About Oxford Innovation | Helping Places To Thrive

UK Budget 2025: Will it Help SMEs?

On Wednesday, 26 November 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her much anticipated budget statement. What were the key measures announced and what impact will they have on SMEs across the UK?

How incubation spaces power local economic growth

In the last 25 years, there have been some fundamental shifts in the attitudes to incubation space and the UK’s innovation ecosystem. There is now growing recognition of the role that innovation centres play in regeneration and economic development.

Exploring the gender funding gap: Insights from female angel investors

Women are a minority among angel investors, representing just 14 per cent of the 36,800 in the UK, according to data from the UK Business Angels Association. But what are the reasons and remedies for this imbalance? And why does it matter?

The innovations from SMEs that are helping to create a greener world

Many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are playing an important role in developing important solutions to global environmental challenges such as energy consumption, carbon emissions, pollution, waste and sustainability.

Exploring the gender funding gap: Investment in female-led businesses

Across the UK, it is compellingly the case that not enough capital flows into female-led businesses compared with male-led businesses. There is clearly a gender gap in terms of venture or early stage investment.

The angel investment landscape and the Labour government

With the current economic climate in the UK and the new Chancellor’s first budget announcement in October, the investment landscape has become more challenging both for investors and early-stage businesses seeking funds.