Set up new tech and smart cities premises

The UK's incubators and accelerators network offers support to tech startups. There's also a wide variety of other office options.

Incubators and accelerators

Incubators

Incubators are business growth programmes which provide physical space for startups, with shared facilities and business support services. There are around 400 incubator programmes currently operating in the UK.

Most incubators will charge your company fees or rent, but this is often subsidised by a university of public funding.

Around one third of UK incubators have a focus on digital, including fintech.

Accelerators

Accelerators will typically offer your company services through an intensive programme, of 3-12 months. There are currently around 300 programmes operating in the UK.

Accelerators tend to be more growth-driven than incubators, as they often offer direct funding in return for equity (typically less than 10%). They’re more appropriate if you’re a startup looking to scale rapidly.

London is an important centre for tech-related accelerator and incubator programmes. Outside of the UK capital, the major accelerator clusters are:

• the Midlands Engine region of England including Birmingham, Coventry, Nottingham and Peterborough
• major cities in Northern England such as Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle
• around the intersections of the UK’s motorway network connecting London with Reading, Oxford, Bristol, Bath and Cardiff
• concentrations across key cities in Scotland and Northern Ireland such as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast

View a directory of accelerators and incubators in the UK on the website of the Centre for Entrepreneurs (requires free registration)

Science parks

There are approximately 100 science parks in the UK which provide property options to support the start up and development of knowledge-based businesses. Most science parks have formal links with universities, institutes and research organisations.

Find more on UK's science parks and see a list of members on the UKSPA website.

Offices

Serviced and leased offices

The UK has a competitive market of specialised serviced office companies, professional services companies and virtual office providers, all ensuring costs for are kept low for clients.

You can compare prices for office or other space on commercial property search engines, such as Estates Gazette and the websites of office advisory services like Instant Offices or Flexi Offices.

Shared offices

Shared offices are also known as coworking spaces, coworking offices and coworking desks. They can be a practical choice for companies in the early stages of expanding to a new market.

You can rent the number of desks you need in a shared office more cheaply and with less commitment than a long rental agreement on a private office space.

Shared offices can have 24-hour access, and facilities usually include high-speed internet and printing. Many also have meeting and conference rooms, which may be free as part of your desk rental or available at extra cost.

There are dozens of shared office providers operating across the UK. You can compare their prices and facilities on listing websites such as Rubberdesk or Hubble.

Or you can search directly – shared office providers include:

• Bizspace
• Huckletree
• IWG
• Landmark
• Workspace (London)

Virtual offices

Virtual offices allow companies to meet any legal obligation to have a registered address in the UK, without paying for a physical office.

They come at a range of costs, from a basic registered address, to a more prestigious London address with mail and telephone handling.

Virtual offices are also available in science parks, which offer standard virtual office services with access to networking opportunities.

There's a large marketplace of service providers, which you can easily find through an internet search, or you can use our Investment Support Directory to help source providers.

Regulations

A central objective of UK digital regulation is to maintain the UK's position as the most attractive place in Europe for tech companies.

You can read the UK's plan for future digital regulation on GOV.UK

You can find more information on the various categories of existing and future digital regulation on TechUK's digital regulation hub.

Intellectual property

The UK has an effective legal framework in place to protect your company’s intellectual property. Find more information on UK patents, trade marks, copyright and designs on GOV.UK.

Next steps

Get advice on setting up your tech business from UK experts – find their contact details on the Investment Support Directory.

Find out more about collaboration opportunities and spaces for innovative UK companies in our guide to incentives, funding and support in the UK.