Investment in Northern Tech Q1 2026

Investment in Northern Tech: A Fruition Group Market Intelligence Report — Q1 2026 Growth, Hubs, and the Race for Talent in Manchester & Leeds

The North of England is no longer catching up with London. In the metrics that matter most; growth rate, talent density, innovation infrastructure, and business formation, it's setting its own pace.

This report is our deep dive into the forces driving that shift. We've analysed the investment landscape, the infrastructure being built, the businesses leading the charge, and critically,what it all means for the technology talent market across Manchester and Leeds.

Inside the report you'll find:

• Why now? The structural forces that have made this moment different from every previous wave of Northern tech optimism
• The £1.7 billion Sister Innovation District, the Leeds Innovation Arc, and the infrastructure that signals long-term intent
• A data-driven comparison of Manchester and Leeds, same ecosystem, very different strengths
• Company spotlights on the businesses driving Northern tech forward
• The skills and roles under the most pressure right now
• An honest look at the challenges and what the most competitive hiring businesses are doing about them
• Fruition Group's perspective on what this means for clients and candidates in 2026

Key stats from the report:

✦ 145,000+ people employed in tech and digital roles across Manchester and Leeds 

✦ Manchester's tech businesses contribute £30 billion to the regional economy annually 

✦ Leeds tech is expanding at 125% of the national average 

✦ Northern fintech supports nearly 20,000 jobs across ~400 firms 

✦ Manchester's AI sector forecast to reach £11 billion by 2035

Companies featured in this report:

Yaspa · Pharmacy2U · Tracsis · Redcentric · Skipton Building Society · Twinkl Educational Publishing · Hiscox · Evri · LexisNexis Risk Solutions · Auto Trader · Matillion · Booking.com · AJ Bell · BBC · On the Beach · CDL Software · Dunnhumby · N Brown Group · Netacea · Connex AI · Tunstall · SmartSearch

Download the full report to get the complete picture on where Northern tech is heading and what it means for your hiring strategy or your next career move.