When people tell you to move to London, there’s a dossier’s worth of persuasion tactics to reel off. Want to hear some? There are free museums, beautiful buildings, plenty of green spaces, and (*checks notes*)… tech?
Yes, that’s right. London has recently been named the tech capital of the world, batting away the silicon valley-boasting San Francisco, as well as the likes of New York and Singapore.
In the seventh installment Z/Yen Group’s Smart Centres Index, London was found to have the strongest talent and the top financial resources in the world, as well as a vast international reputation. It also points that London is now home to more than 100 tech companies with a value of over $1 billion, with over 60 of these noting London as their home.
It’s an improvement year-on-year for London, too. Last year, the capital was pipped to the post by our friends in New York, but this year the big smoke has overtaken the big apple in the quest for ultimate tech bragging rights (whatever that means).
Oxford also seems to be pulling up the (technical) trees, as it ranked as the seventh-best city for tech in the world, and therefore the second-strongest in the UK. NYC pulled out a still-respectable second place, with San Francisco, Zurich, and Lugano coming up close behind.
Top 10 cities for tech in the world for 2023
1. London
2. New York City
3. San Francisco
4. Zurich
5. Lugano
6. Singapore
7. Oxford
8. Los Angeles
9. Tel Aviv
10. Hong Kong