The cities of Oxford and Cambridge are well-known for producing technology start-ups. But they are also constrained in terms of land, properties and people - presenting significant challenges for businesses seeking to scale-up their operations.
Space for business growth
The Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor is all about solving this problem - providing cost-effective expansion space for high-value companies. Land is certainly a commodity the region’s hinterlands can deliver. But combining space for growth with access to a skilled tech workforce is a much taller order. And it's where Milton Keynes steps up.
Milton Keynes is the pro-growth business and technology hub at the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge region. And it's home to a technology-focused workforce that’s likely to surprise those who aren't yet in the know.
Skills and scale - Milton Keynes’ tech workforce
Milton Keynes overall tech workforce comprises around 45,000 people.¹ In the key classification ‘computer programming and consultancy’, the city’s workforce totals 7,000 people - significantly larger than Oxford's, with 3,000 people.² They're employed in a digital tech industry cluster that's twice as concentrated as Oxford's,³ with excellence in areas including AI and data analytics, the Internet of Things, Smart City technologies, and engineering tech. Key employers include Aiimi (AI), Starship Technologies (autonomous systems and robotics), and Red Bull Advanced Technologies (high-performance engineering).
The city's financial services workforce is 14 X the size of Oxford's - 7,000 people compared with 500 ⁴ - with key capabilities to be found at the intersection of finance and digital tech. Milton Keynes companies are at the forefront of digital banking, payment solutions, and financial services innovation, anchored by Santander's £150 million Digital Hub and Fintech pioneers including Allica Bank and Fumopay.
Milton Keynes' credentials as an outstanding business city are reflected in its selection by leading companies for UK (or international) head offices, as well as management consulting operations. In the ‘head office and consulting’ classification, Milton Keynes has 4,500 workers compared with 3,500 in Oxford.⁵ High-profile employers include Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen Group, Xero, Zoho Corporation, and Tech Mahindra.
Tech-focused education and skills providers
Milton Keynes' skills base is supported and replenished by a concentration of further and higher education providers delivering courses, qualifications and apprenticeships focused on the needs of growing digital and tech businesses. They include Milton Keynes College - delivering HNCs and HNDs in digital technologies and engineering, and the South Central Institute of Technology (SCIoT) - delivering HNCs and HNDs in cybersecurity and networking, AI and software development, and engineering.
MK:U, backed by Cranfield University and supported by Santander, is the UK's first university focused on digital technology skills including computer science, data science, and software engineering. Cranfield University itself, located just 10 miles from Central Milton Keynes, ranks among the world's top universities in disciplines including electrical and electronic engineering, computer science and information systems, and business and management.⁶ Famously, Milton Keynes is also the home of The Open University, which delivers degrees in subjects including computing and IT, and engineering, and collaborates actively with businesses based in the city.
Taking your tech business to the next level
Milton Keynes, therefore, answers a pressing question for high-growth businesses emerging from the tech hubs of Oxford and Cambridge in particular: how to expand successfully and cost-effectively in their home region, without compromising on access to skilled personnel.
In Milton Keynes there is no compromise, and they'll find the people they need to take their business to the next level. And with the development of East West Rail from 2026, linking Oxford to Milton Keynes in just 45 minutes, the move will be made even easier.
Contact the Invest Milton Keynes team to talk about scaling-up your business in Milton Keynes.
Click here (opens in a new window)(1) Whitecap Consulting, 2022; (2) SIC62, ONS 2023; (3) SIC62 Location Quotients, ONS 2023; (4) SIC64, ONS 2023; (5) SIC70, ONS 2023; (6) QS World University Rankings, 2025.