London named Europe’s top destination for international tech talent
London has been named the top city in Europe for international technology talent, winning the title for a second consecutive year.
The capital attracted more European and non-European tech professionals than any other major city on the continent last year, according to research revealed today by London & Partners.
London also comes out on top in terms of established tech worker hubs, playing host to more developers than any other European city. The capital was home to almost 360,000 software techies in 2018 – a third more than its next-closest rival, Paris.
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The figures were boosted by major tech companies choosing to base large engineering teams in the city, including Facebook and Amazon. Apple is set to open a new base in Battersea next year for 1,400 staff, while Google’s headquarters will hold up to 4,500 workers.
Fintech and artificial intelligence have been the city's fastest growing sectors to date, with blockchain also rising up quickly over the last year.
The news comes after London’s tech startups raked in £1.8bn in funding last year, almost double that of Berlin and Paris. It coincides with the release of a resource hub by the mayor of London's promotional office, aimed at businesses looking to attract international talent.
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“This report confirms what we are seeing on the ground,” said Tim Levene, chief executive of City-listed tech fund Augmentum Fintech.
“London is a hotbed of entrepreneurial talent and has developed into the epicentre of tech-based industries in Europe, especially in fintech, and we see no let-up in investment in both early stage and growth companies. Whatever the short-term holds we are confident that London will maintain its position as Europe’s tech centre.”