Which City has the Most Healthtech Companies?

These are the biggest UK healthtech hubs outside of London

With the UK at the centre of Europe’s recent healthtech upsurge, there has never been a more profitable time to develop healthcare technology in Britain. In fact, the continent’s 12 best-funded research institutions are all based in this country.

The UK’s insatiable appetite for healthtech innovations is not just limited to London’s exclusive tech scene, either. From Manchester’s Citylabs campus  to Melbourn Science Park in Cambridgeshire, healthtech companies all across the country are working hard to improve our nation’s healthcare system.

But which city outside of the capital takes the title of biggest healthtech hub in the UK? Where will new businesses find the biggest healthtech buzz and, in turn, which location is best suited to growing your company in the industry?

Cambridge leads the way for healthtech development in the UK

No doubt due to their university research affiliations, Cambridge is the biggest healthtech hub outside of London, with Oxford coming up a close second.

Both historic university cities are a fertile breeding ground for tech start-ups founded by enthusiastic alumni, who use the state-of-the-art facilities and a steady supply of like-minded individuals to get their technology off the ground. 

It’s not just healthtech start-ups that find success in Oxbridge. Many veteran companies, including some of the UK’s biggest healthtech institutions, are also headquartered in Cambridge and Oxford, spearheading the sector’s most exciting innovations and employing hundreds of healthcare technology professionals.

Where there are major universities, healthtech funding follows

While Oxbridge towns are undoubtedly leading areas for healthtech (on average, Oxford and Cambridge companies raise £76 million in funds for research and development), there are still plenty of opportunities in areas with Russell Group universities. 

Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester are among the top ten best-funded healthtech areas in the country, highlighting the advantage of starting a healthtech company near a major university.

Even those without a university association, historical towns are well-funded by the healthtech industry, too. Chesham, High Wycombe and Worthing all eclipse £20 million in average funds, likely due to foreign investors seeking idyllic locations outside of the capital. 

Manchester and Leeds are the healthtech kings of the north

In the north, Manchester and Leeds are the bastions of healthtech in the North West and Yorkshire, respectively. 

Both cities are growing at extraordinary rates, providing an increasingly attractive proposition to exciting start-ups and established larger companies. In Manchester, for example, Push Doctor and Malinko are on track to cement the city as a critical location for healthtech start-ups, following the success of industry veterans like QIAGEN.

There are similar healthtech developments in Leeds, too. Not only is NHS Digital, the huge technology partner to the health and social care system, based in the Yorkshire city, but innovative start-ups, such as Shift.ms and DigiBete, are also laying down roots to grow.

Healthtech hubs are more diverse than you might think

From the North East across to Northern Ireland and down to the South East, each of the UK’s 12 regions is taking a slice of the healthtech pie, albeit in unequal portions.

The South East is the most heavily funded across the country, due largely to the University of Oxford and the capital city both being situated close by. That said, there are still surprising pockets of funding to be found further away from London. 

For example, Scotland is the third best-funded region in the UK after Yorkshire and the North West, posing themselves as a potential rival to Oxbridge’s monopoly on the sector. 

Whether you are a healthtech start-up or are looking to expand your healthcare business, Bruntwood SciTech provides the  facilities and support you need to succeed. Find your nearest  location with us today.