Home Collaborate UK

Collaborate UK.

Our insight into the SME community.

Collaborate UK Vol. 7

After months of negotiations to agree a Brexit deal, uncertainty continues to impact SMEs plans for growth. In spite of this, confidence remains high among the UK’s small business community with over half of businesses feeling more confident than they did a year ago.

This survey also reveals the hocking cost to SMEs since the 2016 referendum and finds that sustainability is moving up the agenda for businesses with over half (57%) stating they would like more information from the government on what they can do to be more sustainable.

Continue to read the findings and download Collaborate UK Volume 7 here

Collaborate UK Vol. 6

The sixth report in our series learns that SME confidence has increased in the face of rising concerns over Brexit however, the majority of SMEs had done nothing to prepare for the proposed Brexit date.

The results also showed that small business owners care about the environment but didn’t feel there was enough government support or incentives to become more environmentally friendly. Technology on the other hand is rated highly despite only a few businesses investing in new tech.

Continue to read the findings and download Collaborate UK Volume 6 here

Collaborate UK Vol. 5

The UK is in the midst of negotiations for its withdrawal from the EU – without doubt the precursor to one of the most significant changes to the way businesses operate in the UK for at least a generation. Caution is in the air as issues like Brexit make it harder to see what their future holds.


Despite uncertainty, there remains no shortage of ambition, with many of those we spoke to already preparing for a post-Brexit landscape. Many are looking to international trade – including within Europe – as a key component of their growth strategy. How will UK SMEs plan to push forward and prosper?

Continue to read the findings and download Collaborate UK Volume 5 here

Collaborate UK Vol. 4

Overall it’s clear that, despite bearing up well over the previous year, small and medium sized businesses were worried about the impact of Brexit on their future performance.

The results of Collaborate UK 2016 showed that there was significant confusion and huge variation across the country, and that devolved nations have a particularly high level of anxiety about what Brexit will mean for their business.

Continue to read the findings and download Collaborate UK Volume 4 here

Collaborate UK Vol. 3

The third report in the series, Collaborate UK questioned more than 1,000 small firms and found that talk of ‘Brexit’ was causing bosses considerable concern, with exports, the strength of the pound and customer demand on their minds.

Collaboration remained a key business survival tool for smaller employers in response to these threats; 85% of the UK’s SMEs (some 4.5 million) were collaborating with other businesses, sharing skills, expertise and mutual networks to drive their business forward. 

Continue to read the findings and download Collaborate UK Volume 3 here

Collaborate UK Vol. 2

With things looking up for the economy, the 2014 report painted a more confident and optimistic picture. Having weathered the recession, many smaller businesses told us that they were finding new and more innovative ways to take advantage of green shoots and prosper.

Our findings suggested a ‘confidence divide’ with almost half of those surveyed claiming they were still in ‘survival mode’ and were yet to benefit from the returning confidence of the recovery.

Continue to read the findings and download Collaborate UK Volume 2 here

Collaborate UK Vol. 1

The UK's first report into collaboration amongst SMEs demonstrated how businesses were responding to the tough economic conditions and technological advances from recent years, and what impact this was having on collaboration between one another.

The extent and scale of this transformation in the UK was remarkable, and to see how collaboration could play a key role was truly fascinating.

You can read the findings and download your copy of Collaborate UK Volume 1 here