Three in four new Scottish businesses still trading a year on, Business Gateway report finds
Almost three quarters (73%) of new businesses launched with support from Business Gateway are still trading a year after launch, a new report has found.
The annual Impact Report from Business Gateway, Scotland’s free business support organisation, also revealed a record number of new start-ups, with 7,251 businesses receiving support from them in 2025-26, a 6.5% increase on the 6,810 supported the previous year.
Over half (52%) of start-ups supported were women-led, almost a third (30%) came from rural areas, and nearly one in five (18.8%) were based in disadvantaged communities, underlining the national reach of the service.
The service also plays a central role in delivering on Scottish government’s ambitions around fair, green economic growth. The organisation’s work is guided by the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET), with support spanning sectors experiencing notable growth including renewable energy, technology, tourism and food and drink.
Demand for that support continues to grow, with the service handling more than 30,000 enquiries in the last year and attracting almost half a million visits (491,731) to the Business Gateway website. Business Gateway supported more than 52,000 customers in the last year including 23,488 existing businesses and 25,550 individuals in the pre-start-up stage.
Councillor Gail Macgregor, chair of the Business Gateway Board and COSLA Environment & Economy spokesperson said: “The fact that three in four businesses we support are still trading a year later is what we’re most proud of. Start-up numbers are important, but it’s the businesses that sustain and grow that make a real difference to Scottish communities and local economies.
“We supported more than 7,000 new businesses across Scotland in the last year, and importantly that support is reaching every corner of the country, from cities to our most remote rural communities.
“Being a business owner in the current climate is not easy, but these figures demonstrate Scotland’s resilience and the very real difference that accessible, free business support delivered in our communities can make.”
Business Gateway is Scotland’s national free business support organisation. Run by local authorities, it plays a crucial role in supporting local economic development and community wealth building by helping businesses start and create jobs. Over the past five years, Business Gateway has helped over 200,000 businesses and individuals.