China helps London attract start-ups

The UK's blossoming relationship with China is helping London to maintain its position as a magnet for start-up companies.

The UK's blossoming relationship with China is helping London to maintain its position as a magnet for start-up companies. [Photo: tiandaoedu.com]

That's according to analysis by Forbes, who has written positively about the state of entrepreneurship in the capital, despite the impact of Brexit.

It's been widely reported elsewhere that many new companies, particularly in the financial and tech industries, may now favour cities like Berlin and Paris due to the uncertainty of access to European markets from London.

However, the China analysis puts that position in a different light. Yes, there is uncertainty over the future of the British position in the European single market. 

On the other hand, China's importance to dynamic start-ups is increasing with exponential pace whilst at the same time, Chinese investment and interest in British businesses is at an all-time high.

The dual impacts of those relationships are proving to be positive for new and growing businesses in London.

As we've reported extensively, other areas of the United Kingdom are also keen to attract Chinese interest. For example, we revealed in February that businesses and leaders in the North East of England had made a concerted effort to highlight their areas.

That report followed concerns that the 'Northern Powerhouse' policy of the British government had attracted extensive interest in Birmingham and Manchester, but had perhaps neglected other cities.