- Heathrow is accelerating the next generation of UK exporters, today announcing the winners of its ‘World of Opportunity’ competition
- Designed to help small businesses break into global export markets, twelve SMEs - one from each of the nations and regions - will receive £2,000 alongside tailored support
- As the UK’s gateway to growth, Heathrow is backing homegrown businesses with the tools and connections needed to win new customers overseas
- With expansion on the horizon, Heathrow’s export capacity is set to increase significantly, creating further growth opportunities for businesses across the country
Heathrow has revealed the twelve winners of its annual World of Opportunity (WOO) competition, showcasing the breadth of innovation and ambition that underpins Britain’s export economy.
Small and Medium‑Sized Enterprises (SMEs) from every corner of the UK were invited to pitch their brands and products. This year’s winners include specialist engineers and manufacturers, artisan sweet-goods makers and wellness product creators. Their ingenuity set them apart, with the likes of CC Informatics’ use of drones and artificial intelligence to monitor infrastructure and WUKA’s pioneering menstrual products.
Each winning business will receive:
- A one-off £2,000 grant
- One year’s paid membership of the Federation of Small Businesses
- Mentoring sessions with senior leaders at Heathrow
- Dedicated export coaching from the Department for Business & Trade
Previous winners have used the support to fund trade missions, build export capability and grow overseas sales, supporting jobs across the UK.
As the UK’s largest port by value, handling nearly £300 billion worth of goods a year, Heathrow plays a vital role in connecting British businesses to the global economy. With over 230 destinations across 85 countries in reach via Heathrow, the World of Opportunity programme is designed to help SMEs tap into these markets and grow.
Looking ahead, Heathrow’s expansion will strengthen the UK’s trading capacity, supporting supply chains, jobs and long‑term economic growth across the country.
Heathrow’s Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, Nigel Milton said:
“Across the UK small businesses are creating world class products and services with real global potential. Helping more of them reach international markets is critical to driving growth and sustaining jobs here at home, that’s why we couldn’t be prouder to support the well-deserved winners. As the UK’s hub airport and largest port by value - with plans to grow further with expansion - we’re committed to helping ambitious British businesses scale up and succeed.”
Craig Beaumont, Executive Director at the Federation of Small Businesses, said:
“Congratulations to the winners of this year’s World of Opportunity competition. It’s been inspiring to hear from so many ambitious small business exporters across the UK, and we’re delighted to welcome this year’s successful cohort as FSB’s newest members. Trading overseas opens doors to new markets and customers, helping small firms grow and compete. We hope this competition encourages even more businesses to take the leap into exporting. We’re proud to have partnered with Heathrow, the UK’s largest airport and a global gateway for small businesses reaching customers around the world.”
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Full List of Winners:
East Midlands – Sweet Dough Things Confectionary company selling Sweets and Baked treats
East of England – WUKA Award Winning Period Proof Underwear and Swimwear
London – Ohemaa Luxury Cosmetics Brand dedicated to crafting quality products that seamlessly blend heritage and innovation
North East – CC Informatics Engineering discipline specialist, merging combined experience with UAVs, crawlers, and ROV data collection, with data processing, data science and machine learning.
North West – BeGenio Tech Game-based learning platform that focuses on mathematical skills through immersive games and specific outcomes
Northern Ireland – Rapha Organics Wellness Brand
Scotland - PG Paper Company Ltd Creating markets and customising solutions to enable trade for paper and packaging products across the globe
South East of England –– Southern Scientific Specialist supplier of radiation detection equipment for the Nuclear, Medical, Security, Defence, Industrial & Research sectors
South West of England – Boost innovations Boost produce breast forms for women who have undergone mastectomies or experienced breast cancer
Wales – Tumptonics Producing naturally filtered, Welsh spring water from the Monmouthshire hills. Working with retailers, suppliers and customers who want quality, sustainable canned water
West Midlands – Onkarkitekt LTD A startup affiliated to the University of Wolverhampton focused on developing sustainable products by integrating algorithmic architectural design, CAD/BIM services, and advanced research
Yorkshire & the Humber- eDub Services Retrofit classic cars with electric engines
https://www.heathrow.com/company/about-heathrow/gateway-to-growth/world-of-opportunity/grant-winners
