The current economic climate is challenging for businesses and individuals, however, difficult times often breed a new wave of entrepreneurs. There has been a steady increase in the number of start-ups and new businesses registered in the UK since the pandemic, despite founders having to navigate through some of the most challenging times. We’ve seen businesses face rising energy and food prices, importing and exporting complexities, government changes and a shrinking workforce. Despite this, it’s fantastic to hear that 5.5 million small or medium-sized businesses were set up in the UK in 2023, representing over 99% of the business population.
Based on these statistics, our team at Wildcat Digital decided to conduct this ranking study to identify the best cities in the UK for new entrepreneurs.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, an entrepreneurial city is a ‘city governed in ways that encourage private sector solutions to urban challenges rather than dependence on central government support through public expenditure.’
As a small business in a thriving city, we support both start-up businesses and household names as they grow. We see first-hand the advantages of being located in a flourishing business hub, which is why we created this report to help others in their entrepreneurial journey.
The rankings study analyses 30 of the UK’s biggest cities (based on population size), comparing data sources related to each city and its “entrepreneurial credentials”. The data was collated, analysed and ranked to reveal the 10 most entrepreneurial cities in the UK.
The factors we used to determine the top 10 are:
Each of these 4 factors was given a score out of 100 (in proportion to the highest-scoring city in that specific category), with 100 being the highest possible score for each factor. The highest total score possible would therefore be 400.
The city of Bradford comes out on top as the most entrepreneurial city in the UK. With a population of around 299,310, Bradford is the fifth-largest metropolitan authority in England. In fact, it is the third largest economy in the Yorkshire and Humber region after Leeds and Sheffield so it’s no wonder it scored so highly during our study.
Barclays Bank SME Growth Factors Index identified Bradford as the best place in Britain to start a business while the Sunday Times voted Bradford as one of the top 20 cities for business growth. Bradford is also set to be named the UK’s next “City of Culture” in 2025, a fantastic achievement for this up-and-coming entrepreneurial hub.
Bradford performed well across all four categories, scoring:
It’s interesting to see that Bradford scored most highly for business confidence. This suggests the city offers plenty of potential for small businesses and upcoming entrepreneurs.
We reached out to Chaudhry Mobeen, the founder of MealPro, a Bradford-based business that offers ready-made healthy meals, to find out what makes the city such a great place to be right now.
Mobeen said,
“Bradford is an amazing place to own a business because of the strong sense of community here. The togetherness and the support found in the area is unlike anything you’d find in other parts of the UK. If you took the same situation and compared how it plays out in London versus Bradford, you’d see completely different outcomes”
He added, “I can personally attest to the unmatched community spirit in Bradford, having grown up in London. This culture of togetherness is evident in how businesses here help each other out. Just yesterday, we ran out of grated cheese on an unusually busy night, and a neighbouring business immediately stepped in to help us out without hesitation.”
Our first ranking factor was ‘New Business Registrations’, otherwise known as business births. We collected this data from the ONS’ 2022, Business Demography, which provides business birth rates across the UK. A higher proportion of new businesses being created suggests a thriving business ecosystem, with opportunity and support for local entrepreneurs.
In order to calculate the score, the best-performing city received 100 points. For example, Milton Keynes was the highest-scoring city at 19 and therefore scored 100 points on the overall ranking score and then each subsequent city received a score in proportion to this.
The second factor used in the rankings table was the ‘Business Confidence Score’, sourced from the Small Business Index, Quarter 1, 2024 (SBI). This data measured the confidence level of businesses by location using a most to least confident measuring key. We then translated the SBI score into our own rankings score (out of 100), ensuring the figures were relative to the rest of our study.
Interestingly, Reading came out with the lowest confidence score at -6.8 and therefore scored 22, whereas Sheffield, Leeds, Sunderland, Hull and Bradford all had a whopping 31.2 confidence score with SBI, equating to 100 points overall in our rankings.
Next up, we examined the ‘Number of Self-Employed Workers’, using data outlined in Statista’s ‘Number of Self-Employed Workers in The UK 2022’ graph.
Like the business births, we worked out the number of self-employed workers per 100,00 people to take into account the different sizes of each city.
London scored the lowest with 10 people being self-employed out of 100,00 people. On the other end, Milton Keynes came top, with 280 people per 100,000 being self-employed and therefore scored 100 points overall.
