How we've helped Hiyield

Embarking on the Employee Ownership journey 

Cornwall is home to a growing number of Employee Ownership (EO) businesses - a structure where employees hold a meaningful stake in how a company is run.  

EO is becoming increasingly seen not only as an effective succession‑planning tool, but also as an attractive proposition for recruitment, retention, and team development. 

One of the latest businesses to complete its transition to majority employee-owned is Truro‑based digital product studio Hiyield. Founded in 2018 by Matt Ville, Ben Short and Mike Roberts, Hiyield develops sustainable websites and web applications. The business now employs 25 people across Cornwall and the wider UK, with satellite offices in Bristol and London.

A Strategic Shift 

In 2025, the company became 80% employee‑owned through the creation of an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). This shift means every team member shares in the company’s success, and key decisions are made with the interests of the whole organisation in mind. 

Matt explains: “Employee ownership has always been on the agenda at Hiyield. Ben and I come from a start-up background—start-ups are usually exit‑focused, and finding an exit strategy for a service business is really difficult. When we explored our options, an EOT came through as the strongest route.” 

Hiyield’s evolution has also shaped its path to EO. “We’re all techies,” Matt says, “so in the early days we were focused purely on digital delivery. Over the years we’ve built a more holistic organisation, with designers, product managers and two development teams.” 

The journey to EO can be complex, but Hiyield’s transition was supported by legal firm Stephens Scown and EO Go. The company’s existing processes—developed as part of achieving B Corp Certification—also helped lay the cultural foundations for employee ownership. 

Impact 

Co‑founder Ben Short highlights greater team engagement as one of the most significant early benefits. One of the first ideas raised through the Employee Forum is an increase in employer pension contributions, something the business is actively exploring. 

“Employee ownership has been of interest for years, but now we’ve made it happen,” Ben says. “Our team feels valued, listened to and genuinely involved in shaping the future.” 

Advice for Future EOs 

Matt adds: “As a founder, the hardest part was embracing more structure. An EOT needs clear processes. As part of the transition, we expanded our leadership team to empower the new owners to make decisions. It’s a team effort—EO allowed us to plan an exit while bringing the whole team on the journey.” 

Are you curious about Employee Ownership? Check out our webinar