The Startup Ecosystem of Leeds
Leeds has 124 startups in our sample database. This represents about 1% of The United Kingdom’s startups. Leeds is the 9th best startup ecosystem in The United Kingdom.
CITY RANKING
In 2024, the startup scene of Leeds shows much promise after advancing in the Global Ecosystem Index by 12 spots.
National Ranking
In United Kingdom
Regional Ranking
In Western Europe
Global Ranking
Worldwide
Ecosystem
Startup Ecosystem Overview
Startups
Leeds Top Startup Industries
9 startups
13 startups
5 startups
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Ecosystem HealthCheck
Leeds Ecosystem Health Check
The health check tables allow you to look at the performance Leeds has in each of the parameters that are part of StartupBlink's ranking algorithm. There are five tables, corresponding to the three subscores, the subscore analysis and industry ana...
- Overperformance
- Performance equal to global ranking
- Underperformance
ECOSYSTEM
Browse the startup ecosystem database of Leeds
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Startup Ecosystem Charts
Startup Funding in Leeds2017 - 2024
Startup Funding in Leeds 2017 - 2024
From 2022 to 2023, startup funding in Leeds has increased by 42.17%. During this period, the number of deals in Leeds has decreased by 8.7%. Since 2017, total startup funding in Leeds exceeded US$ $866.69M.
Average Funding in 2023
$8.41M
Funding in 2023
$176.64M
Deals in 2023
21
USD
Amount of Funding (USD)
Number of Deals
Ecosystem
The Startup Ecosystem in Leeds
Global Rank
Leeds is ranked within the top 200 startup ecosystems globally.
Top Industries
Leeds’s startups excel particularly in Social & Leisure where it ranks 65 and in Marketing & Sales, and Foodtech. Find out more
Top Cities for Startups in United Kingdom - Ranked by StartupBlink
2024 National Rank  | City | Global Rank |  | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st 0 | 3rd 0 | 144.375 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
2nd 0 | 72nd - 9 | 9.776 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
3rd 0 | 85th 0 | 9.030 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
4th 0 | 99th - 3 | 7.884 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
5th 0 | 119th - 18 | 6.448 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
6th 0 | 121st - 4 | 6.171 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
7th + 1 | 168th + 2 | 3.733 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
8th - 1 | 172nd - 14 | 3.598 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
9th 0 | 188th + 12 | 2.890 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
10th + 2 | 211th + 11 | 2.292 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 |
ECOSYSTEM
Why should you join Leeds's Startup Ecosystem?
Overview
Within Leeds there is an increased attraction for entrepreneurs to set up their startups in industries such as Social & Leisure, Marketing & Sales, Foodtech. These three industries represent about 22% of the startups represented on the Startup Ecosystem Map of Leeds.
9th
National Rank
53rd
Regional Rank
Overview
Leeds is The United Kingdom's 9th best startup ecosystem and is ranked 53rd in Western Europe. With a population of 2M - 10M people, Leeds is ranked 188th in the world. The city has some notable startup success stories including Uppbeat.
ECOSYSTEM
Startup Infrastructure in Leeds
BLOG
Recent Posts
Mon Apr 14 2025
From Service-Based to Product-Based Economy – Lessons from North Macedonia
In this special episode of the Startup Ecosystem Podcast, we revisit a conversation from two years ago, recorded during a visit to North Macedonia. Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink, sits down with Igor Madjov, founder of Startup Macedonia, to explore how Skopje is evolving from a service-based IT outsourcing city into a product-driven startup […]
Wed Apr 02 2025
Corporate Startup Activity Index 2025
For the first time ever, 372 corporations across 30 countries, 11 major industries, and 10 sub-industries have been ranked based on how actively they engage with startups. StartupBlink’s Corporate Startup Activity Index is the world’s first benchmark for corporate startup engagement — powered by real data, global partnerships with top corporations, governments and data sources, […]
Thu Mar 06 2025
The Impact of Government Support on Startups
A robust startup ecosystem creates a sense of community that brings entrepreneurs together and helps them feel less isolated. It gives them access to mentors, advisors, fellow entrepreneurs, and talents. The foundation of such an ecosystem largely relies on government support. Good policies create a fair and supportive environment that helps startups grow. Bad policies […]