The technology, media and telecoms sector in the North West continues to thrive, with the region’s six key clusters now home to 755 companies, according to new research.
Deloitte’s TMT hotspots, which were first identified in 2012, include MediaCityUK, The Sharp Project, Sci-Tech Daresbury, near Runcorn and Warrington, the Ropewalks/Baltic Triangle areas in Liverpool, Manchester Science Partnerships and Liverpool Science Park.
The clusters have been classified based on their high concentration of TMT businesses, taking into account the infrastructure they have in place and the potential for future development.
The region’s biggest hotspot is MediaCityUK, which is currently home to 275 TMT businesses, followed by the Ropewalks/Baltic Triangle areas with 200 businesses, Sci-Tech Daresbury with 120, the Sharp Project with 65, Manchester Science Partnerships with 60 and Liverpool Science Park with 35.
“Once again these numbers paint a positive picture and show that the region’s TMT sector is incredibly buoyant,” Claire Jolly, head of TMT at Deloitte in the North West, said.
“MediaCityUK in particular has proven itself to be a major hub for technology, media and telecoms activity, while also becoming a destination in itself. The smaller clusters we’ve identified are also making impressive advances in a range of areas including medtech, biotech and engineering, which is encouraging to see.”
Sir Howard Bernstein, strategic adviser at Deloitte in the North West, added: “The TMT sector in the North West is a key element of the Northern Powerhouse.
“These collaborative hubs of innovation and TMT expertise are vital to the economy in the region and the UK as a whole.
“With the right kind of encouragement and support from policy makers, I’d expect to see accelerated growth in these areas in the near future.”