The United Kingdom is second in the world for tech startup exits, placing only slightly behind the United States. Access to London’s capital markets is important to anyone looking to scale up business, too, including mid-size and well-established companies that desire to stay at the top of their game. The London Stock Exchange is the second-largest financial market in the world, based on the number of companies listed. Recent tech IPO success stories include payments firm Worldpay, which raised over £2.6 billion, and cybersecurity firm Sophos, now worth more than £1.6 billion. Other listings rising quickly are Zoopla, a British real estate company, and Just Eat, which allows diners to order from more than 30,000 restaurants, both valued at over £1 billion.
With London’s outstanding and well-earned reputation as a FinTech epicenter, entities such as Monzo, Pockit, and Atom Bank stand out, as well as highly regarded financial services companies such as Wise (formerly TransferWise) and Worldpay. There are more than 44,000 people working in FinTech roles across London, more than anywhere else in the world, including Silicon Valley and New York. The city reported attaining a record £1.1 billion of venture capital investment late into 2019, an astounding amount. London’s FinTech scene has also been independently ranked by EY and Deloitte as the leading global financial services hub, with one of the highest consumer FinTech adoption rates of any western country, behind only China and India. The statistics for FinTech companies and employment in London make other areas pale in comparison. London and the wider United Kingdom’s financial centers make up 37% of global foreign exchange trading, 39% of global OTC derivatives trading, and 29% of international insurance companies.
With London’s top rank in financial services, there is a tendency to overlook some of London’s other incredibly significant tech sectors. Tech areas such as EdTech, AdTech, PropTech, HealthTech, media, and entertainment have all earned their places in the spotlight. The United Kingdom’s digital economy is much more diverse than meets the eye. Rapid advancements in healthcare and education rank highly as draws for top tech talent. Companies like Network Locum, which matches locum doctors with medical practices, spur more inspiration for workforce solutions. RefMe and eSchools are revolutionary in the educational space, and the gaming sector has dominated the world with games like Tomb Raider and Grand Theft Auto. Betting companies utilizing top technology include Betfair, Playtech, and 888 Holdings, are international players, and there are numerous places to look towards when focusing on property tech.
The tech community is strong and always looking to welcome other talented technologists. London is home to 71,000 professional software developers, the highest number of any European city and second globally only to Silicon Valley. The United Kingdom is considered one of the most aspirational countries for all types of tech talent, and many companies offer incentives such as training opportunities at many local facilities, and membership in professional organizations. The city’s famous and well-deserved reputation as one of the most welcoming major metropolitan areas is a prime factor, with 37% of the population is internationally born. With such diversity, tech professionals are constantly exposed to new ways of thinking and trying out technology. Even illustrious PricewaterhouseCoopers recognized the potential London offers, ranking the city number one, for the second time, as a City of Opportunity.
London is proud to show off the numerous success stories it has to lure those interested in a career in technology. According to data compiled by Dealroom.co, the United Kingdom has created 60 unicorns, tech companies valued at $1bn or more, moving upward so quickly they were often a surprise to others when their success hit. The amount means that the country has grabbed 35% of businesses created across Europe and Israel in recent years. Other homegrown examples of how London excels in technology can be seen in once budding ventures that are now easily recognized. As a testament to the tenacity of the founders of some of these businesses, they share stories of humble beginnings such as Wood’s humble start. The company needed to store its servers in the lower-rent office space it held, and the roof leaked badly enough to require a golf umbrella over them. Now Wood, internationally recognized as a stellar example addressing climate change, looks back on the supportive environment they had in the early days and credits the motivation to succeed based on a strong mission involving technology. Other companies with similar stories of going from rags to riches include Marsh, Unruly, and Tick. Much of where they are now has been credited not just to scrappy attitudes and out-of-the-box thinking, but also to the overall climate of tech-driven business in the city.
