Liverpool

By

Emma J

Last Updated: 11, September 2024

Liverpool

  Number of Digital Jobs
  Digital GVA
  Startup Births
  Average Advertised Digital Salary
  Digital Concentration
  Tech Sector Growth Potential

What’s there

Liverpool is enjoying a renaissance, powered by the digital tech companies that operate within the city – in particular those that cluster around the Baltic Triangle district.

Here, gaming, virtual reality and digital agencies are thriving where once only disused warehouses existed. The area’s transformation is much to the credit of the Baltic Creative Community Interest Company and Elevator Studios.

The story does not end there. Other sectors within the city are booming too, as evidenced by the national Industrial Strategy launching at the city’s science and innovation campus, Sci-Tech Daresbury.

What’s new

Last year saw notable successes emerge from the Baltic Triangle, such as vTime, a company born out of the ashes of big local studio Psygnosis.

In the city centre, a new cluster is forming around the commercial district, where high-profile businesses such as Mando sit alongside co-working space Launch22 and the new Santander Incubator. Meanwhile, in the North Docks, an active IoT and maker community is securing a firm foothold.

Other exciting developments include the Binary Festival, an annual two-day event in which digital tech businesses open their doors to the public.

What’s up next

Schools such as The Studio will strengthen Liverpool’s thriving tech and digital industries. The school educates young people for success in a digital world.

Meanwhile, the Government’s commitment to a £556 million boost for the Northern Powerhouse can only mean positive progression for the digital tech sector, while the city exercises new powers through devolution.

  • Clemens Wangerin

    Managing Director, vTime

    What we do

    We develop and publish vTime, the leading social VR app that connects people in a completely new and unique way. People use vTime to socialise, engage and communicate with each other in virtual reality.

    Why Liverpool?

    Being a creative technology business, it helps massively to be located in a place that has character, feels vibrant, is in a good location, and has a heart. It helps to give us our identity, and aids recruitment of talent. It also means we have a great place to relax after work.

  • Carl Wong

    Co-Founder & CEO, Living Lens

    What we do

    LivingLens captures and analyses video content via speech, actions and sentiment, translating human behaviour into insights. We make working with video efficient and scalable by breaking it down into a usable data asset that enables fast insights creation.

    Why Liverpool?

    We are located in the Baltic Triangle, which is now home to many digital tech and creative companies. This community is highly supportive and is committed to helping digital tech and creative businesses like us to succeed.

Economic stats

23,407 Number of Digital Jobs Number of digital jobs – An estimation of employment in the digital tech industries and the digital tech economy. The APS has allowed us to capture digital embeddedness, that is digital experts working in non-digital industries. It also coves freelancers and self-employed workers. (Source: ONS Annual Population Survey)

0.2 Digital Concentration Digital concentration / Location quotient (LQ) – Indicates the geographic concentration of digital business turnover relative to the UK. A value of one indicates average digital concentration, while a value of greater than one indicates a higher concentration. (Source: BSD)

£359 million Digital GVA GVA (Gross Value Added) – Average digital GVA between 2013-2015. GVA measures the contribution of each economic unit by estimating the value of an output (goods or services) less the value of inputs used in that output’s production process. (Source: ABS/BSD) .

194 Startup Births Startup births – Average number of startup births 2011 – 2015 (Source: BSD)

22% Turnover Growth
£45,011 Average Advertised Digital Salary Average Advertised Digital Salary – Digital tech economy average salary (2016) in each cluster (source: Burning Glass)

Standard of living

7.36 Life Satisfaction Life satisfaction – Life satisfaction (10 pt scale, ONS data)

£144,212 Average House Price Average House Price – Semi Detached Average House Price (Land Registry, Dec 2016)

3.2 Housing Affordability Ratio Housing affordability ratio – House price to salary ratio

Cost of doing business

17.5 Commercial Rent Per Annum (£ sq/ft) Commercial Rent Per Annum (£ sq/ft) – Prime office rents (JLL< 2016)

What local startups say is good

83% Overall Quality of Life
79% Tech Sector Growth Potential
70% Cost of Living

What local startups say is a challenge

57% Lack of Supply of Highly Skilled Workers
50% Limited Opportunities to Access Finance
36% Poor Digital Infrastructure
Download more details on survey responses for this cluster