What ScaleUp Institute does

The ScaleUp Institute is a private sector, not-for-profit organization headquartered in London (Shoreditch) that operates as the primary UK-wide research, policy, and convening body focused exclusively on the scaleup segment — businesses growing turnover or employment by more than 20% per year over a three-year period. Founded following the 2014 Scale-Up Report commissioned by the Coalition Government, the Institute has built a research and advocacy portfolio spanning the Annual ScaleUp Review, the ScaleUp Index series, regional indices for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, North East, and South West, thematic indices covering female founders, green economy, creative industries, and family businesses, and sectoral reports such as the Industrial Strategy Sector ScaleUp Insight. Its core product is empirical research, not proprietary technology — analytical outputs are derived from ONS data, Beauhurst Companies House data, and BVA BDRC survey research, distributed as free downloadable reports via scaleupinstitute.org.uk and through a media partnership with the Evening Standard (the ScaleUp Standard bi-weekly newsletter).

The Institute serves a multi-sided constituency: (i) UK scaleup businesses seeking access to markets, talent, finance, and mentoring resources; (ii) government and policy makers requiring evidence-based recommendations (e.g., the £15bn growth capital gap analysis in 'The Future of Growth Capital' with Innovate Finance and Deloitte); and (iii) corporate partners (Barclays, NatWest, Deloitte, British Business Bank, Scottish National Investment Bank, among others) seeking ecosystem engagement. In August 2025, the Institute co-founded and co-chairs the National Business Mentoring Council with the Association of Business Mentors, bringing together 20+ organizations across finance, academia, civil society, and mentoring providers.

The business model is partnership-funded rather than revenue-generating: the Institute provides research, reports, and advocacy at no direct cost to scaleup businesses, and operates with 1-10 staff supported by corporate sponsorships, collaborative arrangements with financial institutions, and government engagement. Its strategic impact is measured in policy influence and ecosystem coordination rather than financial returns, and it does not raise venture capital, pursue exits, or distribute profits.

Name

ScaleUp Institute

Legal name

ScaleUp Institute

Website

https://scaleupinstitute.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The ScaleUp Institute is a UK not-for-profit research and policy organization that produces the Annual ScaleUp Review, regional and thematic scaleup indices, and policy recommendations, serving UK scaleup businesses, government, and corporate partners through convening and advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Research and Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Business Associations (81391)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Policy Evaluation & Impact Assessment Organizations (EDADADAD)

Keywords

• Scaleup research
• Business policy advocacy
• Economic growth research
• Entrepreneurship support
• High-growth business analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Partnership and Collaboration Revenue: The ScaleUp Institute operates as a not-for-profit organization that generates impact through partnerships with corporate partners, financial institutions, and government bodies rather than through traditional revenue streams.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ScaleUp Institute is a private sector not-for-profit organisation that produces research publications, indices, and policy recommendations focused on UK high-growth scaleup businesses. Its core offerings include the Annual ScaleUp Review, the ScaleUp Index, regional scaleup indices, thematic reports (female founders, growth capital, industrial strategy), and ecosystem coordination through the National Business Mentoring Council. Activities are delivered through partnerships with corporate entities, financial institutions, academia, and government at local and national levels.

Product overview

The ScaleUp Institute is a private sector not-for-profit organization that does not offer a software product. Instead, it provides a portfolio of research publications, indices, and programs: the Annual ScaleUp Review (comprehensive annual analysis), the ScaleUp Index series (tracking visible scaleups), Regional ScaleUp Indices (Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, North East, South West), Female Founder Indices (including Super ScaleUp Female Index), and thematic reports on topics like growth capital, skills, and industrial strategy. The Institute also co-chairs the National Business Mentoring Council and curates ScaleUp Stories content. All offerings are research and advocacy-based, designed to support UK scaleup businesses rather than being a technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual ScaleUp Review
• ScaleUp Index
• Regional ScaleUp Indices
• Female Founder Index
• The Future of Growth Capital Report
• Industrial Strategy Sector ScaleUp Insight
• National Business Mentoring Council