The final ranking factor we considered was the number of self-proclaimed ‘Business Owners on LinkedIn’. This was essentially, how many profiles used the phrase as their title in their profiles. Effective networking is key to building a strong business, in today’s digital world, it’s imperative for start-ups and small businesses to have a community of experts and supporters behind them.
Like the previous factors, we calculated the number of business owners on LinkedIn (based on profiles) as a proportion of 100,000 people. As you can see, Southend-on-Sea scored the lowest at 123 “business owners” per 100,000, equating to 12 points overall while Reading scored the highest at 1,006 people, equating to 100 points.
Wildcat Digital is an award-winning digital marketing agency located in the heart of Sheffield’s city centre. Committed to supporting start-ups and small businesses compete with bigger brands through smart digital marketing strategies, our team is passionate about helping businesses punch above their weight online.
As a small business ourselves, we understand the importance of seeing a return on investment, which is why we combine a commercially focused approach with transparency. We’ll never promise results we can’t deliver! If you’re hoping to boost your online presence in your local area, get in touch with our team of digital experts today!
Senior SEO Executive
Founder
Our founder, Will Hitchmough, worked at a number of high profile Sheffield Digital Agencies before founding Wildcat Digital in 2018. He brings an extensive knowledge of all things related to SEO, PPC and Paid Social, as well as an expert knowledge of digital strategy.
Digital Marketing can be a minefield for many businesses, with many agencies ready to take your money without knowing how to deliver results. I founded Wildcat Digital to deliver digital success to businesses with smaller budgets in a transparent way.
Content Strategist Team Lead
With a degree in Marketing and a background in more traditional, offline marketing, Chloe joined Wildcat in 2021 after deciding to move into the digital marketing industry. She joined us as a Content Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Content Strategist and later an SEO Team Leader.
Outside of work, Chloe is an avid creative. If she’s not knitting, you’ll likely find her behind a sewing machine or in the kitchen trying (and often failing!) to make sourdough.
SEO Account Director
Paul has a strong background in SEO, having previously founded and ran a successful eCommerce business, as well as running a personal blog that achieves an average of 17K users per month. Paul’s knowledge of SEO is extensive, with a strong emphasis on client handling and technical SEO.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with weight lifting and combat sports.
Head of Operations
Nadea joined Wildcat in 2021 and has since overhauled the way we work. She has a background in various administrative, operations and HR roles, which gave her the experience and skills needed to lead and organise a growing business.
Outside of work, Nadea loves anything that keeps her active, but she especially enjoys hiking, camping and mountain biking.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a background in sales, Molly is a natural Account Manager, brilliantly handling any issues that come her way. Having joined us as a Digital Marketing Executive, and working part-time through her final year of University, Molly is a shining example of how hard work pays off. She is now an SEO Account Manager with a particular interest in Content and Client Management.
In her spare time, Molly loves to get out in nature, hiking and exploring the Peak District. She also loves cooking and likes to unwind with a bit of yoga.
PPC Team Leader
Libby joined Wildcat in 2021 as our first PPC hire. With a degree in Digital Media Production, a Master’s in Digital Media Management and previous experience in Social Media Management, Libby hit the ground running and has since climbed the ranks to Senior PPC Account Manager and has a particular interest in the eCommerce sector.
Outside of work, Libby likes gaming, and cooking and likes to keep active by lifting weights.
SEO Account Manager
Jasmine joined Wildcat in 2022 with a strong background in SEO and Account Management. At the time, she was finishing up a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and has since worked her way up to SEO Account Manager. Jasmine excels at content writing and promotion, and particularly enjoys finding creative ways to join the dots on multi-channel campaigns.
In her spare time, Jasmine volunteers at a charity, helping combat loneliness & social isolation experienced by older neighbours. Outside of Wildcat, she owns a catering company, Savery Grazing, creating delicious grazing tables & platters for a range of events. She also loves skiing and exploring the Peak District.
Senior PPC Executive
Prior to joining Wildcat, Braden founded and ran his own Social Media Management agency where he gained valuable skills in growing brands’ online presence, which has since proven invaluable in his role at Wildcat.
Outside of work, Braden is a big football fan, regularly travelling to Pride Park to support Derby County. He also enjoys watching and playing snooker, hiking in the Peak District, and attending air and car shows.