Londoners point out that it’s just as important to note the legendary giants who now exist on the scene. Facebook’s largest engineering team outside of Silicon Valley is based in London and joins headquarters of Google, Apple, GlaxoSmithKline, Barclays, BP, and Unilever to drop a few big-league names. ARM Holdings is another case in point. ARM designs the chips that power 95% of the world’s smartphones and is a semiconductor and software design company, making other types of chips, software development tools, systems and platforms, and system-on-a-chip (SoC) infrastructure. As a leader in cutting-edge IoT, it dominates the market with a total of over 160 billion chips. As far as hiring, NBC reported that ARM has “legs for years” to acquire tech talent after Softbank purchased ARM. There are plenty of other top names looking for highly trained tech pros, including Micro Focus.
Proximity to these big companies helps local entrepreneurs aspire to get their concepts to the right ears, which is possible in London. When an innovative startup such as Magic Pony can be snapped up by X (formerly known as Twitter) for $150 million, that proximity to key decision-makers in London certainly pays off. London’s geographical position helps, too, as it’s conveniently positioned halfway between Asia and the United States, fostering one of the most innovative climates found in technology. As part of developing London as a dominant force with bold new companies, the United Kingdom government decided to get behind burgeoning talent, resulting in one of the most generous tax-relief systems for starting a business. Tech pros are encouraged to take advantage of upskilling opportunities often offered by local governments, and utilize the supportive regulation measures, available finance, and other mentors to bring their ideas to life.
London’s undeniable culture of economic liberalism and variety has played a crucial part in its digital success. The United Kingdom is the biggest destination in Europe for venture capitalist money on a per capita basis. In 2020, venture capitalists invested a record $13.5 billion in the UK’s tech scene, moving up the scale quickly from the previous year’s amount. Another newly minted British unicorn made it big on the scene with virtual events company Hopin, which raised $125 million, and Revolut’s $580 million Series D. Tech jobs continued to skyrocket following Amazon’s long-awaited $575 million investment in Deliveroo and is now in the position of demanding a need for more tech talent than there is supply.
The pros of living and working in London are innumerable. As one of the biggest and most storied cities in the world, the dream of living in a cosmopolitan area that still makes time for relaxation can be found. London is timeless yet forever changing, and it becomes more of a way of life than a city of residence. Being a long-time Londoner, or even a newcomer, many well-known things about the city are true. The people’s fascination with their monarchy, the iconic red double-decker buses, and the legends surrounding the Tower of London are true. So is their devotion to tea, proper manners, and making time to help strangers lost on the busy streets. But there are so many unusual and even quirky things about the city that many guidebooks don’t discuss.
To absorb London, one must be able to get around, and that is possible by taking one of the multitudes of black cabs waiting curbside. London is an extremely walkable city, but the advantage of sitting in the back of a hackney carriage, which is the proper name for a taxicab, is exposure to the unbelievable amount of knowledge that cabbies have of the city. Training for these professional drivers involves an extraordinary amount of study that ensures they know every nook and cranny of the city. “The Knowledge” is the guide to the extensive amount of ability a driver must have to decide on routes immediately in response to a passenger’s request or traffic conditions, rather than pausing to look at a map, relying on satellite navigation, or requesting help from a controller by radio.
As one of the world’s safest cities to live in, Londoners can relax for a night out on the town. Cuisines of the world and famous bars are found at every corner, although takeaway to home is a popular option. Cozy homes, apartments in trendy districts, and suburban life are all equally available in this city standing on the River Thames. Robust tech pro salaries help offset the costs, and the quality of living is consistently reported as one of the best in the world. Sample salaries in London include General Technologists at £35,683, Field Service Techs at about £38,909 annually, and Software Engineers, who take home average annual earnings of £65,000.
In London, solid salaries across all tech sectors make acquiring the skills it takes to enter a career in tech a wise investment. There are an amazing amount of technology classes and bootcamps available in London. More than 90 of the best course offerings from five schools provide in-person, live online, and on-demand course options. For all tech students, schools cover a vast array of subjects in technology, including Design, Digital Marketing, Data-related training, Coding, Business, Web Development, and IT. Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool, offers superb in-person options live and online for all subjects in technology.
London has schools that offer bootcamps and classes in Graphic Design. In-person options are provided by schools, including New Horizons and General Assembly. With instructors who are experts in the field, students receive the attention they need for success. Types of programs that can be found include bootcamps/immersives, certificates, and classes, ranging from six hours to twelve weeks in length. Topics across the graphic design spectrum are Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Visual Design, and UX Design.
