Sunderland Software City

Welcome to the UK's software capital

With a highly-skilled, flexible workforce, unbeatable worldwide connections and proven track record of supporting innovative businesses the North East of England is recognised globally as a place to do business - not to mention also being named "the UK's software capital" by the BBC.

The region offers your software business:

• Low operating costs

• A flexible and skilled workforce

• Fast and efficient logistics networks

• Strong academic support from five globally-recognised universities 

• Excellent communications connectivity 

• Competitive and substantial financial incentives

The digital media and technology industry in thriving throughout the region with the North East rapidly becoming recognised as one of the world’s leading centres of digital innovation.

There are more high-technology start-ups based in the region than anywhere in the UK outside of London, and there are now almost 30,000 people employed in the local commercial creative sector – including nearly 10,000 employed in software, games and new media.

Home to over 60 the region's 350+ software firms, Sunderland – described by the BBC as ”the UK’s software capital” and the first city in the UK to offer blanket superfast broadband and it's own Cloud – has much to offer software companies looking to establish a North East, UK or European base in the region.

The North East has hard-working, flexible workforce of 1.6 million people, includes almost 100,000 students attending the region’s five globally-recognised universities.

Within these institutions over 50 departments have the UK’s highest rankings for research excellence, notably Sunderland University’s world-leading computer science research, the regional e-science centre at Newcastle University and Teesside University’s Institute of Digital Innovation.

There is also room for your business to grow.  Business costs are comparatively low with a wide range of competitively priced premises – ranging from the smallest workshops to the largest hi-tech units – available, as well as development sites for purpose-built properties.