Innovate UK Business Connect: Business and Stakeholder Survey
Background and Context
Innovate UK Business Connect (IUKBC) exists to accelerate UK innovation by connecting businesses, innovators, researchers and opportunities across the innovation ecosystem. As part of its strategic direction, IUKBC was seeking to move beyond measuring activity levels and instead demonstrate the value and impact its support generates for businesses and the wider innovation system.
M·E·L Research was commissioned to provide robust evidence on the outcomes and impact of engagement with IUKBC. The study was designed to understand the extent to which IUKBC support contributes to business growth, innovation activity, investment, collaboration and commercial outcomes. The research also sought to identify areas where the service was performing well, opportunities for improvement, and provide a benchmark against which future performance could be assessed.
The project took place within a context where IUKBC was focusing on sectors and technologies with the greatest potential for economic and societal impact, whilst supporting businesses to overcome barriers to innovation, funding and commercialisation. The research therefore needed to capture both tangible outcomes and wider ecosystem benefits resulting from engagement with IUKBC.
Approach
M·E·L Research designed and delivered a large-scale quantitative survey among organisations that had engaged with Innovate UK Business Connect during the previous two years. The methodology was designed to provide robust, statistically reliable evidence of impact across a diverse range of organisations and sectors.
Quantitative Survey
Developed and delivered a structured online and telephone survey.
Surveyed individuals who had engaged with IUKBC within the previous two years.
Sample was drawn from IUKBC’s database of activity and marketing contacts.
Achieved 514 completed interviews, exceeding the original target of 500 respondents.
Included a mix of organisations across a broad range of sectors including manufacturing and engineering, technology and telecommunications, healthcare, professional services, academia and research, construction and infrastructure, agriculture, energy and utilities, and other industries.
Captured views from organisations of varying sizes, including micro, small, medium and large businesses.
Included both activity-based contacts and marketing contacts to ensure a broad perspective on engagement and impact.
Research Design
The survey was designed to measure multiple dimensions of impact arising from engagement with IUKBC, including:
Introductions and collaboration activity.
Networks, partnerships and business opportunities.
Funding and finance outcomes.
R&D investment and experimentation.
Staff skills, knowledge and organisational capability.
Speed and quality of innovation outcomes.
The questionnaire captured both realised impacts and expected future impacts, enabling IUKBC to understand the longer-term value generated through its interventions. The study also included attitudinal measures to assess perceptions of IUKBC as a source of innovation intelligence, data, insight and support.
Analysis
M·E·L Research undertook detailed quantitative analysis of the survey data, including:
Cross-tabulation by organisation size.
Sector-level analysis.
Engagement-level analysis.
Assessment of differences between respondent groups.
Calculation of impact measures relating to funding, investment, collaboration and innovation outcomes.
Analysis of open-ended feedback to provide additional context around experiences of engagement.
Outputs
The project produced a comprehensive evidence base demonstrating the value and impact generated through Innovate UK Business Connect’s activities.
Key areas covered within the reporting included:
Levels and types of engagement with IUKBC services.
Routes through which businesses became aware of IUKBC.
Use of events, expert advice, content and partnership support.
The role of IUKBC in facilitating introductions and innovation collaborations.
Impact on funding awareness, funding application quality and funding success.
Influence on business-led R&D investment and experimentation.
Improvements in organisational capability, knowledge and strategy.
Effects on innovation commercialisation and speed to market.
Counterfactual assessment examining what would have happened in the absence of IUKBC support.
Perceptions of IUKBC as a source of innovation intelligence and insight.
The research generated clear evidence of impact, including:
Increased understanding of funding opportunities.
Improved quality of funding applications.
Successful innovation funding outcomes.
Growth in R&D investment.
New innovation collaborations and partnership formation.
Improved organisational capability and knowledge.
Faster routes to market for innovation activity.
Enhanced access to networks and commercial opportunities.
Findings were presented through a detailed reporting deck that combined analysis, data visualisation, key insights and strategic recommendations. The report also provided practical considerations for future service development, including strengthening consistency of support, broadening perceptions of IUKBC beyond funding support, and continuing to evidence and communicate impact across the innovation ecosystem.
The outputs enabled Innovate UK Business Connect to evidence the value created through its interventions and supported its strategic transition towards a more impact-focused performance framework. The findings also established a benchmark against which future business and stakeholder surveys can be compared, allowing the organisation to track changes in impact and performance over time.
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