30/10/2026
Calling All Sole Traders, Small Businesses, and Entrepreneurs
You are invited to help shape the future of enterprise support at Nottingham Trent University.
Who is leading the research?
The study is being led by Errol Hemans, senior lecturer in Management and Entrepreneurship and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) researcher at Nottingham Business School, part of Nottingham Trent University.
“We’re collecting insights directly from across the region to support the design of more inclusive and accessible enterprise provision. Both positive experiences and critical perspectives are essential, and responses will directly contribute to strengthening enterprise and entrepreneurship support, ensuring it remains relevant, impactful, and responsive to regional needs.”
Nottingham Trent University is leading the Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Survey 2026. NTU has invested approximately £2.8 million in enterprise and entrepreneurship support over the past three years. During that time, your authority has generally aligned your business support activity with the East Midlands Combined Authorities Growth Hub. Over the last two years your authority has encouraged entrepreneurship through grants, business advice and partnerships with local organisations. Activity has also focused on innovation, sustainability and town-centre vitality.
The research will be investigating the experience, barriers and opportunities of how small business and entrepreneurs have engage with Nottingham Trent University Enterprise and entrepreneurship training, activities and other events. It will seek to identify if we are reaching across sole traders, Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs, and if there are any significant statistical demographic profile within the D2N2 region which needs to be addressed.
What are the benefits to your authority and constituents?
• This research has the potential to answer the phenomena of why some small businesses and entrepreneurs are not accessing current start-up and growth support programmes across the D2N2 Region,
• Explain what some of the barriers are preventing engagement from underrepresented communities,
• Suggest proactive solutions as to how enterprise support can be better tailored to the needs of diverse business owners,
• Provide evidence-based research of the experiences of sole traders, Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs, from minority ethnic communities, disabled communities, women-led businesses, migrant entrepreneurs, younger entrepreneurs, and other groups who may face structural, social and economic and barriers,
• Provide tangible evidence of how local business support services can be strengthened to support the Council's wider economic growth ambitions.
To take part in the online survey, click this link:
