North West among top UK locations for angel investment

Mike Lebus

The North West region is a hot-bed of investment opportunities for the start-up sector, new figures have shown.

Angel Investment Network, an international online platform connecting start-ups with angel investors, examined data from more than 100,000 businesses last year and has produced research ranking top locations throughout the UK.

It comes as no surprise that London is the leading centre for entrepreneurs.

However, its overall share of start-ups has fallen slightly from the previous year, with Scotland and the North West undergoing fast growth in terms of the number of start-ups looking for funding.

London was home to a third of all funding pitches submitted in 2018.

The South East is number two, but hot on its heels is the North-West. There was an impressive 40% growth in pitches in the region.

The top five entrepreneur hotspots were: London; South East; North West; South West; and West Midlands.

Overall, software is the top sector for both investors and pitch ideas.

The top five sectors for pitches were: Software; Property; Food & Beverage; Hospitality; and Transportation.

The top five sectors for investors were: Software; Food & Beverage; Property; Technology; and Hospitality.

Angel Investment Network founder Mike Lebus said: “The UK is buoyant as a home for entrepreneurs, and London remains the dominant force in the UK start-up scene.

“However, it is losing a small amount of market share year-on-year as other regions continue to grow.

“The top performing sectors were software and technology, and with hubs like Edinburgh and Manchester gaining reputations for excellence in these sectors, we expect this trend to continue.”

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