Renée’s funding and finance round-up : November

Made Smarter South East is a government-funded programme created to drive growth amongst manufacturers and makers. The team provide advice and support to SMEs to help them switch to advanced and automated technologies and then use them to make everyday improvements. Support elements include:

• • Match-funding of up to £20,000

• • Expert advice, guidance and support to create a bespoke digital roadmap for your business

• • Leadership and workforce training

• • Fully-funded student internship (up to 300 hours).

Source in Surrey is an initiative delivered by Surrey Chambers of Commerce. It is dedicated to supporting local businesses to win more customers, connect with each other, access opportunities, and strengthen local supply chains across the county. An AI-powered business to business platform has been developed to streamline connections between Surrey based buyers and suppliers.

Alongside the AI-tool, a programme of roadshows, training, and events bring businesses together in person creating opportunities to learn, network, and build the relationships that power successful local supply chains.

Enterprise Nation and EDF Small Business, are giving out £25,000 in funding to help 25 small businesses invest in practical improvements. Each successful applicant will receive a £1,000 grant to support the next stage of their businesses.

Whether you’re buying software, adopting better payment systems, investing in sustainable upgrades or upgrading equipment, or are hiring a consultant, this is your chance to make useful changes that help your business run more smoothly and prepare for what’s ahead. You must:

• employ less than 50 people and have been trading for at least 12 months
• have a UK business bank account and have a Companies House registration number or be registered as self-employed with proof of UTR

The scheme is intended to reduce electricity costs for businesses in eight growth-driving sectors and foundational manufacturing industries supplying them.

From 2027, eligible businesses can receive reductions of up to £40 per megawatt hour (MWh). This will be delivered through exemptions from indirect costs linked to the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and Capacity Market. The exemptions will begin in April 2027 for the Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariffs, followed by the Capacity Market in October 2027.

Businesses must operate in an eligible manufacturing sector identified through Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2007 codes and manufacture an eligible product in Great Britain. The product must be made at the relevant site and either sold to another party or transferred for manufacturing use at another site.

Innovate UK (IUK) has launched the BridgeAI Deployment Catalyst AI Competitions for collaborative feasibility projects involving advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The competitions are operated by IUK, with support from Digital Catapult, the Alan Turing Institute and the National Physical Laboratory. Eligible applicants are able to request grants of between £100,000 and £200,000.

The competitions aim to help high-potential UK SMEs move AI and ML solutions beyond pilots towards real-world deployment. Applicants must select one of three strands: decision-critical systems, operational systems or assurance and compliance systems. Collaborative applications are invited. Each consortium must include two or three UK-registered organisations, comprising a lead applicant and a deployer. The lead must be a UK-registered SME with an existing AI or ML solution at technology readiness level 5 or 6 and a functioning minimum viable product. The deployer must be a medium or large business or UK-based public sector organisation operating in an eligible sector.

Business mentoring, workshops, business clinics & networking to support the growth of businesses young and old based in Spelthorne Borough Council.

Scale UK Connect is a free, government-backed programme being piloted to help ambitious, high-growth UK businesses unlock their next stage of growth. Combining tailored guidance, expert support, opportunities to explore international markets and connections with the people who can help you progress.

Scale UK Connect programme is ideal for businesses operating across the Industrial Strategy growth-driving sectors. To take part, your business needs to meet the programme’s eligibility and selection criteria, including:

• be registered and based in the UK and
• have an annual turnover and/or investment of at least £2 million
• employ at least 10 people, including founders
• have ambitions to scale or expand internationally

UK creative and technology-focused businesses can apply for a share of £400,000 through the CoSTAR AI for Creativity Pilot Call, designed to support AI research and development projects across the UK’s creative industries.

The programme will fund up to 16 projects with grants of up to £25,000 each and provides access to specialist AI infrastructure, research expertise and industry support. In addition to grant funding, successful applicants will receive access to substantial technical resources. Participants may also benefit from studio facilities, networking opportunities and  support from research and industry specialists.

The call targets a wide range of creative sectors including film, television, animation, visual effects, post-production, games, digital content creation, live performance, audio production and emerging media technologies.

This initiative is intended for businesses incorporating the NEB values of sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics into their operations, products or services. It aims to help ventures develop and scale while addressing community needs linked to climate, food or urban mobility.

