The Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) is delighted to announce the three successful recipients of the 2026 Research and Knowledge Exchange (RAKE) Fund.
The RAKE Fund supports innovative, impactful research that advances understanding of small businesses and entrepreneurship while encouraging meaningful knowledge exchange between researchers, policymakers and practitioners.
This year, ISBE introduced a new policy on peer review, ensuring that every RAKE application was submitted to a process involving ISBE Fellows, ISBE Board Members, ECR representatives, the Vice President for Research, and the current President – this helped ensure award selection was as fair and robust as possible. We thank all those involved in the review process for volunteering their time.
Congratulations to this year’s successful projects:
Resilient and Regenerative Strategies Among Minority-Owned Small Businesses Knowledge Exchange Pathways to Social Transformation and Community Resilience in North-East Scotland
Dr Imaobong James & Dr Eleni Kesidou, Robert Gordon University
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Insurance and Entrepreneurial Resilience in UK Food and Beverage SMEs: The Role of Adaptation and Adaptability
Dr David Achtzehn & Dr Sahattaya Achtzehn, Nottingham University Business School
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Resilient Entrepreneurship under Turbulence: Women-led SMEs and Ecosystem Engagement in the West Midlands
Dr Samia Mahmood, University of Wolverhampton
Please click here to see all of the project summaries.
We look forward to following the progress of these exciting projects over the coming year and sharing their findings with the ISBE community.
Congratulations once again to all of our successful RAKE 2026 award holders.