London invests £300k into small manufacturers to accelerate AI adoption with Digital Tech Authority
Small producers across the capital are set for a major digital boost after London was awarded more than $300,000 in grants for the first round of the Smaller London Programme.
Delivered by London & Partner, the Fund is designed to help local manufacturers to use new technologies, improve productivity and strengthen their resilience to rising demand and global competition.
Twenty small producers received grants ranging from £4,500 to £20,000, enabling investment in forensics tools, robots, software systems and digital marketing platforms. The program aims to raise the firevower of the technical community, 99.6 percent of which are SMEs – almost nine in the employment of less than ten people.
For many of these businesses, limited budgets and a lack of digital technology have limited investment in new tools and processes. The new money will help unlock efficient profits, open access to new markets and support the creation of highly skilled jobs across London’s creative, industrial and food sectors.
The rollout marks the first year of participation in the Smarter initiative, which has supported more than 3,000 manufacturers in other regions of the UK, generating thousands of jobs and $300 million in economic value.
VanesA Pérez-Sánchez, Director of small businesses in London & Partners, said the desire to innovate among City manufacturers to use LONDOR technology;
Among the first wave of recipients is Sinsorelli Bakery in Newham. Founder Rebecca Rosmini secured a £20,000 grant to invest in staff training and digital tools.
“This grant allows us to invest in our team and our future at a time when it is difficult to do so,” he said. “With state-of-the-art equipment and the new Digital Training Academy, we can grow, support and scale with our neurodiverse and multilingual workforce while maintaining our handcrafted quality.”
In Croydon, Dessoport International, which produces clothing for western and cinema productions, received £12,000 to install digital editing software. Founder Gerald Schwanzi expects the technology to cut costs, reduce waste and increase productivity by 40%.
Meanwhile, Bromley-based Laundre will use a £12,700 grant on AI-powered initiatives, CRM tools and digital data libraries. Founder Sall Deighton said the money allows his team to complete long-planned updates they never had the time or expertise to deliver.
Deputy Mayor for business and growth Howard Dawber said that this initiative is important to help Londoners every day and help them to thrive, to succeed, to continue to build a better, more prosperous London. “
Additional rounds of financing will be opened at the beginning of 2026, giving manufacturers more opportunities to scale, digitize and strengthen their operations.
Producers looking for support can find information through an overnight website.
