An exciting new virtual production facility, Futures Studio, has now opened at Royal Holloway, University of London, to provide creative technology businesses a space to innovate, showcase their work and collaborate with industry experts and world-class researchers.

The launch was celebrated with an interactive showcase event attended by leading partners in the creative technology industry including Sky, BT and Limax Studios. The event featured a series of inspiring demonstrations in the studio led by Disguise and CoSTAR National Lab specialist teams, while also providing businesses attending the opportunity to network with their fellow industry experts and researchers from acadaemia.

World-leading creative technology

Jointly funded by Royal Holloway and Surrey County Council, the studio is based at the University’s Egham campus and packed with cutting-edge equipment. This includes a unique combination of a virtual production environment and a next generation audio system. The Futures Studio is powered by Royal Holloway’s partnership with Disguise, the platform behind world-leading (and record-breaking) visual experiences including live events for Taylor Swift, Adele, Beyonce and Massive Attack.

The Futures Studio offers businesses an advanced facility to innovate and generate new products and services, and will enable the flourishing local creative economy to thrive and grow. It is also the first facility to be opened as part of the CoSTAR National Lab, a £51.1 million project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to create a national infrastructure for creative innovation.

Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “We want to nurture and grow this world-class sector, which is why we have invested £3 million in supporting Royal Holloway and the CoSTAR National Lab.

“This exciting project has innovation and collaboration at its core, allowing local businesses to tap into the cutting-edge research and technologies at Royal Holloway, one of our leading universities in the county.

“In time, this initiative will deliver real benefits to our regional economy, creating up to 300 jobs and supporting 180 businesses while stimulating further investment into our creative sector.”

The Futures Studio launch comes just weeks after the government’s budget confirmed its commitment to support the UK’s growth-driving creative industries, worth £125 billion to the UK economy.

Professor James Bennett, Director, CoSTAR National Lab and Royal Holloway’s Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Creative Industries), said: “Futures Studio is CoSTAR National Lab’s first step in building the UK’s infrastructure for the next generation of creative innovation and entertainment and we’re excited to see how local businesses can benefit from this unique space.

“By providing an accessible facility that combines research and the latest technology we’re lowering the barrier for local smaller businesses to not only compete, but to lead the wider evolving creative tech industry.”

Futures Studio project lead Professor Peter Richardson, Vice-Dean of Research and Knowledge Exchange (School of Performing and Digital Arts) at Royal Holloway, and Head of Worldbuilding for the CoSTAR National Lab, said: “Technology often powers creativity; our approach is to have creativity power technology which allows us to push the boundaries of what is possible. The Futures Studio gives us a space where we can push the boundaries with creative companies in a way that will de-risk their research and development projects.”

How local creative business can get involved

Futures Studio has the potential to support local businesses by creating hundreds of jobs and deliver on the objectives set out in the recent Civic Agreement for Surrey. Small and medium-sized local businesses in Surrey will be offered access to creative technology showcases throughout the year and are encouraged to apply for access to the studio and expertise to develop their projects.

For more information about the upcoming opportunities within Futures Studio, please contact CoSTAR National Lab’s Enterprise and Commercialisation team: futuresstudio@rhul.ac.uk

Looking for additional help and support?

Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service providing free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey. Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on growing your business.

• Find out more about what we do and how to access one of services by completing our Contact Us form.
• Contact the team for free via our Business Support Form.
• Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
• Search more than 120 different local, regional and national support schemes in our service directory.

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), has successfully signed a deal with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to supply a new Earth Observation satellite.

The £40 million project will support around 200 skilled jobs between now and the planned delivery date of 2027, boosting the UK’s space sector and helping to grow both the UK and regional economies.

The new satellite, named Juno, will capture daytime images of the Earth’s surface, strengthening the UK’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. Juno joins an existing satellite also manufactured by SSTL, (named Tyche), in supporting military operations such as monitoring the activities of military adversaries. The two satellites will also contribute to other key government observation requirements, including natural disaster monitoring, the development of mapping information, environmental monitoring and tracking the impact of climate change around the world.   

MOD Procurement representative Maria Eagle said, “The contract for Juno shows the the UK’s commitment to grow one of the most innovative and attractive space economies in the world, and keep our competitive edge in space science and technology.

“Juno will not only support Armed Forces personnel deployed globally, but also support highly skilled jobs, delivering on the government’s growth mission.” 

SSTL Managing Director Andrew Cawthorne said: “We’re incredibly proud that the Ministry of Defence has again placed its trust in SSTL to deliver the UK’s next sovereign intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance spacecraft.

“Juno will offer a step change in imaging capability over Tyche, SSTL’s demonstrator spacecraft which launched in August (2024) and is now being operated for UK Space Command. We look forward to continuing our successful relationship with UK Space Command, DE&S, and Dstl, and playing a leading role in delivering the UK Defence Space Strategy.”