Each selected start-up will receive a €22,000 grant. Support will also include tailored business and design mentoring, workshops and in-person networking activities.

Applicants must have generated at least €15,000 in revenue during 2026, secured at least €40,000 in investment or taken part in the Ignite NEB programme. They must have received or be seeking venture funding and be at pre-seed, seed or, exceptionally, Series A stage, with no more than €1 million raised in total. Businesses must have a Technology or Business Readiness Level of at least 4 unless they participated in Ignite NEB.

The funding is intended to support social entrepreneurs develop their social ventures and create positive social impact.

Applications are open to social entrepreneurs aged 16 and over. The social venture must:

• Have a clear social purpose, demonstrate a clear need for its activities and mainly benefit people/places within the UK
• Have activities that have been running for less than four years.
• Have a turnover of less than £250,000 in the last financial year.

The next application round will open on 6 January 2027 and close on 1 March 2027.

This grant programme reimburses eligible visa application fees for UK-based scale-ups hiring international specialists and their dependants. It is intended to reduce costs associated with overseas recruitment in the Clean Energy, Life Sciences and Digital and Technologies sectors.

Eligible businesses can apply for up to £25,000 per year, capped at £5,000 per hire. The grant supports fees incurred on or after 9 June 2026.

Hostile cyber activity in the UK is growing more intense, frequent and sophisticated. Evolving AI threats mean it more important now than ever for organisations to put in place fundamental cyber security protections. This is just as relevant for SMEs as large organisations.

The government has launched a package of support to help SMEs strengthen their cyber security through the Cyber Essentials scheme. They are offering to fund the cost of Cyber Essentials certification (up to 75% until 31st March 2027) for SME’s via the Cyber Essentials First Step Fund. Take up this offer to make your business more cyber secure.

The Elmbridge Business Boost Grants can help with a variety of projects:

• • 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.

• • Town and village centre independents can also apply for support to help sell online with the digital high street boost

• • SMEs can get help to invest in energy efficiency projects with the green business boost.

Businesses across Mole Valley can now benefit from expert guidance provided by IncuHive, fully funded by Mole Valley District Council. Whether you’re launching your first venture or growing an established company, IncuHive’s team of experienced advisers are on hand to offer practical, tailored support.

Waverley Borough Council fund IncuHive (who are specialists in small business development) to offer free tailored support to all local businesses in the borough of Waverley, including advice on business planning, funding and mentoring.

Guildford Borough Council fund IncuHive (who are specialists in small business development) to offer free tailored support to all local businesses in the borough of Guildford, including advice on business planning, funding and mentoring.

If you’re a business with ambitions to grow, NatWest Accelerator is here to support you. Whether you’re looking to increase sales, find funding, or sharpen your leadership skills, the Accelerator has the practical tools, coaching and connections. Support includes:

• a community of other business owners to connect with and bounce ideas off
• access to experienced coaches and mentors
• the opportunity to attend masterclasses and networking events

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. (the fund will close when it is exhausted).

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).

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched the Youth Jobs Grant, a payment for employers (of any size) that recruit young people aged 18 to 24 who have been claiming Universal Credit and searching for work for six months or more.

The payment is £3,000 per eligible hire. Roles supported by the grant must be at least 25 hours per week and expected to last at least four months. Eligible expenditure can include wage costs, NI contributions, pension contributions, recruitment and administration costs.

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.

The Start Up Loans programme provides personal loans for business purposes from £500 – £25,000 at a fixed interest rate per annum and offers free dedicated mentoring and support to each business. Eligibility for a first Start Up Loan has been extended to businesses that have been trading for up to 60 months.

The primary aim of the Start Up Loans programme is to ensure that viable start-ups and early-stage businesses have access to the finance and support they need in order to thrive. A network of Business Support Partner organisations supports applicants in all regions and industries throughout the UK. The Start Up Loans programme is not designed to generate a commercial profit. Capital payments together with the interest are recycled to help meet increasing demands for finance.

The South East Investment Fund will deliver £210 million of new funding to smaller businesses across the region.

The fund aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunities for new and growing businesses throughout the South East.

The South East Investment Fund offers two commercial finance options: loans ranging from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investments of up to £5 million.

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.