GreenFin Research
Sustainable financial growth for cleantech and nature positive
The growth of Green Finance
Access to finance for start-ups and SMEs, particularly those who are involved in the cleantech and nature positive biodiversity nature-tech sectors is increasing. This is due to the emphasis on environmental protection and renewal within UN Sustainable Development Goals and the drive to meet the twin aims of Climate and Biodiversity for a more sustainable society and planet.
About us
Established within Middlesex University (MU) Business School, GreenFin brings together a powerful coalition of leading researchers from business, management and finance, biodiversity and natural sciences and computer sciences technology disciplines. Our network is broadened by inter-disciplinary ties to entrepreneurial finance and sustainability across MDX Faculties.
Our Research
Our goal is to combine high-quality research and develop cutting edge insights to enhance understanding of green and sustainable financing processes and their impacts.
Our work includes major contributions to the ESRC-funded Centre for Understanding Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP). We have undertaken multiple government evaluations for UK and international Government Departments, including the UK Department for Business and Trade, Republic of Ireland Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Innovate UK and British Business Bank. We have also delivered high-level grant reports, written high impact journal articles and steered the publication of major journal special issues.
Current projects include:
- SME Nature Positive Finance (2023-2026) Client - Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- MDX SME Nature Positive Accelerator (2024-25) Client - Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Innovate UK
Recently completed projects
- 2024 Study of English SME’s Access to Green Debt Finance, MDX RFF project
- 2023-24 Evaluation of Early Equity and Scaleup Finance in Republic of Ireland. Report for DETE and Enterprise Ireland
- 2023 Demand for external finance by environmentally-motivated SMEs: An exploration of geographical disparities and potential in relation to Net Zero. London. Grant report to the UK Enterprise Research Centre (ERC)
- 2023 Sustainable SME Freight and Logistics, MDX HEIF project
- 2022 SME Financing for Biodiversity: Building Nature Measurement and Impacts into SME Financing (‘SME FinBio’) Client - Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) & Finance for Biodiversity (F4B)
- 2021 UKEFF Cleantech finance toolkit project
- 2021 Green Finance for Building Back Better conference
- 2020 Redefining SME Productivity Measurement and Assessment for a Low Carbon Economy. Client – ESRC Productivity Insights Network (PIN)
- 2018-2019 An econometric analysis of public support for innovation on business outcomes, for BEIS
- 2018-2020 Evaluation of the Investment Accelerator Programme for Innovate UK (UKRI)
- 2018-2021 National Evaluation of the English European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) for MHCLG
- 2018-2022 Early Assessment and Interim Evaluation of Regional Investment Funds, for British Business Bank
- 2017-2022 Early Assessment and Interim Evaluations of Loan Pilots Scheme, for Innovate UK
- 2020 project on development of sustainability reporting model (a self-evaluation tool for corporates), in collaboration with committee of business responsibility reporting of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (Report)
Postgraduate Research
GreenFin welcomes applications for PhD and DProf study on any aspect of green finance and sustainable financing – particularly in relation to sustainable financial growth and access to finance for start-ups and SMEs involved in the cleantech and nature positive biodiversity nature-tech sectors.
PhD Students
- Shan Wang - The effectiveness of Social Investment Tax Relief in helping social enterprises' in raising finances during the start-up stage.
- Nia Nejatali - Sustainable asset management in the built environment.
- Giannis Mylopoulos - The key role of venture studio model. Positioning the genesis of SSPVC model, an impactful venture metric assessment methodology. A critical perspective through European venture studio approach leading to innovative performance. Supervised by Dr Yannis Pierrakis with Prof Owen, Advisory PhD supervisor role University of Catalonia.
Postgraduate Teaching/CPD
Business and Enterprise for Sustainable Prosperity as part of MSc Sustainable & Environmental Management.
Our partners
Central to the work of GreenFin is close collaboration with a wide range of partner organisations to generate impactful research.
- Belmana Analysis for Policy
- Granem Groupe de Recherche ANgevin en Économie et Management
- University of Waikato
- University College Cork
- Dublin City University
- University College Dublin
- University of Catalonia
- Birmingham City University
- SQW Research
- NERC IFB Programme 12 UK University-led Research Projects
- Kingston University
- University of East London
- Enterprise Research Centre, Warwick Business School
- London West innovation Network
- London Councils
- Norwich Business Improvement District
- The Great Collaboration East Anglia Pilot
- Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Events
Forthcoming events 2025
- MDX SME Nature Positive Finance Green Accelerator Bootcamp start event, 16 January, 2025
- GreenFin SME Green Finance International Symposium, 4-5 February, 2025. For details contact [email protected] or [email protected]
- MDX NP SME Accelerator Pitching Event, Central London, May 2025
- MDX GreenFin and Birmingham City University annual conference, June 2025
Our Staff
GreenFin Leads
Professor Robyn Owen
Professor of Entrepreneurial Finance
Dr Sylvia Gottschalk
Senior Lecturer in Economics
Cluster Staff
Professor George Dafoulas
Professor of Information Systems & Business Computing
Dr Amy Burnett
Research Fellow in Sustainable & Inclusive Enterprise
Dr Patrick Elf
Associate Professor in Sustainable Business
Dr Ignatius Ekanem
Senior Lecturer in Business and Management
Dougal Fleming
Consultant at Green Business Team
Shan Wang
Senior Lecturer
Dr Joanna Kitching
Pamela Macaulay
Administrator
Keep in touch
If you'd like to learn more about our research, academic staff or publications, please contact us:
- Dr Robyn Owen, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurial Finance
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07801970715 - Dr Sylvia Gottschalk, Senior Lecturer in Economics
Email: [email protected] - Pamela Macaulay, CEEDR administrator
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 8411 5460
Social Media Handles
Address
CEEDR
Middlesex University Business School
The Burroughs
Hendon
London NW4 4BT
United Kingdom
fax: (+44) (0) 20 8411 6607