For more information on this key new satellite deal, read more on SSTL’s website.

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd started out in the late 1970s as an experiment in a small university lab in Surrey, and has since grown to employ more than 400 staff and has launched more than 70 satellites into space for 22 countries. Read our full case study looking at the history of this Surrey Success Story here.

The UK Space sector – a national and regional success story

The UK Space sector is a national success story, employing 52,000 highly skilled professionals and with labour productivity levels of 2.3 times the national average.

SSTL is a member of the UK’s largest space Cluster, Space South Central. This Cluster represents more than 170 space-related businesses and 4 academic institutions across Surrey, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Cluster accounts for nearly 20% of the GDP generated by UK Space businesses. 2023 figures show that Surrey and Hampshire alone account for around £3 billion of national space industry turnover, with more than 12,000 people working in the sector across the region.

Space South Central aims to amplify the growth of the space sector both regionally and nationally, by developing long-term partnerships between industry, acadaemia and government.

Looking to relocate your business to Surrey?

Thanks to our desirable location, reputation for innovation and collaborative business ecosystem, Surrey is a top business location of choice for businesses of all sizes and across all sectors.

As part of Business Surrey, Surrey County Council offers the Invest in Surrey service.

Our team of specialist advisors can offer a range of free and confidential services. We assist companies looking to invest and grow in Surrey. Whether you’re a start-up, SME or international company, you can benefit from our specialist expertise, local knowledge and business support.

Get in touch with the team today via our business support form.

Surrey leaders have welcomed the expansion of a leading space computing company into the county – a move that underlines the region as a thriving place to do business.

Ramon.Space, a global pioneer in space computing and communications, has selected the innovative business community at Surrey Research Park as the ‘launchpad’ for their new UK subsidiary.

This milestone underscores the region’s growing reputation as a premier location for space innovators.

It also promises investment in the region and good-quality jobs for local residents – underlining why the Council is committed to supporting innovation in key sectors as part of wider efforts to grow the Surrey economy.

Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: “Surrey is a leading regional economy and is home to an increasing number of companies within the space sector, drawn to our fantastic location, highly-skilled workforce and excellent reputation for innovation and research.

“Attracting a growing international business such as Ramon.Space to the region is a real boon, bringing investment and good-quality jobs for our residents. It is also testament to the collaborative, innovative and entrepreneurial environment within Surrey Research Park and the wider region.”

About Ramon.Space and its move to Surrey

Ramon.Space UK will serve as a key engineering hub, driving innovation and accelerating advancements in space computing and communications both within the UK and globally.

The company is embarking on significant hiring initiatives to attract top local talent, aiming to enhance its engineering capabilities and foster cutting-edge innovation.

Avi Shabtai, Chief Executive Officer at Ramon.Space, said: “We see tremendous potential in the UK space sector and are eager to contribute to its growth.

“Our high-performance computing systems and processors are designed to meet the rigorous demands of satellite and deep space missions, empowering government agencies and commercial providers to achieve mission success with confidence.”

Ramon.Space is the 10th space sector company to be based at Surrey Research Park, further bolstering the region’s position in the global space industry. 

Additionally, it is the second international space company this year to select the location in Guildford for strategic entry into the UK and European markets.

Caroline Fleming, Director of the Surrey Innovation District, which includes Surrey Research Park, said: “We’re incredibly excited to welcome the Ramon.Space team into our innovative business community and Space South Central industry cluster.

“Surrey Research Park has a legacy of being at the cutting-edge of pioneering space technology and we’re thrilled Ramon.Space has recognised the unique benefits we offer businesses looking to seize opportunities in the UK and European space markets.

“We’re especially looking forward to supporting Ramon.Space to thrive as they advance space-based computing and communications, pivotal to unlocking the potential of space.”

Surrey Research Park: A Premier Hub for Space Pioneers

Ramon.Space has joined a distinguished group of international companies at Surrey Research Park, solidifying the park’s status as a top choice for space sector pioneers entering the UK and European markets.

This spring, Australian innovators Myriota, which specialises in satellite communications for Internet of Things devices, also chose the park as their UK base, becoming the Park’s ninth space company.

They join fellow international space pioneers like isardSAT, earth observation experts from Spain, and global aerospace leader Airbus, based in Toulouse, France.

Visit the Space page on the Surrey Research Park website for more information on opportunities for space-related companies.

NatureMetrics, Surrey’s fast-growing global nature intelligence company, is continuing its expansion story with the opening of a new in-country partner laboratory in Indonesia.

The company, which was founded in 2014 and now has 200 employees, announced the addition of a independent testing site in West Java this week (24 June, 2024).

