In recent years, Yorkshire has repositioned itself as one of the United Kingdom’s emerging tech hubs, thanks to the continued investment being pumped into this sector, which helps foster growth and innovation. Yorkshire leaders also remain committed to becoming the UK’s next tech powerhouse.
Let’s dive straight in and take a quick look at Yorkshire’s emerging tech ecosystem, the challenges and opportunities here, key players, the supportive initiatives helping fuel the tech sector’s growth, and more.
Which key factors are helping Yorkshire emerge as a key tech hub in the UK?
Yorkshire is gradually emerging as one of the UK’s hottest new tech hubs thanks to a variety of factors which are helping the tech industry in the region grow year-on-year. Some of the key factors fuelling Yorkshire’s emerging tech ecosystem are the following:
- Continued investment – startups and early-stage tech companies have received equity funding totalling over £100 million over the past few years, which has helped these companies get a foothold in the industry. According to reports, over £200 million in venture capital funding was raised by tech startups in South Yorkshire since 2020
- Deep tech and physical tech startups – there is a strong focus in Yorkshire on deep tech and physical tech startup companies
- Robust research foundation – Yorkshire’s tech scene is fuelled by having a solid research foundation and is home to several world-class research institutions, including the York, Leeds, and Sheffield Russell Group universities
- Skilled workforce – the region is home to a highly skilled workforce filled with countless talented individuals specialising in various key fields of the tech industry
- University spinouts – the top education institutions that specialise in technology courses are also helping to foster growth by creating and maturing university spinouts, which focus on areas such as quantum computing, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI)
Other key tech areas thriving here in Yorkshire include IT services, data technology, cloud computing, advanced manufacturing, medtech, space tech, game development, software development, and creative industries, to name a few.
The traditional gaming industry and the iGaming industry are also both experiencing record growth in Yorkshire.
For example, on today’s safest iGaming sites with slot games and cutting-edge live dealer games from various award-winning software providers, people in Yorkshire who join these legally permitted sites have a safer digital environment to play their favourite titles.
Key technologies that have helped these two sectors of the digital entertainment industry grow are AI (artificial intelligence), enhanced cybersecurity, safer/faster transactions, better regulatory practices and more of a commitment to safer gambling, cloud computing, live streaming capabilities, faster internet speeds, more capable/powerful devices, faster and more efficient/dynamic/intuitive websites and web browsers, and so on.
What are the key tech companies in Yorkshire?
Some of the most notable tech companies that are currently thriving in Yorkshire’s hospitable ecosystem are IBM, Cognizant, KowBe4, Mastek, Pexa, Hippodigital, Crisp, and Panintelligence.
Other major tech companies that are either headquartered in Yorkshire or have a presence here are Apple, Cisco, Microsoft, Google, and Thomson Reuters.
That’s not forgetting to mention Isotoma, Adsilico, Aegiq, BOW, The Spot Media Group, Netsells, BJSS, XR Games, EMIS Group, CloudCoCo, and Softcat, to name just a few. Many of these companies have offices in Leeds.
Final thoughts
Although Yorkshire’s tech industry continues to show impressive signs of growth each year, the region still faces many economic challenges, such as securing new investments, particularly early-stage funding.
However, many experts who follow the industry closely say that Yorkshire is poised to become a leading UK tech hub and will achieve long-term success, provided it continues to be fuelled by its strong research foundation, even more investment, a willingness to embrace the latest industry trends and the continued adoption of the latest technologies.
Yorkshire is also home to several other emerging tech hubs, such as Harrogate, Bradford, Doncaster, and Middlesbrough, which are currently in the process of developing strong tech ecosystems.
