LEP targeting tech firms at global summit

The benefits of locating in Leeds City Region will be showcased at the Global Expansion Summit from 18-20th June in London, an annual event that brings together delegates from over 60 countries.

Adam Breeze, a leading inward investment consultant who has conducted research into companies considering locating in the UK, is confident that the opportunities for UK investment lie in targeting less well known international tech businesses, commenting:

“While the tech giants like Google and Apple get the headlines, it’s the smaller fast-growing globally ambitious firms which are going under the radar (…) these start ups may not be household names, but they are the next big things and they are choosing to expand into the UK.”

Kersten England, Chief Executive of Bradford Council and lead for the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) business, innovation and growth panel said:

“Research shows that over 500 global tech firms are actively planning to locate in the UK. We will be at this event to make the case to those decision makers and influencers that Leeds City Region can fulfil their expansion needs. Our region offers something different and distinctive. We’ve a great story to tell. In Fintech and wider digital sectors, we are seeing a trend towards north-shoring. Many companies are leaving London to set up offices here where talent is in abundance - we have the largest concentration of STEAM graduates in the UK - office space is more affordable and quality of life is first rate. This fact was strengthened when US-owned digital sports content pioneer, Perform Group, chose to expand in Leeds following an international search.”

Fintech is one of the major growth sectors for Leeds City Region, which is recognised as a centre of excellence for both finance (as the UK’s second centre for banking) and technology.

These conditions for growth have evolved into a large number of companies locating in the region and playing a pioneering role in innovative Fintech solutions, including Panintelligence, Contis, Nostrum Group and unicorn Anaplan. This is complemented by strong capabilities in areas of payment processing, data analytics and cyber security; with firms such as BJSS, TSYS and AIM-listed ECSC.