Senior SEO Executive
After spending ten years managing businesses, restaurants, cafes and event spaces across Sheffield, Jon decided to change careers and joined Wildcat as an SEO Executive in 2022. He especially enjoys the client management side of the job, helping them to understand digital marketing and ways in which they can build their business’s presence online.
Outside of work, Jon likes to keep fit with running, badminton and football, and also loves music.
Senior SEO Executive
Rachel joined us as a graduate, having recently graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in English Literature. Since joining, Rachel has proven herself to be a Content Queen, and particularly enjoys getting stuck into projects that allow her to explore her creative side.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including rugby, singing, reading, and spending time with her family and three labradors.
Team Lead & Technical SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Computer Science and SEO experience dating back to 2017, Dariusz has a wide range of SEO skills and knowledge. His specialist knowledge of Technical SEO has firmly landed him the title of Wildcat’s Technical Wizard, and he has recently taken on the responsibility of Team Leader for the Panthers Team.
In his spare time, Dariusz loves hiking, experimenting and trying new coffees and loves learning new things. He is currently learning more about CRO and AI and how this could benefit our clients.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Film and TV production, and a varied career history, Jamie made the move to marketing with a Masters degree in Digital Media Management. He has since worked in SEO at Agencies across Sheffield, before joining Wildcat and working his way up to SEO Account Manager. Jamie has a particular interest in backlinks and Digital PR and has recently gained a client a valuable backlink from Forbes!
In his spare time, Jamie is an avid foodie and loves trying new restaurants and cuisines. He also loves to travel and spent a year travelling to Australia after university.
Senior SEO Executive
Andy joined Wildcat in 2023 after starting his digital marketing career in-house for a local Sheffield company. Since joining, he has developed a strong interest in Technical SEO and has strong skills in Account Management.
Outside of work, Andy loves music and plays in a couple of bands. He also enjoys rock climbing, cycling, photography and good food.
Client Success Coordinator
Siena joined us in 2023 with a background in sales and digital marketing. She leads on client relationships across the company, ensuring that our customers are happy throughout their journey with us, from their initial consultation through to onboarding and beyond.
Outside of work, Siena enjoys travelling and getting stuck into the local culture. She likes to make the most of her experiences and particularly enjoys watching sunrises and sunsets from beautiful locations around the world.
SEO Account Manager
Thea has a wealth of experience in SEO, having previously worked for other Digital Marketing Agencies in Sheffield. She has a particular interest and skills in Technical SEO, but is more than willing to get stuck in and give anything a go.
Outside of work, Thea spends most of her time with her children, but also loves reading, photography and gardening.
PPC Executive
Before joining Wildcat, Tom worked across different industries, building skills in sales and customer service. He later developed a passion for digital marketing whilst working on personal marketing projects and freelance ventures, and gained numerous certifications in PPC and Social Media.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys staying active by going to the gym and hiking. He also loves travelling and motorbiking.
Head of Growth
Rich joined us in May 2024 to head up our growth team. With years of experience helping other agencies to grow, Rich joins us at an exciting time as Wildcat is working on a five-year plan to become one of the biggest agencies in the UK.
Outside of work, Rich is a father to three children, which keeps him very busy! He’s also recently started running again to keep fit and loves a bit of DIY.
SEO Executive
Kezia joined us in July 2024 after completing a CIM Certificate in Digital Marketing and gaining experience in Content SEO at another Sheffield agency.
In her spare time, Kezia loves to get outdoors, bouldering, hiking and travelling.
SEO Executive
Amy joined Wildcat in 2024 with a background in journalism, having worked as a News Editor and Editor-in-Chief at The Sheffield Tab. She is naturally interested in Content SEO and research, so will no doubt prove to be a content power-house.
In her spare time, Amy loves watching crime shows, listening to music and hanging out with her dog, Eddie!
PPC Account Manager
Masilda joined the Wildcat team in October 2024 with over seven years of experience in digital marketing. She specialises in Google Ads, but is also certified in Google Analytics, YouTube Ads, Google Ads for Ecommerce and Apple Search Ads. She has extensive expertise in performance marketing, display advertising, online lead generation and market planning.
In her free time, Masilda likes staying active, cooking, trying new restaurants and exploring new places.
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