Read key takeaways from the BEIS UK Innovation Survey – and expert analysis from the team at the CBI.
To boost UK productivity and growth we know we need to get more businesses innovating. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s (BEIS) UK Innovation Survey published last month provides a snapshot of how we’re doing, with data on business innovation from 2018-20, cross-referenced with previous surveys since 2014. It also gives insight into businesses’ drivers and barriers for innovation, offering a steer on where government and businesses can do more to ensure innovation levels continue to increase.
Headline statistics
- 45% of UK businesses were innovation-active in 2018-20 (engaged in product, process or business model innovation), a 7% increase from the previous survey but still well below a peak of 53% in 2012-14.
- 58% large businesses were innovation-active in 2018-20 compared to 44% of SMEs.
Partnership
Partnerships are key facilitators of innovation, allowing businesses to share ideas and expertise, and access skills, facilities and resources not available internally.
- 58% of broader innovator businesses reported having co-o