Family Business Scale-ups: Breaking Barriers to Growth
The challenges to growing and scaling family businesses
Access to innovation
Nine in ten mid-market and scaling family businesses have undertaken some form of innovative activity in the past three years. More than half (56%) report that their appetite for innovation in 2025 was higher than in previous years, while a further 38% say it was similar to 2024. Although their appetite for innovation is growing, many are seeking additional support to make it easier to innovate and collaborate. Three in ten want improvements to grant-funding processes, including a single point of contact at Innovate UK to help manage their relationship. A similar proportion want easier access to R&D facilities, flexible infrastructure and equipment, and support for adopting and exploiting new technologies. There is also a strong desire for greater collaboration with government and the wider public sector. In addition, 51% of mid-market and scaling family businesses would like to see a new form of
innovation funding from government and Innovate UK. This would involve offering larger innovation funding packages that become repayable once the business reaches agreed turnover or profitability thresholds, allowing the funds to be recycled to support the next generation of high-potential companies. The FBUK Policy Agenda 19 also emphasises that infrastructure improvements would have a positive impact on the growth prospects of mid-market family businesses. They are particularly seeking enhancements to clean energy and environmental infrastructure, greater resilience, and improved digital connectivity.
“51% of mid-market and scaling family businesses would like to see a new form of innovation funding from government and Innovate UK.”
19 https://familybusinessuk.org/family-first-approach-in-new-fbuk-policy-agenda/
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