The º£½ÇÊÓƵ’s tech sector continues to expand with energy and momentum. Cities like Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham are making impressive strides, nurturing ambitious scale-ups, advancing cutting-edge research, and developing thriving innovation ecosystems. Yet while the progress in these regions is clear, they still face challenges in gaining the same level of investor attention and funding as London and certain international counterparts.
The regional disparities in private investment access are not news and sadly we still have some way to go. According to Techº£½ÇÊÓƵ’s , Greater London saw a substantial 5,625 businesses successfully accessing private investment, compared to just 833 in Greater Manchester over the same period.
And it’s not just investment figures that show the gap. We recently looked at the media mentions too as we believe (no surprises here) that visibility plays a huge part in generating interest from investors in all sectors. In the past three months alone, London received nearly 600% more media mentions about tech investment than Manchester (London with 7834 mentions in the last 30 days, compared to just 1035 in the same period).
Can we push further?
It will be a fact that our regional cities don’t have the same volume of deals and investment news, but when we do have strategic investment stories are we pushing them far enough? And are we pulling together as a whole ecosystem to support the milestone announcements to create a narrative that invites more investors to join in? Are we using data consistently to tell a story and are we joining the dots for the media, so we have case studies and experts positioned when national announcements are made?
We’ve seen how cities like Dublin can demonstrate how effective storytelling significantly boosts a city’s tech investment profile. Dublin has successfully positioned itself as a bustling tech hub, attracting top global tech companies. In 2024 alone, Dublin’s tech sector secured a record €1.48 billion in venture capital investment, driven largely by strategic storytelling around its strengths in fintech and life sciences.
In the º£½ÇÊÓƵ we have the AI Opportunities action plan, AI Growth Zones, and Innovation Investment Zones now creating a national backdrop for regions to create their own tech and innovation stories and activations. In Liverpool City Region for instance, the first AI Summit Liverpool, and the Kyndryl location deal announcement start to build a picture externally, whilst also highlighting the other parts of the ecosystem in place such as the AI Venture Fund and investment in digital infrastructure with LCR Connect.
As for using data, we might look to the masters of using regional evidence and data to lure funding into the region from central government - Greater Manchester’s MIDAS – who leverage public and private sector stakeholders to use data to tell their stories about their key sectors and growth opportunity consistently over time.
Is there any value in creating hype?
In short, absolutely. Events like Birmingham Tech Week and Leeds Digital Festival, Slush’d Liverpool and Climb25 are essential storytelling platforms. They profile regional tech ecosystems, spotlight the deals being done, and showcase local research capabilities. These destination events help build trust among stakeholders and offer the perfect stage to elevate a region’s narrative. Events such as these also create a milestone and a connection point for the media to quickly get to grips with what is happening in a region and, when it works well around key milestones, event content can spotlight stories that go on to be featured nationally.
Inward investment stories are ideal milestones to anchor into these kinds of events. When celebrated publicly and strategically, they not only raise awareness but reinforce the message that the regions are serious destinations for innovation and growth.
The risk of untold stories
Investors need help to join the dots and find the opportunities that are right for them. It’s always a simple, powerful story that will cut through and connect. That’s as true for the inward investment teams engaging prospects as it is for the innovator on their hunt for the next funding round.
Yet complex stories can present challenges, especially those centred on emerging technologies and require more thoughtful investment over a longer period of time to be told well. One-off campaigns or events rarely present the answers; but pulling a message together to bind the proposition helps to build credibility over time.
Taking control of the narrative
Innovation isn’t always an easy sell — but with so many stories to tell and real social and economic impact at stake, we have a powerful opportunity to support regional tech businesses and help them grow from promising incubators into global leaders
Regional cities now have a golden opportunity to close the gap, not just by attracting investment, but by defining who they are on their own terms. With consistency, clarity, and a focused narrative, the regions can shift perceptions, secure bigger slices of investment, and establish themselves as a powerful force on the global tech stage.
- Anna Heyes is CEO of marketing and communications agency Active Profile
