Why Sheffield

Home to tech founders and scaling companies, Sheffield blends powerful business assets with an exceptional quality of life. Known as The Outdoor City and nestled beside the Peak District, it offers the perfect balance of nature and enterprise, with energising outdoor culture, a varied night-time economy and a rich heritage of making and doing.

Sheffield’s two leading universities fuel a continuous pipeline of talent, while strong transport links connect businesses across the UK and beyond.

Creativity and culture come naturally in Sheffield. It’s the birthplace of UK rock climbing and bouldering, the inventor of football, a pioneer in electronic music, and a leader in independent real ale. These cultural movements have shaped global industries for decades.

For innovative businesses, Sheffield offers more than just infrastructure. It’s a place where people choose to put down roots.

Sheffield inspires. Always has. Always will.

Two women hiking on a trail outdoors with Sheffield's cityscape and trees in the background during late afternoon or early evening.

©Sam McQueen

Two scientists wearing white lab coats and protective glasses work in a laboratory, one examining a sample in a test tube, with laboratory equipment and storage shelves in the background.

A CITY FUELLED BY INDEPENDENT THINKERS

Sheffield is home to two leading universities: The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University. This gives businesses access to expert knowledge, breakthrough ideas and skilled graduates.

These institutions play a vital role in delivering the Sheffield Growth Plan’s sector strengths. In advanced manufacturing and materials, the University of Sheffield’s AMRC works with partners like Boeing and Rolls-Royce SMR, attracting investment and generating high-value jobs. Its Roy c e Translational Centre helps manufacturers adopt new technologies, reinforcing the city’s leadership in engineering, lightweight materials and specialist manufacturing.

In the tech sector, both universities are instrumental. The University of Sheffield excels in Physics, Engineering and Computer Science, with successful spinouts pushing boundaries. Meanwhile, Sheffield Hallam’s PlayStation 5 Development Lab feeds talent directly into leading firms like Sumo Digital.

In health and wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park leads the way in preventative health. The University of Sheffield ranks among the UK’s leading universities for clinical medicine with internationally recognised research in neuroscience, oncology, cardiovascular science and population health. Both universities support skills and workforce development in this sector, with students contributing hundreds of thousands of hours to NHS placements and local businesses.
Graduate retention is extremely strong, with 34% of University of Sheffield graduates staying in the region to support local growth, and over 50% of Sheffield Hallam graduates coming from the local region.
As active partners in the Sheffield Innovation Spine, both universities are helping turn ideas into thriving businesses. They are helping us shape a vibrant, future-facing economy rooted in talent, collaboration and community.

INNOVATION HUBS

Whether you're a founder, investor, researcher, real estate partner or curious citizen, the Innovation Spine’s primary Innovation Hubs are at the heart of Sheffield’s innovation renaissance. Explore, collaborate and grow with us.

Pennine Five

Pennine Five is Sheffield’s scale-up campus for deep tech and physical science companies, built on some of the region’s strongest assets. Thoughtfully redesigned to encourage natural collaboration, it offers flexible office space and tenancy agreements that cater to startups and established businesses alike.

CONTACT

Pennine Five Campus
41 Silver Street Head
Sheffield
S1 2DD

www.penninefive.com

About Pennine five ➔

Sheffield Technology Parks

Sheffield Technology Parks is a central hub for early-stage tech businesses. It offers workspace, shared labs, and expert startup advice. Just minutes from the train station, the building connects founders, researchers and partners in a vibrant, collaborative community.

Contact

Sheffield Technology Parks
Cooper Buildings, Arundel Street
Sheffield
S1 2NS

www.shefftechparks.com
T: 0114 22 11 800
E: hello@shefftechparks.com

About Sheffield Technology Parks ➔

Empty corridor inside the Innovation Centre with white walls, framed pictures, ceiling lights, and a glass wall on the right side showing an interior room with chairs, tables, and a exercise bike.

UKSE Innovation Centre

Backed by UKSE, the Innovation Centre offers flexible labs and workspace on easy-in, easy-out terms. It’s ideal for small and medium-sized businesses ready to grow. Located next to the University of Sheffield and close to transport links, it forms a key part of the city’s thriving innovation ecosystem.