New data has found the West Midlands is the best county to start a business in the UK, closely followed by Hertfordshire and Berkshire.
The analysis ranked each county based on factors that are key to a new business’s success, including the number of start-ups in the last year, business growth rates, average broadband speeds, and distance to London.
The West Midlands took the top spot due to its thriving business community. With 13,785 new businesses founded in the last year alone – more than anywhere else in the UK – and one of the largest populations of ‘high growth’ businesses, the central area offers budding entrepreneurs a wider pool of talent and increased economic activity.
This, along with its strong average broadband speeds (93.4Mbps), proximity to the capital (115 miles) and convenient transport links to the rest of the UK, make the county an ideal location for new enterprises.
The research, which was conducted by ultrafast broadband provider, Trooli, found that Hertfordshire comes in a close second, with its easy access to London (16 miles) a huge draw for startups looking to start a business outside of the capital. Plus, according to ONS data, the county is home to over 230 high-growth businesses – making it one of the highest-growth areas in the UK.
Berkshire was found to be the third best county in the UK to start a business. Situated relatively close to London (48 miles) and boasting higher-than-average broadband speeds (88.5Mbps) due to the wide availability of ultrafast broadband in the area, the county offers unbeatable connectivity to start-ups without the London price-tag.
Andy Conibere, CEO of Trooli, comments: “We support businesses across the UK every day and, with a record number of companies launched last year, we wanted to investigate the start-up hotspots across the country.
“Given how important connectivity is to business success, we weren’t surprised to see counties in the Midlands and South of England taking the top spot. With reliable broadband speeds, convenient links to London, and a history of exceptional business growth, areas like the West Midlands offer huge opportunities for entrepreneurs.”
Top 10 counties to start a business:
- West Midlands
- Hertfordshire
- Berkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Greater Manchester
- Surrey
- Essex
- Hampshire
- Bedfordshire
- Kent
Find out if your business is ready for a switch to Trooli.
Methodology
Trooli analysed data on new businesses, business growth rates, broadband speeds from Ofcom and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Each county was ranked for each of these three factors, plus their distance from London and given a score. An average was then taken to determine the most desirable locations.
The analysis was conducted using data available on 13th January 2025.
