More than £2.2 million was handed out in grants to 39 businesses last year – creating an estimated 300 jobs.

The money, awarded by the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) business growth grant scheme, was targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises looking to expand their businesses.

In the last round of grants at the end of 2014, 21 companies received a total of £1.3 million for projects.

Big Bit, a Falmer company producing free-to-play mobile game Race Team Manager, received £75,000 to expand its business and create 20 new jobs.

Ian Monaghan, 41, studio head, said: “The reason for getting the grant was to grow capital.

“In making a free to play game, the hardest job we have is getting people to play the game in the first place.”

The company is using the money to advertise the game and provide more content to players, such as a Top Gear feature within the game.

Other companies to receive the grant include Jing, a sports massage company from Brighton, which was given £23,035 to create ten eLearning programmes from its most popular courses. The project is expected to provide four new jobs.

Brighton-based Easy EPC received a grant of £18,813 to help relocate to larger premises.

The provider of energy performance certificates and green deal advice reports will create four-and-a-half new roles.

PVL of Burgess Hill received a grant of £50,000 to help it either relocate to a larger site or install a mezzanine and create additional offices at its current site.

As part of the expansion, PVL is also looking to acquire additional related businesses and recruit fitters and sales staff. PVL is one of the leading fleet branding companies in the country and is continuing to grow with five jobs being created through this project.

Medical Imaging Partnership, based at Pease Pottage, received a grant of £200,000 to purchase a new mobile MRI unit to support its innovative diagnostic radiology service, which will create 17 jobs.

Veterinary Insights, in Haywards Heath, received £49,967 to develop its veterinary benchmarking service and create five new roles.

Fine Cut, in Lancing, received £96,203 for new equipment for machining and cutting composites to create five jobs.

Cheesmur, in Lewes, got £99,757 to help it procure construction contracts worth up to £750,000 with 12 jobs created.

Shoreham Port got £103,200 to develop a new wharf for importing and exporting cargo with 10 jobs created.

Delinquent Interactive, in Brighton, received £100,000 to build an iPhone game to take on global success Candy Crush with 19 jobs created.

Vampires Wife, in Brighton, got £53,270 to produce high quality clothing and accessories and create five jobs.

Deteq Solutions, also in Brighton, received £33,000 to develop wireless sensor technology and create a prototype and purchase tooling for the manufacture of the new product, with six new jobs.