North West named top UK business hub

Perceptions of the North West are evolving quickly. Increasingly, founders are not viewing the region as simply a lower-cost alternative to London, but as a strategic location in its own right for building and scaling ambitious businesses. In fact for the first time ever, more Londoners are moving to Manchester to pursue careers than the other way round, reflecting a broader shift in sentiment as the city gains national prominence - now even ranked as the UK’s most desirable place to live, surpassing London in a nationwide survey². With strong appeal among younger generations and a growing belief that it could rival the capital itself, Manchester’s rise is not just economic, but cultural and aspirational too.

The region combines access to world-class universities, with a growing network of experienced operators, investors and entrepreneurs who are choosing to build their careers outside the capital. Alongside this, businesses are often able to scale more sustainably, benefiting from lower operational costs, strong talent retention and access to high-quality infrastructure without some of the pressures associated with London.

What I hear increasingly from founders is that the North West offers something many businesses are actively looking for: a balance between ambition and sustainability, with access to talent, investment and connectivity within a collaborative ecosystem designed to support long-term growth.

The North West’s international connectivity is also becoming an increasingly important part of its appeal. With Manchester Airport providing direct access to major global markets and Liverpool’s longstanding strengths in trade and logistics, the region is well positioned to support businesses with international ambitions from the outset.

That global outlook is reflected in the types of businesses emerging across the region, with many founders now building companies designed to scale internationally from day one rather than focusing solely on domestic growth. At the same time, the North West continues to attract growing levels of overseas investment, with global technology firms expanding their presence across Manchester and international investors increasingly recognising the strength of the region’s talent, universities and innovation ecosystem.

Together, these factors are helping to position the North West not only as a strong regional economy, but as an internationally connected business environment capable of supporting globally relevant businesses.

One of the most encouraging insights within the ONS data is not simply the volume of new businesses being created across the North West, but what that activity says about confidence in the region’s future.

Launching a business in the current environment is far from straightforward. Founders continue to navigate inflationary pressures, geopolitical uncertainty and rapidly evolving customer expectations. Yet despite those challenges, thousands of entrepreneurs across the region are still choosing to start and scale businesses, reflecting a strong sense of optimism around the opportunities the North West can offer.

There is a growing sense that the region is entering a new phase of economic maturity, with innovation, entrepreneurship and investment increasingly becoming central to the North West’s identity and long-term growth story.