The schools that offer Data Science bootcamps and classes in London provide excellent learning environments. Highly ranked schools that provide face-to-face instruction include Le Wagon, New Horizons, and General Assembly. Each school offers small class sizes that guide the student to success. Courses range from three hours to 72 weeks, including bootcamps, which dive deeply into hands-on instruction in this fast-growing field. Subjects within the realm of Data Science include Python, SQL, Machine Learning, and R.
For Web Development classes and bootcamps, London residents will find plenty of options offered by Le Wagon and General Assembly. All schools offer small class sizes, and students receive the attention they need for success.
There are numerous course options presented by highly ranked schools to choose from for coding classes and bootcamps in London. In-person instruction is available from Le Wagon, New Horizons, and General Assembly. Since classes and bootcamps are held face-to-face, students receive the attention they need for success. All courses take students through the learning process step-by-step and provide object-based experiential learning experiences. Students can find coding-related options in Web Development, Data Science, Computer Science, iOS Development, Front-end Development, Back-end Development, Python, JavaScript, Java, SQL, HTML & CSS, and PHP & MySQL. Offerings range from comprehensive and immersive bootcamps to extensive information certificates and classes. Most courses are also available live and online and offer a variety of times and lengths. For more extensive programs, financial assistance is often available.
Those looking for Web Design bootcamps and classes in London can choose from many courses provided by local schools, including New Horizons and General Assembly. Since classes and bootcamps are held in-person, students receive the attention they need for success. Topics within web design include Front-end Web Development, Visual Design, UX Design, WordPress, HTML & CSS, JavaScript & jQuery, Sketch, and Adobe XD. Courses include bootcamps and hands-on classes, ranging from three hours to twelve weeks, and are offered in-person, live online, and via on-demand sessions.
Attending a Digital Marketing class or bootcamp in London is a wise investment to get ahead of the competition in the booming digital world. Students can choose from many courses provided by London Marketing Academy and General Assembly. Since courses and bootcamps have small class sizes, students receive the attention they need for success. Sample courses students can choose from include Google Analytics, Google Ads, SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and ecommerce.
London is an excellent place to learn Python skills in a bootcamp or class. Students can take courses from General Assembly and New Horizons, two top-ranked schools of technology. Python is essential for most careers in technology, and certain professions require knowledge in specific syntaxes of the language. Instruction in Python for all levels and career-related topics can be found throughout the schools listed and offered live online, as well as on-demand by Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool.
Londoners can choose from Video Editing classes and bootcamps in the city at schools offering courses live and online. Since classes are in real-time, students get the attention they deserve. Video editing classes are fast-paced, hands-on learning experiences that range from two to ten days. Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool, also offers many courses in video editing that are held live and online. General areas of study in video editing include motion graphics, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Final Cut Pro.
UX Design bootcamps and classes in London are offered by an excellent school, General Assembly, which has a long history of graduating successful designers. This school offers comprehensive overviews of the user experience (UX) and places particular emphasis on Sketch and Adobe XD. Throughout the courses, students practice UI foundations, including design iteration and development, and best practices when working with a product development team.
Students have a choice of many unique in-person Excel classes and bootcamps in London. Options are available from New Horizons and General Assembly. With small student-to-instructor ratios, students receive the attention they need for success. Further options for Excel and other business-related skills are offered live and online by Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool. The need for Excel skills stretches into most professional career areas, so essential general and specific classes in the software are available face-to-face, live and online, or on-demand.
For companies located in London, it’s essential to keep a team up-to-date with the latest developments in technology. Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool, provides onsite corporate training in technology. An expert Noble Desktop instructor will arrange a session in a vast array of technical subjects and can provide training at your location. Additionally, a live session can be arranged via a video conferencing platform such as Zoom.
If it is easier for individual employees to attend a class on their own schedule, vouchers can be obtained for them to attend an open enrollment session. There is a discount on the purchase of multiple vouchers. Contact Noble Desktop to arrange a tailored training session for your workplace and employees.