London tops list of EMEA’s biggest tech clusters

London is home to the biggest technology cluster in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, according to new data.

Research released today (September 5) by real estate advisory firm CBRE put the UK capital at the top in a ranking of EMEA’s largest tech hubs.

The report, EMEA Tech Cities: Opportunities in Technology Hotspots, analysed each city’s level, concentration and growth of tech sector employment.

The ranking with London at the top covered capitals and business centres with over 70,000 people employed in the tech sector.

London’s overall employment in information and communications technology (ICT) sector has risen 20% in the last 10 years, CBRE said. Its proportion of ICT employment is almost 2.5 times the average seen in EU cities.

London was also found to have a strong sub-sector mix, with no single activity dominating the picture.

The head of London research at CBRE, Kevin McCauley, said: “It is no surprise that London has topped the EMEA tech ranking.

“London’s tech credentials enable it to outshine its peers, with both large and small tech occupiers expanding and looking to secure space in the city.”

No other UK cities featured on the list, which put Madrid in second place, Dublin third and Budapest fourth.