Reading: A Strategic Hub for High-Growth Sectors in the UK
4th February 2026
New analysis from The Data City on the Government’s eight Industrial Strategy sectors (IS-8) underlines Reading’s position as one of the UK’s strongest locations for growth industries — and crucially, shows that the town is outperforming both the national average and several major regional cities.
Reading sits comfortably above the national average for these sectors, signalling a deep and well-established business base. Notably, Reading outperforms Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol in many of these sectors, reinforcing its position as one of the UK’s most competitive regional economies.
Most significantly, Reading shows a clear national standout in Digital and Technologies, where its concentration of activity is well ahead of all three comparator cities, highlighting Reading’s status as one of the UK’s leading tech and digital hubs.
For companies considering expansion or relocation, Reading offers a strategic location with demonstrated strengths in sectors poised for growth. The region's alignment with national economic priorities underscores its appeal as a destination for forward-thinking enterprises.
Mark Pearson, Head of Economic Development at REDA, stated: “The Data City analysis underpins the approach that the new Reading Economic Development Framework 2035 is taking to support the local and national economy.
As part of this approach, our newly launched Inward Investment Hub is taking to focus on the key sectors, positioning Reading as an international location for growth business sectors. This demonstrates strength in not just one, but several growth industries, with technical sectors backed up by professional and financial sectors. This is critical to support the wider clustering and ecosystem which positions Reading as the economic capital of the Thames Valley.”
