming a fully integrated design, manufacturing and rental business, thanks to support and investment from Made Smarter. 

The business operates as a specialist film equipment rental business and emerging manufacturer of proprietary camera support systems, motion control equipment and stabilisation rigs. The company supplies equipment to major film and television productions for globally recognised clients such as Netflix, Amazon MGM, Apple and Disney.

Innovation sits at the heart of Camera Revolution’s business model. The firm has invested heavily in developing an in-house engineering capability, creating a dedicated design and development function using SolidWorks and developing innovative products. The company frequently develops bespoke equipment for specific film productions, often with lead times measured in days rather than weeks. Directors and cinematographers regularly require unique solutions for individual scenes or camera movements, creating pressure to design, manufacture and deliver functional equipment within extremely short timescales.

A key challenge for growth has been the company’s reliance on external CNC machining suppliers for prototype production, limiting the speed at which new products and bespoke solutions can be developed, tested and refined.

Additionally, engineers spend valuable time managing supplier relationships, waiting for parts and dealing with external production schedules. This slows innovation and limits the number of projects that can be progressed simultaneously.

The limitation and reliance on external manufacturers has forced the business to decline opportunities or use costly expedited machining services, significantly reducing profitability.

Supporting the right solution

Thanks to the Made Smarter investment and support, Camera Revolution has been able to invest in a new Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing system. This has enabled the production of high-quality components in-house, delivering durable, accurate and functionally tested parts within days rather than weeks.

Unlike traditional desktop printing technologies, SLS printing produces industrial-grade components suitable for both rapid prototyping and selected end-use applications.

What will the Made Smarter investment and support mean for the business?

By bringing this additive manufacturing functionality in-house, Camera Revolution has reduced prototype iteration times from between two and four weeks to less than 48 hours. This will allow engineers to test and refine concepts rapidly, significantly shortening product development cycles and accelerating the launch of new products.

Thanks to enabling much faster rounds of product development, and bringing components manufacturing in house, the technology significantly helps accelerate innovation within the business.

By removing reliance on external suppliers for early-stage development work, engineering resources can focus on innovation rather than administration and supplier management. This improves productivity, drives efficiency and supports continued growth of the engineering function.

The film production industry is highly time-sensitive. The ability to design and manufacture bespoke equipment in-house within days gives Camera Revolution a significant competitive advantage, enabling the company to respond more effectively to clients’ requirements and secure opportunities that would previously have been unattainable.

The business estimates that the technology could reduce external prototype machining expenditure by at least £40,000 annually while also improving engineering productivity and reducing lost revenue opportunities. Overall annual savings are forecast to be approximately £130,000, with a payback period of around five months.

Rowan Newbitt, Lead Design Engineer at Camera Revolution said:
“The Made Smarter grant has been a genuine enabler for us. We’ve spent three years building an engineering department from the ground up, and SLS printer is the piece of the puzzle that completes our ability to design, prototype and deliver in-house. For an industry where a client can call on a Tuesday needing something on set by Thursday, that capability isn’t just useful, it’s the difference between winning the job and turning it down.”

The future

This investment is about more than introducing a new piece of equipment. It represents the final step in Camera Revolution’s evolution into a fully integrated design, manufacturing and rental business.

Camera Revolution continues to develop innovative products for the film industry and intends to launch multiple new proprietary product lines and expand product sales globally. The investment has given the business the agility needed to compete at an international level. Faster development cycles, enhanced innovation capabilities and the ability to respond rapidly to customer requirements strengthens the company’s position with world-leading production companies, unlock new commercial opportunities and support future export growth.

Support for Surrey businesses

Made Smarter is a government-funded programme to help SME manufacturers and makers boost productivity and increase their competitive edge through the adoption of new industrial technologies and tools. Start your own journey to digitisation – register for a free personalised assessment today.

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

Surrey businesses backed by Growth Fund shortlisted for prestigious parenting awards

Published 10 July 2026

Events and awards, Surrey Success Stories

Two Surrey businesses supported by Surrey County Council’s Business Growth Grant programme are celebrating national recognition after being shortlisted in the Absolutely Mama Awards 2026. The awards recognise the brands, products and services making a difference to family life, with winners decided through public voting and expert judging. Voting is open until 15 July 2026.


The success of Lesh and More Toddler Meals highlights the strength of Surrey’s growing community of innovative businesses and the impact of support available through the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. To date, the fund has awarded almost £2 million to businesses across the county, helping unlock further investment, create jobs and drive economic growth.


Lesh shortlisted for Best Feeding/Nursing Product


Founded by Epsom entrepreneur Kat Fellows, Lesh was born from Kat’s own experience as a breastfeeding mother frustrated by the lack of practical solutions for milk leakage. After spending more than a year developing and testing products, she launched her innovative leakproof nursing bra brand in 2024.


Lesh received support through Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund to help increase brand awareness and accelerate growth. The funding is helping Kat scale the business, strengthen marketing activity and build towards securing further investment.


Kat said:
“This grant will allow me to drive brand awareness and grow the business to a place where I can pitch for additional funding to become an internationally recognised brand in the maternity space.”

Kat also hopes to create opportunities for local mothers as the business grows, building a Surrey-based team to support areas including social media, customer service and fulfilment.


