Located in the South East, Reading was built on a rich industrial heritage nicknamed ‘the 3 B’s’ – Beer, Biscuits and Bulbs.
In 2023, the landscape is very different, where Reading sits at the heart of the Thames Valley Region, one of the most successful tech hubs in Britain often referred to as the ‘Silicon Valley of the UK’.
Engineering economy of Reading
Employment
Businesses
GVA per engineer
Engineering opportunities in Reading
Reading’s location has been a strong breeding ground for a formidable ICT sector base. The connectivity and investment in business infrastructure has attracted several major tech businesses to the area, choosing Reading as their UK base. Microsoft, Cisco, EE, Ericsson, alongside many large international accounting firms are located here.
Education and connectivity
Reading has excellent connections via its major railway hub and the Elizabeth Line to London and to the wider Thames Valley Tech Corridor, linking to places like Oxford and Wokingham
With the University of Reading close by these businesses also have access to a major talent pool, graduating from an institution with major research strengths in computer science, informatics, systems engineering, and food sciences. There are several centres of excellence too, including the Henley Business School and the Thames Valley Science Park, providing cutting-edge laboratories for businesses and students alike.
recently named one of the best places to live in the UK by the Sunday Times, Reading is strong exemplar of what it means to be a High Flying Innovator.
Start-ups and Spinouts
This environment has created a vibrant enterprise scene, seeing the emergence of innovative tech start-ups and spinouts. This success has attracted an influx of investment too. For example, a consortium which includes BT and EE, but led by Reading-based Altitude Angel, is developing the world’s longest network of ‘drone superhighways’ between the Midlands to the South East, while BP has announced plans to invest up to £50m in a state-of-the-art electric vehicle battery testing centre at its global headquarters just outside Reading.