Family Business Research Foundation

What Family Business Research Foundation does

The Family Business Research Foundation (FBRF) is a UK registered charity (Charity Number 1134085), headquartered in London, which conducts and publishes independent research on the UK's family-business sector. Founded in 2009, it produces reports, briefings and guidance that are made available free of charge to family firms, policymakers, advisors and the wider research community. The foundation is led by Sir Michael Bibby (Chairman) and Martin Kemp (Head of Research), and operates with a small staff base of 1-10 employees.

Name

Family Business Research Foundation

Legal name

Family Business Research Foundation

Website

https://fbrf.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Family Business Research Foundation is a UK registered charity that conducts and publishes independent research on UK family businesses, producing reports, briefings, guidance and conferences free of charge to family firms, policymakers, advisors and academic partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHALAE

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom)

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Research, Analytics & Expert Services

Keywords

• Family business research
• Charity publications
• Policy research
• Sector economic reports
• Research briefings

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable funding: The Foundation is an independent, registered UK Charity funded by donations from individuals, companies, benefactors, trusts, and grant-making bodies to support the charity's research activities.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Family Business Research Foundation (FBRF) is a UK registered charity (Charity Number: 1134085) that conducts and disseminates evidence-based research on UK family businesses. It produces reports, briefings, guidance, and a flagship annual State of the Nation report on the economic contribution, governance, and challenges of the UK family business sector, and organises research conferences. All publications are provided free of charge on an open-source basis to government, family businesses, advisers, academics, and researchers.

