Transport and connectivity key to Manchester’s tech hub status, says report

Manchester is already thriving as the home of the UK’s biggest tech cluster outside London, but a new report has highlighted how the city could attract even more firms to its growing tech hub.

Commissioned by property information platform WiredScore, the study found that 73% of technology professionals have confidence in the city’s economy.

Key factors making Manchester an attractive tech hub, according to respondents, include the local talent pool (cited by 69%), industrial heritage (65%) and its commercial real estate prices (58%).

Similarly, 77% of tech workers say the city’s transport links make it an attractive place to live and work.

Despite the confident outlook however, almost two fifths (38%) of those who responded think improved internet connectivity would make Manchester more attractive for UK-based tech businesses.

Further, around 10% of those surveyed think poor connectivity could harm Manchester’s reputation by discouraging entrepreneurship, while 10% also claimed that the city’s current connectivity levels offer a poor impression to prospective investors.

The importance of co-working as a way of slashing costs and improving efficiency was also identified in the research, with 23% saying they want to see more shared office space available to businesses and entrepreneurs.

The report has been released to coincide with WiredScore’s Manchester launch, its first expansion in the UK outside London.

Manchester City Council chief exec Sir Howard Bernstein said: “Over the past 40 years, I’ve witnessed a dramatic change in Manchester’s local economy – but today, the city is on the verge of assuming its potential as a global leader in the digital economy.

“To achieve this, both the public and private sector must work together to ensure that every Mancunian business has the opportunity and resources to reach its potential – and connectivity has undoubtedly become a crucial element of this.”

He continued: “That’s why I am delighted that WiredScore is now supporting Manchester’s property community in improving its underlying connectivity infrastructure to enable future business growth.”

WiredScore’s UK director, William Newton, commented: “Manchester has long been a hub of innovation in this country, and has gone from being the heart of industrial revolution, to a centre of Britain’s digital evolution. However, and certainly post-Brexit, no British city can rest on its laurels and must continuously look to future growth.

“It is essential that developers and landlords in Manchester consider the ever-more important role of technology in business – both for tech companies and otherwise - and provide the connectivity that meets the current and future needs of their occupiers.”

He added: “With its vast talent pool and thriving tech community, Manchester has the potential to be a leading global capital of technology if it can demonstrate it’s a future-proofed choice for entrepreneurs and investors – at home and from further afield.”

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