Businesses to benefit from almost £2m of funding

Aerosensor is set to create a new wind tunnel facility with the grant

Some businesses in Surrey are set to benefit from almost £2m of funding to boost economic growth and jobs in the county.

From vineyards and biotech to manufacturing and AI firms, a diverse range of 28 organisations have been awarded grants from the county council in the first round of the Surrey Economic Growth Fund.

The scheme, which is made up of a range of pooled funding streams including the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund, was launched by Surrey County Council (SCC) in April.

Matt Furniss, the council's cabinet member for economic growth, said the local authority's ambition was to position itself as "one of the UK's leading regional economies".

SCC said the successful bids were collectively estimated to grow the county's economy by £9m, while creating or safeguarding 300 jobs.

Among those receiving funding is Aerosensor, a technology firm in Dunsfold Industrial Park in Cranleigh which is led by a former F1 engineer Barney Garrood.

The five-figure grant will support the creation of a new wind tunnel facility to test its designs.

Dr Garrood said: "Having that facility on site is going to massively accelerate our development time and allow us to develop more advanced probes.

"It's moved the business forward by about a year."

Other successful bids include Woodlark Nurseries in Hersham, which is creating a new horticultural facility, and Upper Birtley Farm Partnership near Bramley, which is planning to create a glamping and outdoor education site.

Godalming business Sammi-Select is also aiming to use its grant to develop a new practice interview tool adapted from an AI platform to support jobseekers including young people not in education.

Round two of the fund is due to launch early in October.