A city for international business and investment
Leeds is a global destination for people, business and innovation. From Burberry to Reed Smith, we’re home to some of the world’s leading companies.
Located at the heart of the UK
Located at the heart of the UK, with fantastic links to Europe and the rest of the world, Leeds is an ideal destination for businesses to locate. Our train station is the busiest transport hub in the North of the country and a gateway to 14 million people. Work is continuing on the development of Leeds Station and a new high-speed train line which will see journey times to London cut from 2 hours to 1h20 minutes.
Direct flights to Leeds Bradford Airport from over 70 worldwide locations, and connections to just about everywhere else via London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol, or Dublin, make Leeds easily accessible from all over the world.
World leaders in digital, health and financial services
Leeds boasts world class expertise and proximity to major markets in sectors such as health, financial and digital. Our digital sector is growing faster than anywhere else in the UK and is home to over 1,350 digital businesses, with a combined workforce of over 30,000.
We’re the UK’s first city for health and innovation, and a specialist in medical technologies and health data. But it’s not just about growing businesses. It’s about improving lives and health outcomes for all, and making sure the poorest improve their health the fastest.
With over 30 international and national banks in the city, Leeds is the UK’s second city for financial services. And combined with our digital expertise we’re fast becoming the fintech capital of the North.
A city of innovators
Our city is a destination for entrepreneurs, innovators and research expertise - home to innovative start-ups and global corporates who share a vision that pushes boundaries to build a better tomorrow.
We’re also the first English city outside of London to be included in the prestigious MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Program (MIT REAP), offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The programme connects Leeds with experiences of building innovation-driven ecosystems in more than 50 regions worldwide, providing learnings we use to innovate and drive growth here in Leeds.
Home to 1500 international businesses
Over 1,500 international businesses have chosen Leeds and the wider city region as their home. You can find out more about some of their stories by clicking on the case studies below.
Visit our Invest Leeds website to find out more about the opportunities Leeds has to offer.
