GrantRadar

Surrey County Council (Made Smarter South East)

Made Smarter South East technology adoption grants

Made Smarter South East is a government-funded programme for small and medium-sized manufacturers and makers in the South East, extended to 31 March 2027. Alongside free expert advice, leadership and workforce training and a funded student internship of up to 300 hours, it offers match funding of up to 50% (maximum £20,000) towards new technologies. Grants come out of a roadmap built with a Technology Adoption Specialist after registration; the Made Smarter site says a limited number go up to £50,000.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £20,000
Deadline
159 days left
31 March
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • Small and medium-sized manufacturers and makers based in the South East: Berkshire, Brighton & Hove, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Medway, Oxfordshire, Solent and Surrey (the Made Smarter site also lists Milton Keynes)
  • The business must have fewer than 250 employees, annual turnover of £44m or less, an annual balance sheet of £38m or less, and have received less than £315,000 in subsidy or state aid over the last three years
  • If part of a wider group, the group as a whole must meet these criteria, and the business must not be funded by private equity

What it funds

  • Match funding of up to 50% towards new technologies: equipment (hardware or software) identified in your Made Smarter roadmap

free support also includes technology advice, leadership and workforce training, and a student internship funded up to 300 hours.

How to apply

  1. Complete the full registration on the Made Smarter website for a free, personalised assessment
  2. You are emailed the details of your Technology Adoption Specialist (TAS)
  3. Take part in a business assessment with your TAS (around half an hour, usually on Microsoft Teams)
  4. Attend a 2-hour diagnostic workshop with your TAS, Organisation Workforce Development Advisor and up to five people from your business
  5. Receive a roadmap listing and prioritising technology solutions you could investigate and apply for
  6. Apply for match funding for the technologies in your roadmap

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