Yorkshire is one of UK’s most significant technology hubs with more than 2,500 startups and scaleups

Data from the UK’s Digital Economy Council and Dealroom shows that the Yorkshire is home to 2,521 startups and scaleups in the tech sector.

The data concludes there are now eight cities across the UK that are home to two or more unicorn companies, which are classified as tech companies with a value of more than $1bn. Collectively, the UK has produced a total of 144 unicorns, which is more than France (36) and Germany (63) combined. The study concludes that during 2022, fast-growing UK tech companies have continued to raise funds at near-record levels (£24bn), more than France (£11.8 bn) and Germany (£9.1bn) combined. This takes the total raised over the past five years to nearly $100bn (£97bn).

Digital minister Paul Scully said: "UK tech has remained resilient in the face of global challenges and we have ended the year as one of the world's leading destinations for digital businesses. This is good news and reflects our pro-innovation approach to tech regulation, continuing support for start-ups and ambition to boost people's digital skills."

Paul Lewis, chief customer officer at Adzuna, the job search engine, said: “Hiring for tech positions has settled down in recent months and numbers continue to be higher than they were in 2019. It’s interesting to see how companies are adapting by hiring for more entry-level positions to help train up a new generation of tech leaders and visionaries.

"With more open positions than skilled staff to go around, working in technology offers a long and varied career path.”

Nicole Crentsil, co-founder and CEO of Black Girl Fest and angel investor, said: “As UK tech adjusts to the global challenges, there needs to be a concerted effort by the entire industry to ensure that minority founders and communities are not left behind. Last year, Black women received only 0.34 per cent of VC funding. That’s why initiatives such as Black Girl Fest and Launchpad are needed to empower and enable Black founders to build the products and services that are missing from the world.”

The Digital Economy Council is a non-statutory advisory committee of independent members set up to provide advice to the government.

Dealroom.co is a data provider on startups, growth companies and technology ecosystems in Europe and around the world.