When you think of Manchester, what comes to mind?
Maybe it’s Football teams, Oasis or its Shopping scene, but more recently the city is paving the way for technology and innovation. A 2018 Deloitte report saw Manchester amassing more construction in the past year than Los Angeles and Chicago.
With lower property prices, world class universities and a thriving technology scene boasting over 7,500 tech companies, it’s no wonder why Manchester has earned its place as the largest digital hub outside of London.
As Manchester continues to boast over 65,000 jobs in digital and technology, more companies are tapping into the cities talent. Key players such as AutoTrader and The Hut Group have seen immense success by choosing Manchester as their headquarters.
It’s not just the city centre that’s booming either, formerly one of the busiest ports in the country, Salford Quays has undergone a transformation from faded glory to digital hotspot. Especially from the advent of MediaCityUK which is home to over 200 businesses, from ITV to Kelloggs.
An international hub for technology, innovation and creativity.
Technology giants such as Amazon are now seeking to expand their reach even further by opening a northern office in Manchester, creating 600 research roles. Not only has Manchester seen a rise in multinational companies creating new offices, it is also home to some massive UK success stories.
Now operating worldwide, Manchester based company PrettyLittleThing opened their doors in 2012. Although a fashion retailer, technology is still at the heart of their business with many employees consisting of DevOps Engineers, Software Developers (especially Magento) and Infrastructure Engineers. The smooth operations behind the company has led them to becoming the fastest growing fashion brand on the web, with a revenue of £300 million.
So what’s next for Manchester? Does the city have what it takes to rival London as the great UK technology hub?