Quantifiable outcome

• 44,595 scaleups tracked across the UK with detailed regional indices
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• Association of Business MentorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025Co-chairs the National Business Mentoring Council with the ScaleUp Institute to enhance quality and accessibility of business mentoring across the UK. The Council brings together senior representatives from business mentoring, finance, entrepreneurship and academia to reduce sector fragmentation and strengthen professional pathways for mentors.
• NatWestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025Represented by Julie Baker, Head of Strategic Partnerships, on the National Business Mentoring Council. Contributing to government strategies that foster business growth and resilience through the Invest in Women Taskforce.
• Scottish Chambers of CommerceregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025Represented by Dr Liz Cameron CBE, Director and Chief Executive, contributing expertise on SME support and regional economic development to the National Business Mentoring Council.
• Enterprise NationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025Delivers mentoring element of Help to Grow: Management course and represents small business support platform on National Business Mentoring Council, helping connect founders across the UK to mentoring resources.
• Be The BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025Organizes high-quality mentors for businesses since 2018, with documented impact showing 12% average sales increase for mentored businesses. Key member of National Business Mentoring Council.
• Digital BoostregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025Represented by Karen Licurse, Managing Director, on National Business Mentoring Council. Provides digital skills support and mentoring to business owners, focusing on underserved communities.
• Small Business BritaincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025Founder Michelle Ovens CBE represented on National Business Mentoring Council, focusing on supporting entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities and small businesses.
• IOEE (Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025CEO Sarah Trouten represented on National Business Mentoring Council, providing expertise on enterprise and entrepreneurship development.
• ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025Chief Policy and Communications Officer Iain Wright represented on National Business Mentoring Council, offering strategic insight and business acumen from chartered accountants.
• Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME), Aston Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2025Professor Monder Ram represented on National Business Mentoring Council, contributing research expertise on entrepreneurial support for ethnic minority backgrounds.
• Innovate FinancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly published 'The Future of Growth Capital' report with ScaleUp Institute and Deloitte, addressing the £15bn growth capital gap and recommending policy solutions for UK scaleup financing.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored 'The Future of Growth Capital' report analyzing growth capital gaps and recommending five practical recommendations including National Blueprint for Growth and expansion of British Business Bank.
• BarclayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner collaborating on ScaleUp Index research, Social Scaleups report, and ScaleUps Debt Finance Journey report. Also established Angel hubs partnership with UKBAA.
• BeauhurstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for ScaleUp Index series, providing data on visible scaleups large enough to be declaring turnover and employee numbers in filed annual accounts at Companies House.
• Evening StandardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership for ScaleUp Standard bi-weekly newsletter, providing news and insights about the scaleup agenda to Evening Standard readership.
• Scottish National Investment BankregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly published 'Scaling Up Scotland' report with ScaleUp Institute setting out scaleup landscape in Scotland, strengths, weaknesses and potential for growth.
• BVA BDRCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts market research surveys on behalf of ScaleUp Institute, collecting data from scaleup businesses for annual reviews and specialized indices.
• UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade body for angel and early-stage investing partnering with Barclays to establish Angel hubs, giving entrepreneurs access to mentorship and guidance around funding topics.
• National Mentoring DaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Chelsey Baker, represented on National Business Mentoring Council. Platform to promote the impact of mentoring and access to mentoring options across the UK.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Be The Business: UK non-profit focused on boosting business productivity through mentoring and best-practice sharing. Closely aligned mission with ScaleUp Institute in supporting high-growth UK businesses and serving on the National Business Mentoring Council.
• Enterprise Nation: UK small business support platform delivering mentoring (Help to Grow: Management) and resources. Co-represents the small business support community alongside ScaleUp Institute on the National Business Mentoring Council.

Broad incumbents

• British Business Bank: UK government-backed economic development bank that finances scaleups. Operates in the same scaleup support ecosystem, directly referenced in the Institute's 'Future of Growth Capital' report as the institution to expand.
• Innovate UK: UK government innovation agency funding and supporting innovative businesses. A larger, well-resourced player in the same scaleup support space with overlapping grantmaking and policy influence.
• Confederation of British Industry (CBI): UK's premier business membership and advocacy organization. Operates at a broader scale than ScaleUp Institute but shares the policy advocacy function representing business interests to government.

Emerging players

• Beauhurst: UK data provider tracking high-growth companies from Companies House filings. Provides the data backbone for ScaleUp Institute's ScaleUp Index series, making it both a partner and a natural functional peer in scaleup data analytics.
• Startup Genome: Global research organization producing ecosystem reports for startup and scaleup communities. Comparable in producing flagship research reports and indices tracking high-growth businesses, though at a global rather than national level.

Regional players

• Scottish Chambers of Commerce: Scotland's principal business membership network supporting SME and scaleup growth. A regional peer with comparable mission, sits on the National Business Mentoring Council alongside ScaleUp Institute.

Others

• UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA): UK trade body for angel and early-stage investing. Comparable ecosystem role in connecting scaleups with growth capital and partnering with Barclays on Angel hubs alongside the ScaleUp Institute.
• Barclays Eagle Labs: Barclays' scaleup incubator and accelerator network supporting UK high-growth businesses. Overlaps with the Institute's scaleup support focus and is delivered through a key ScaleUp Institute corporate partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scale-up-institute
• Xx.com/scaleupinst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzJdXr5VImKHY9eSsGvP8wQ

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ScaleUp Institute