The UK – your tech and creative hub in Europe

The UK is at the forefront of technology and creativity in Europe, with a wealth of opportunities. It has a dynamic, entrepreneurial climate, attracting talent from across the EU and beyond.

• The UK is rated as one of the easiest countries in Europe to do business

• The UK has world-class universities and a proven research base.

• The UK has the lowest barriers to entrepreneurship in the world and a low rate of corporation tax – just 21% by 2014.

• The UK is a global transport hub, with more than 20 international airports and the Channel Tunnel.

Mobile content: Europe’s biggest market

• The UK has the highest percentage of smartphones in Europe. This is driven by a strong and competitive retail sector and tech-savvy consumers.

• The UK has by far the biggest app market in Europe in terms of users, downloads and revenue generated (source: research2guidance).

• The UK is a hub for experienced content developers, creative designers and support services.

• Mobile advertising in the UK is growing fast; amd is set to reach £1.1bn in 2015.

Find out more about the opportunities in the UK’s mobile content industry (.pdf)

Europe’s E-commerce hub

The UK is the biggest E-Commerce market in Europe - Europe is the biggest E-Commerce market in the world, currently worth £198 billion. Companies already located in the UK include: Amazon, Alibaba.com, Rakuten, Expedia, Ticketmaster, ASOS, Lovefilm and Netflix.

UK consumers love buying online – by 2016, over 20% of UK retail will be online. UK retailers are set to invest $1bn in ecommerce software and technology this year.

Find out more about the opportunities in the UK’s E-commerce industry (.pdf)

A world class games industry…

The UK has over 30 years’ experience of producing some of the world’s most innovative and commercially successful titles. It also has a huge a passionate user base: there are 33.6m active gamers in the UK, 25% of the total for Europe.

From April 2013, games companies based in the UK, can apply for tax relief on games produced here.

Find out more about the opportunities in the UK’s digital games industry (.pdf)

US companies may also be interested in a report on ‘Content Disruptors’ examining key trends in content markets globally.

London’s Tech City: The digital capital of Europe

• Tech City is Europe’s number one hub for digital and creative companies and savvy investors.

If you’re an entrepreneur or company based in the US, we’ll introduce you to Tech City – the people, the businesses and its unique culture - to help you make the move.

Here are a few reasons why you should choose the UK as a location for your business

• A global business hub – World class transportation, links and ICT infrastructure

• Ease of doing business – The UK ranks among the top countries in the world for ease of doing business

• 24% Tax Rate – Progressive corporation tax cut to 21% from 2014

• Large Market – 61 Million People & Access to 500 Million in the EU

• Less red tape – Labour flexibility and ease of trading across borders

• Large labour market – Over 30 million people

• Excellent centre for higher education – Home to 4 of the top 7 universities globally

• Highly educated workforce – Highest number of graduates per year in Western Europe.

• Low Employer Taxes – Employer’s pay one of the lowest social security contributions in Europe

• Flexible regulations – Supporting legal system. One of the easiest places to do business in the world.

Contact us today

UK Trade & Investment helps companies set up in the UK and take advantage of these opportunities. We provide impartial advice and assistance – we can introduce you to professional advisers and arrange site visits.

Interesting in talking to us? Just leave your details here and we’ll be in touch .