A recent study has recognized Oxford as one of the top cities in the UK for start-ups, placing it seventh overall. The ranking was conducted by Accu Components, which assessed various factors

influencing the business environment for new ventures across different UK cities.

Oxford achieved a score of 44.13, boosted by its relatively high concentration of start-ups and new economy firms—measured as the number of businesses per 10,000 residents. Additionally, the city stood out for having 55 high-growth businesses per 10,000 residents, the highest rate in the country. Another factor contributing to Oxford’s strong position was its economic inactivity rate, which stands at a low 18.1%.

Despite these strengths, Oxford ranked lower—56th—when looking solely at the number of business start-ups per 10,000 residents.

The study also highlighted other top-performing cities, with Luton, Brighton and Hove, Ipswich, London, and Cardiff securing the top five positions. Meanwhile, cities such as Middlesbrough, Belfast, Barnsley, Leicester, and Swansea were identified as the least favorable locations for start-ups. Photo by Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, Wikimedia commons.