The annual Start-up Cities Index 2017 has been published, identifying the 25 best cities to start and grow a business outside of London, and Hull features in the list. The list is published by the business magazine startups.co.uk.

Running since 2014, the Start-up Cities Index is compiled by Startups.co.uk and uses official government data and industry statistics to create a picture of the thriving start-up hubs across the UK.

the index uses data including average commercial rents, the number of domicile and student graduates in each city, start-up births and deaths and much more.

The list describes Hull as “an excellent location for overseas trade with an extremely low cost of living, this Humberside City of Culture make your start-up soar. Amongst the busiest port cities in Europe, offering excellent export opportunities with the continent through its low-cost ferry links. The city is also a hotbed for green and renewable energy, with plans to build a waste-to-energy centre currently underway”

It goes on to describe the Humber estuary’s enormous Enterprise Zones. The Humber Renewable Energy Super Cluster Enterprise Zone, together with the nearby Green Port Corridor Enterprise Zone, have a long pedigree in green engineering and energy businesses. The Zones hope to attract more businesses to both banks of the river, both large and small, and offer a range of benefits to businesses wishing to locate there, including enhanced capital allowances, discounted business rates (up to £317,548 (€400,000) over five years).

It also highlighted the benefits of Hull’s business accelerator C4Di which which provides support to start-ups and has created partnerships with corporate brands such as Amazon Web Services and PWC.

With an extremely low cost of living, Hull represents an attractive option for low-carbon energy start-ups and digital businesses looking to trade internationally.

The city has seen significant recent investment, such as the Siemens Gamesa factory and the £23m Indivior development laboratory.

If you are interested in starting or relocating a business to the Hull or Humber region then contact the Humber LEP on 01482 485260 or email info@humberlep.org

 
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