Product overview

The Family Business Research Foundation operates as a knowledge and research organization rather than a commercial product company. Its offerings consist of freely available publications and services including: Research Reports (comprehensive economic and sector analyses), Research Briefings (policy-focused summaries), the Research Framework (an integrated conceptual model for understanding family business effects), the Challenge Guide Series (evidence-based guidance on governance, succession, and management), News & Insights (commentary and articles), Events & Conferences (annual research conferences), the State of the Nation Report (annual flagship economic contribution study), the developing UK Family Business Index (AI-powered demographic measurement), and curated partner content from WIFU. These publications and services are provided free of charge to support evidence-based decision-making by government, academics, practitioners, and family businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Reports Comprehensive reports and research papers covering family business topics including economic impact, governance, ESG, tax contribution, and sector analysis. Published freely available to policymakers, academics, and practitioners.
• Research Briefings Shorter policy-focused summaries distilling key findings from research reports, designed for time-constrained decision-makers and practitioners.
• Challenge Guide Series Evidence-based guidance series covering main challenges in family-business practice and decision-making, including governance, management, succession, and business dynamics. Includes 20+ guides available for download.
• State of the Nation Report Annual flagship report series examining the size, structure, and economic contribution of family businesses in the UK. Produced in partnership with Cebr, providing estimates of turnover, GVA, employment, and tax contribution.
• FBRF Research Framework An integrated framework grouping effects of family ownership into six domains: internal business effects, economic effects, social and community impact, family dynamics, stakeholder/institutional effects, and integrated effects.
• Events & Conferences Annual and periodic conferences bringing together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and family business owners to discuss current themes and challenges in the family business field.
• Business Property Relief Research Targeted research analysing the use of Business Property Relief (BPR) across UK estates and examining the background and reaction to October 2024 reforms. Designed for policymakers, advisers, and business-owning families.
• Family SMEs Analysis Statistical updates using Longitudinal Small Business Survey data to track trends in family ownership, performance and challenges across UK sectors, size bands, and nations.
• Total Tax Contribution of UK Family Businesses Report Research report on the total tax contribution of UK family businesses, conducted in collaboration with PwC. Estimates the contribution to UK public finances and the share of government receipts.
• WIFU Research & Guidance Curated selection of research studies and practical guides from WIFU (Witten Institute for Family Business) at Witten/Herdecke University, Germany, covering succession, ownership, next generation development, and sustainability.
• Management and Wellbeing Practices Working Paper Working paper drawing on UK Government's Management and Wellbeing Practices Survey analysing around 1,700 private-sector workplaces comparing family and non-family employers on flexible working, employee voice, and wellbeing practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93.2% of UK private sector businesses are family businesses (5.13 million businesses)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Lancaster UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026FBRF commissioned Lancaster University and the Università G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara to assess the social effects of family mid-sized businesses. Research examines the unique social role of UK mid-sized family businesses (MSBs), focusing on their integration into local communities and community resilience.
• University of YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with York University to establish a Centre of Excellence on Family Business. This will allow FBRF to continue expanding its research output and focus on in-depth, long-term research on family businesses and their impact on the economy and society. Meetings have started with stakeholders on the future of the Centre.
• Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBRF partnered with Cebr to deliver the Family Business Sector Report series. The most recent report (2025) estimated UK family firms generate around £2.8 trillion in turnover, £985 billion in GVA, and support 15.8 million jobs. Cebr is also conducting a study into the impact of Business Property Relief reforms.
• PwCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with PwC on tax contribution studies. Joint research estimated that UK family businesses contributed £225 billion to UK public finances in 2021 (27% of government receipts). FBRF and PwC also organized a panel discussion on findings.
• WIFU Foundation (Witten Institute for Family Business)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with WIFU Foundation to share family business research and guidance. WIFU is one of Europe's leading centres for family business research at Witten/Herdecke University in Germany. Selected research studies and practical guides are now available through FBRF website.
• University of York (Conference partnership)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBRF and University of York are working in partnership for a conference on 15 September 2026 at The Guildhall, York, with James Reed (Reed family of companies) as keynote speaker.
• Lancaster University Management School Centre for Family BusinesssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Lancaster University Management School's Centre for Family Business for the 2024 annual research conference on 'Thriving in challenging times: how family businesses navigate crisis, complexity, and uncertainty'.
• Pentland Centre for Sustainability in BusinesssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business for the 2024 annual research conference.
• Enterprise Research Centre (ERC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual collaboration with ERC (Aston Business School and Warwick Business School) for the New Frontiers in Family Business Research Conference. ERC Director Stephen Roper participates in joint research activities and data initiatives.
• Università G. d'Annunzio Chieti-PescaracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian university partner collaborating with Lancaster University on the 'Britain's Hidden Champions' research project examining social effects of family mid-sized businesses.
• Cranfield School of ManagementsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Cranfield to produce evidence-based guidance (#20 in the Challenges Guide series) on succession to non-family leadership in family firms, including a case study on Bettys & Taylors Group.
• University of LeicestersecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBRF collaborating with University of Leicester (led by Professor Mat Hughes) along with Loughborough and Lancaster universities on new research into ESG in family firms, including reviewing evidence base and surveying existing guidance.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IMD Global Center for Family Business: Family business research and executive education centre at IMD Business School, Switzerland. Produces rigorous academic and practitioner research on family enterprise governance and succession — directly comparable to university-affiliated research output FBRF pursues through York and Lancaster partnerships.
• Family Firm Institute (FFI): Global, US-headquartered non-profit association advancing knowledge and practice of family enterprise. Closest direct peer: produces research, education, and certification for family business advisors, overlapping FBRF's mission at an international scale.
• European Family Businesses (EFB): EU-level federation representing family businesses across Europe, conducting advocacy and research on family firm economic contribution. Comparable to FBRF in sector-research and policy-advocacy mission, though at EU rather than UK scope.
• WIFU Foundation (Witten Institute for Family Business): Leading European family business research institute at Witten/Herdecke University, Germany. Already an FBRF partner; produces overlapping research on family business governance, succession, and ownership. Directly comparable in mission, format (academic-affiliated foundation), and output.

Broad incumbents

• Deloitte Private / Family Business Advisory: Big 4 practice serving privately-held and family-owned businesses with advisory services and periodic research output. Competes for the same UK family business audience with commercial offerings FBRF does not monetize.
• STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners): Global professional association for advisors working with families on succession, trusts, and estates. Adjacent in audience (family business owners and advisors) and topic area (succession, governance), though focused on professional credentialing rather than research.
• PwC UK Family Business Services: Big 4 firm producing tax and economic research on UK family businesses, including the Total Tax Contribution study co-produced with FBRF. Overlaps on family business research output while offering fee-based advisory services FBRF does not.

Regional players

• Asian Family Business Research Network: Regional research network for family business studies across Asian economies. Comparable in mission and output type but geographically distinct; represents the kind of regional peer FBRF could partner with to extend beyond UK scope.

Others

• Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr): UK economics consultancy that produces the State of the Nation report in partnership with FBRF. Acts as an enabler/research partner rather than competitor, providing macroeconomic modelling expertise that FBRF's small team could not deliver independently.

Emerging players

• Lancaster University Centre for Family Business: UK university research centre producing academic studies on family business succession and governance. Already an FBRF partner; represents a partial-overlap academic peer that simultaneously collaborates with and competes for the same UK family business research agenda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfd2dgIjYKpfJ8AVtkHxZzw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/family-business-research-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Family Business Research Foundation