Leeds City Region Revolving Investment Fund: Business Research Programme
Background & Context
M·E·L Research partnered with Mazars LLP to deliver a large-scale business research programme on behalf of the Leeds City Region Revolving Investment Fund. The study was commissioned to provide robust evidence on business growth, innovation activity and access to finance across one of the UK’s most diverse regional economies.
The client required a detailed understanding of the opportunities, challenges and investment needs facing businesses across key growth sectors, while also capturing perspectives from the wider business community. The findings would inform future investment decisions, economic development activity and business support provision across the region.
Approach
M·E·L Research designed and delivered a comprehensive telephone survey programme with businesses across the Leeds City Region.
The research explored:
Business performance and growth ambitions.
Research and development activity.
Investment plans and funding requirements.
Barriers to growth and innovation.
Experiences of accessing finance.
A robust sampling approach ensured representation across priority growth sectors, including advanced manufacturing, construction, life sciences and low carbon industries, alongside businesses from the wider regional economy.
In total, 750 telephone interviews were completed, providing a substantial evidence base across the region.
Research Design
The survey was designed to provide detailed insight into the factors influencing business growth and investment decisions.
Key areas of focus included:
Growth aspirations and future business confidence.
Research, development and innovation activity.
Access to finance and investment readiness.
Sector-specific opportunities and challenges.
Differences in experiences across business sectors and locations.
The research enabled comparisons between priority growth sectors and the wider business community, providing a comprehensive picture of business needs across the Leeds City Region.
Analysis
M·E·L Research undertook detailed analysis of the survey findings to identify key trends, opportunities and barriers affecting businesses across the region.
Analysis explored variations by sector, location and business characteristics, helping to identify where investment and support interventions could have the greatest impact.
Outputs
The project delivered a robust evidence base to support investment planning and economic development activity across the Leeds City Region.
Key findings provided insight into:
Business growth ambitions and future investment plans.
Levels of innovation and research activity.
Demand for finance and investment support.
Barriers restricting growth and business development.
Sector-specific opportunities and challenges.
Findings were presented through a comprehensive reporting programme, providing stakeholders with actionable intelligence to inform future investment priorities, business support initiatives and regional economic strategy.
The research enabled the Leeds City Region Revolving Investment Fund and its partners to make evidence-based decisions about where support and investment could deliver the greatest value, while demonstrating M·E·L Research’s expertise in delivering large-scale business surveys and generating actionable insights for economic development organisations.
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