Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the ERC has been delivering independent research to inform policy and practice on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) since 2013. The ERC is now the leading centre of excellence in the UK for research into the growth, innovation and productivity of SMEs and has become the ‘go-to’ reference point for anyone looking for robust, trusted data and insights on SME performance.

Our research covers a range of themes with the core research team being based at Warwick and Aston University Business Schools, howevere we work with a network of researchers based in a range of institutions. Find out more about the team and associates here.

In addition to core funding from the ESRC, the Centre also receives support from the Department for business and Trade (DBT ) , Innovate UK (IUK)the British Business Bank (BBB)and the Intellectual Property Office ( IPO). The ERC also undertakes commissioned work for a range of other organisations.

As well as furthering academic knowledge, the ERC’s work equips policymakers and practitioners with a better understanding of SME growth and provides insights into many topics critical to economic competitiveness. We communicate our research widely to maximise its policy impact.