Lesh has now been shortlisted in the Best Feeding/Nursing Product category, placing the Surrey business alongside well-known names in the parenting sector.


More Toddler Meals shortlisted for Best Mealtime Range or Product


More Toddler Meals was created with a simple mission: to help parents feel proud of the meals they serve their toddlers. The business produces premium, gently dried meals packed with nutrients and designed to make healthy mealtimes easier for busy families.


The company received a Business Growth Grant to part-fund the new product development, allowing More Toddler Meals to expand its range and offer parents more choice.


The founder said:
“The grant has been transformational for our business. Without it we would have just been able to launch one new product so we’ve instantly been able to double the opportunity […] giving more variety for parents to choose from”


The business has now been shortlisted in the Best Mealtime Range or Product category alongside established names including Annabel Karmel and Organix. Reflecting on the recognition, the founder said:
“Being shortlisted for such a prestigious award amongst established brands like Annabel Karmel and Organix is truly humbling. I am so determined to ensure parents have better choices available for feeding their little ones and this recognition gives me the confidence to keep working hard to rebuild the category.”


Vote for Surrey businesses


The nominations are a fantastic achievement for two Surrey businesses that are using innovation to support families while growing their presence nationally.


You can support Lesh and More Toddler Meals by voting in the Absolutely Mama Awards before voting closes on 15 July. Vote here: https://absolutely-mama.co.uk/awards/

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

Kat Fellows - Lesh founder | Business Surrey

BiofuelAi wins Manchester Prize for AI innovation

Published 16 June 2026

Events and awards, Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

BiofuelAi – a University of Surrey spinout that uses artificial intelligence to help biogas plants produce more renewable energy at lower cost with reduced emissions – has won the Manchester Prize. The UK government’s flagship AI innovation challenge comes with a £1 million government award.

BiofuelAi, co-founded by Professor Michael Short from the University of Surrey, has developed an AI-powered decision support platform. This transforms how biogas plant operators manage production.  

Where plants have historically relied on experience, know-how and intuitions, the new platform gives operators a real-time picture of what is happening inside their digesters and what action will produce the best outcome.  

Pilot trials have demonstrated revenue increases of between 6 and 10 per cent. Profit is up between 7 and 13 per cent while there is a 28 per cent reduction in carbon emissions.

BiofuelAi’s Manchester Prize win is a real boon for the company, which is based at the Surrey Technology Centre in Guildford.

Expansion plans are underway. BiofuelAi is currently onboarding three new sites with its solution and has signed a UK reseller agreement. In time this could create new roles for the local economy and support regional growth.

BiofuelAi – roots in Surrey

BiofuelAi is a spinout from the University of Surrey’s AI4AD research project. It has attracted more than £1.5m in research funding.

The focus is on biogas. This is produced through anaerobic digestion, the breakdown of organic material such as agricultural waste, food waste and wastewater. It is a significant and growing component of the UK’s renewable energy mix.  

The founding team includes Dr Benaissa Dekhici, Dr Rohit Murali and Dr Ruosi Zhang alongside Professor Short and Alan Beesley. Together they combine over 40 years of modelling expertise with experience of the biogas industry.

BiofuelAi’s platform works by combining mechanistic models, machine learning and hybrid approaches to create a digital twin of a biogas plant.

This allows for simultaneous optimisation of short-term decisions – such as feeding recipes and storage management – and longer-term ones, including feedstock acquisition and digester health. It also accounts for uncertainty in the biological process.

Over five years, BiofuelAi projects its platform could deliver more than £500m in client value. By 2030, the company estimates its platform could mitigate 293,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year across the UK – the equivalent of heating 133,000 homes. 

BiofuelAi and the Manchester Prize – reaction

Alan Beesley, CEO and co-founder of BiofuelAi, said: “The biogas industry is one of the least data-driven sectors in energy. Plants that generate the heat and power for thousands of homes are still largely managed through spreadsheets and operator experience.

“BiofuelAi changes that. Winning the Manchester Prize validates the work of an exceptional team and accelerates our mission to make green energy more affordable, more consistent and more accessible.”

Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “The technology BiofuelAi has built could supercharge our mission to power Britain with clean, affordable energy, helping green energy plants produce even more power and cut carbon emissions. And they are just getting started.

“The Manchester Prize was created to find exactly this kind of innovation. Not AI as an abstract idea, but something that delivers results. This is British AI leadership in practice: world-class researchers tackling hard challenges and helping to build the industries of the future.”

Professor Stephen Jarvis, President and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Surrey, said: “BiofuelAi follows a long tradition of spinouts from our University – grounded in research with a clear purpose, by people determined to see it make a difference beyond the campus.

“The work started here in Guildford and has now won national recognition for what it could mean for the UK’s clean energy supply. That matters because energy security is not an abstract policy question right now. It depends on producing more of what we need at home, and the less efficiently we use domestic resources like biogas, the more dependent we remain on supplies we cannot control.”

Innovation support from Business Surrey

Business Surrey is a free accessible service to anyone looking to start or grow a business.

This includes working with universities and experts to support turning ideas into fully-fledged businesses via programmes like Surrey Venture Studio.

Do you have an idea to drive growth? Get in touch via our Business Support Form.

A group of employees from BiofuelAI in Surrey pose in front of a backdrop for the Manchester Prize