Birmingham

Business in Birmingham

With approximately 50,000 companies and the second largest city in the UK, business is big in Birmingham. This vibrant city has a population of 1.2 million and has been crowned the UK’s regional startup capital for the seventh consecutive year.

There were 18,394 new enterprises founded in the city in 2020, marking the highest volume of startups outside London. This was an increase of 27% in business births from the previous year. The city is home to successful accelerator schemes and business hubs that provide financial backing and tech services to enable SMEs to develop.

Birmingham is at the heart of the West Midlands and is an integral component of the UK’s manufacturing powerhouse, boasting growing tourism and service sectors.

Historically, engineering and manufacturing have driven the city’s economy and it is still the home today for Jaguar Land Rover in Castle Bromwich and Cadbury in Bournville. The Venice of the north is also home to major financial institutions including HSBC and Goldman Sachs.

Looking ahead, and the pioneering HS2 rail project will connect the region with London, cutting down the journey to the capital to just 50 minutes, which will encourage further investment and help it compete commercially on the European stage. Birmingham is currently ranked as the 18th best city in Europe to base a business and with a rising talent pool of 100,000 graduates, the city is an attractive commercial proposition, especially in key areas such as automotive and aerospace research.

The focus is now on Industry 4.0 with companies such as Iomob Technologies from Spain investing in Birmingham’s integrated transport systems.

The city and its attractions

Birmingham is one of the leading city destinations in the UK and attracts almost 50 million visitors each year. With excellent attractions, hospitality and nightlife, the city is popular among domestic and overseas visitors. Tourism is a growing industry here and has a significant effect on the local economy, employing tens of thousands of workers.

Shoppers are drawn to the impressive Bullring and upmarket Mailbox shopping centres and the city has hundreds of beautiful, independent boutiques. The historical Jewellery quarter dates back 250 years and boasts 200 listed buildings, making it the biggest in Europe.

Food lovers are spoilt for choice with delicious dinning offering authentic cuisine from an array of different cultures and ranging from street food to Michelin-starred restaurants. There is a thriving arts scene while Peaky Blinders fans will enjoy the guided tour from the popular television series. The NEC is one of the UK’s leading event venues with 18 exhibition halls and 32 conference suite and holds 750 events annually.

Birmingham hosted 5,000 athletes from 72 countries during the XXII Commonwealth Games in July and August 2022. With 1.5 million tickets sold and 5 million visitors to the city centre during the two week event, the games were heralded as one of the most successful of all time and truly put Birmingham on the global stage.

How Do We Help

Business Butler Birmingham provides a bespoke web-based matching engine to find your ideal business expert across all sectors. Each of our recommended experts have been through a rigorous 50-point vetting process, including qualification checks, references and company searches for your complete peace of mind.

Our experts cover a range of industries and services within Birmingham and the West Midlands, meaning you have access to support on areas including funding, advice on company pension schemes, a new accountant that fits your business size, and 15 other key business areas. Business Butler Birmingham delivers quality service that is designed to help your business.