The new lab will enable NatureMetrics to reach new projects in one of the world’s top ‘megadiverse’ countries – opening up its world-leading eDNA service to new and current clients operating in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

Those at the company add that it will also strengthen its global reach and better serve companies operating in the area who are striving to reduce their impact and improve reporting on nature.

It marks the continuation of the rapid growth of the business to meet the increasing international demand for biodiversity monitoring services.

Dimple Patel, CEO at NatureMetrics, said:

“Recognising the urgent global call for scalable and meaningful biodiversity monitoring, our expansion into Indonesia signifies a milestone in our ambition to become the world’s leading provider of nature intelligence services globally. We look forward to supporting more organisations in the whole APAC region deliver vital biodiversity insights to support their nature goals.”

NatureMetrics provides an end-to-end biodiversity reporting solution, providing companies with simple insights so that they can make the best decisions for nature and business.

By bringing advanced environmental DNA (eDNA) technology and nature intelligence expertise to Indonesia, it aims to empower local companies with the tools they need to achieve better outcomes for nature and drive sustainable development in the region.

NatureMetrics was founded in 2014 by tropical ecologist Dr Kat Bruce, who is a leading expert in the use of environmental DNA for biodiversity assessment.

In 2021 it announced a £6.5 million Series A investment and relocated to Surrey Research Park in Guildford.

The move helped the company expand from 50 to 70 employees while also scaling up the delivery of biodiversity data to businesses, NGOs and governments using DNA.

It also has a base in North America with a laboratory in Ontario, Canada.

The company is now working with over 500 customers across 100 countries, including Nestle, Tesco, Anglo American and Fauna & Flora.

The expansion into Southeast Asia ‍marks the continuation of a successful 2024 for the company. NatureMetrics was recently selected as a 2024 World Economic Forum (WEF) Technology Pioneer.

This brings together 100 early-stage start-ups from around the world, all working on cutting-edge technologies and innovations, to collaborate with society’s foremost political, business, and cultural leaders on the most pressing issues facing people and the planet.

For more details on how Surrey is at the forefront of the UK’s Net Zero drive, visit our Green and Net Zero page.

The UK’s first ever Games Innovation Zone has opened in Surrey as part of a £2.3 million programme helping to reinforce Guildford’s status as the UK’s ‘Hollywood of video games’.

The new space opened at the University of Surrey’s Stag Hill campus in Guildford last week (6 June). It is the epicentre for an exciting new venture that will bring together a top taskforce of world-class academics, local game developers and creative tech leaders, and amateur gamers and e-sport pros to solidify Surrey’s reputation as a leader in the global video game industry.

A UK-first, the new zone is part of a wider £2.3m programme called Games And Innovation Nexus (GAIN), which is part funded by Surrey County Council. It brings together cutting-edge academic research and expertise from fields such as AI, neuroscience, psychology, blockchain and metaverse with game developers and creative tech studios to cover every stage of game production – from concept to console.

Two especially notable academics contributing to the project are Prof. Ferrante Neri, a specialist in AI recognised by Stanford University as one of the top 2% of scientists worldwide, and Prof. Yu Xiong, Chair of the Advisory Board of the UK government’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Metaverse and Web 3.0.

Inside, the Games Innovation Zone is split into two distinct areas: an Innovation Cube for collaboration, and the Games Cube for testing and playing games.

Working together, in the Innovation Cube, the unique cooperative will use their world-class combined expertise and insights to tackle some of the gaming industry’s biggest challenges, fortifying Guildford’s gaming legacy, and shaping the future of video games.

The GAIN programme is funded by Research England, Surrey County Council, the University of Surrey, UCA Farnham, Warwick University, and Warwickshire County Council.

Along with enhancing the UK’s gaming industry outside of London, the programme aims to strengthen collaboration between Guildford Gaming and Silicon Spa, two of the UK’s biggest gaming clusters outside the capital.

Caroline Fleming, Director of the Surrey Innovation District, said:

“It’s so exciting to see the Games Innovation Zone come to life. As well as being the hub for academic collaboration, creativity and gameplay, today’s opening is a leap forward towards the next generation of gaming. The innovative solutions generated inside the new Zone will help to tackle the industry’s biggest challenges, showcasing to the world Guildford’s credentials as the UK’s ‘Hollywood for Video Games’.”

Dawn Redpath, Director for Economy and Growth at Surrey County Council, said:

“The games industry is one of Surrey’s real success stories, showcasing our county and its talented workforce on a global stage. We’re delighted to be working with our universities and industry partners to take this growing, innovative sector to new heights, creating high-quality jobs and generating inward investment into our communities – both of which would be good news for our residents.”