How To Launch A Startup In Brighton

Brighton, found on the southern coast of England, is known for its coastal charm and history dating back centuries. Tourists flock to the seaside city every year to see its iconic pebble beach and historic pier, as well as partake in its festive art celebrations.

Aside from tourists, Brighton is making a name for itself as a business hub and is quickly becoming a top destination for entrepreneurs. The city welcomes startups and innovation, offering an abundance of resources and opportunities, making it the ideal destination to work and live.

Why Start A Business In Brighton?

Brighton is an exciting combination of creativity and innovation, and may be on your list as possible locations for a startup for a couple of reasons.

Although it isn’t as cheap as some of the other smaller cities in the area, Brighton still offers significantly lower costs compared to London when it comes to day-to-day living and running a business. London is still just an hour away by train, which means that entrepreneurs and startup founders can still take advantage of the business there but without the costly expenses.

For those who value a work-life balance, Brighton offers just the right amount with beaches, parks and plenty of cultural events to keep you entertained when you aren’t working.

The city’s universities are producing highly skilled graduates in industries like design, tech and gaming as well as business, which is further fuelling its recognition as a core area for startups.

What Are The Most Successful Industries In Brighton?

Brighton’s mix of artistic and entrepreneurial environments have made it a city where some sectors are able to stand out, which new entrepreneurs can explore before launching their own startups there.

Technology and digital: Sometimes referred to as “Silicon Beach due to its high concentration of tech startups, the city is seeing a massive expansion in this industry as well as in digital marketing, app development and graphic design.

Tourism and hospitality: Brighton is known for its lively art scene, and this together with the seaside aspect make it a top spot for tourism where entrepreneurs can expand into real estate or food and beverages.

Health: With the tech sector growing steadily and emergence of health tech startups, there are plenty of opportunities to grow in the digital health and biotech spaces.

Sustainability: Brighton is a city committed to green business practices, making it the place to be for environmentally-focused startups. From renewable energy to waste reduction, green tech startups will be able to acquire a great deal of support.

Accelerators And Incubators For Startups

Starting a business is no easy task and founders can greatly benefit from support, which Brighton’s accelerator and incubator programs can assist with, in addition to offering mentorship and networking opportunities.

Brighton Fuse: This initiative focuses on digital businesses in the creative and tech industries, giving startups in their early-stages investment advice and guidance.

The Accelerator: Hosted by the University of Brighton, this program helps new ventures with financial resources and support.

The Skiff: This is a co-working space in Brighton which also offers an incubator program designed for tech startups where founders can make use of flexible office spaces, events and meet investors.

SETsquared Brighton: This partnership was founded by five leading universities in the United Kingdom and helps early-stage startups with investments and networking.

Funding Opportunities For Startup Founders

All startups require much-needed funding to be able to get off the ground, and in Brighton you will be able to find a few different avenues depending on what suits you and your business.

Angel investors: Brighton is home to a large network of angel investors who are able to invest in early-stage startups, especially those in the creative and tech sectors.

Venture capital: There are several venture capital firms located in Brighton who also specialise in supporting tech, digital and sustainability-focused ventures.

Factors To Consider Before Starting A Business In Brighton

When starting a business, there is no doubt that you will encounter some challenges along the way and not everything will be smooth-sailing. Before you decide on launching a startup in Brighton, there are a few things to keep in mind that could become potential challenges down the line.

Brighton is already becoming immensely popular for startups, so there is fierce competition to find the top talent to join your company especially in the dominant sectors like technology.

It is also a smaller city so it doesn’t quite have the scaling capabilities and resources that larger cities like London do. If you do plan on growing your business quite rapidly, you may need to look outside of the city for additional support to help you achieve that.

There have been some implications as a result of Brexit, meaning that regulations and labour laws have changed. If you want to trade in Europe or hire employees from EU countries, this could impact you so it’s best to do plenty of research beforehand.

How To Set Up A Business In Brighton

Launching a startup in Brighton is an uncomplicated process, and these are the few key steps that you will need to take to get going.

Choose a business structure: You can decide between a sole trader, partnership or limited company depending on the nature of your business. If you aren’t sure of which one to choose, you can consult with an accountant or solicitor to give you advice.

Register your business: Once you have chosen your business structure, you can register the business with Companies House. This can be done online for convenience, for a small fee.

Obtain a business address: You will be required to have a physical address for the business, which can be your residential address, a co-working space or rented office.

Apply for applicable licenses and permits: Depending on which industry you are operating in, like the food industry, additional licenses or permits may be required.

Should You Start A Business In Brighton?

Given its startup-friendly status coupled with its coastal bliss, Brighton is certainly poised to be a successful business location within the UK, especially if you take advantage of the opportunities in its thriving sectors.

If you are able to plan strategically, enter the market with an innovative concept and navigate a few odd potential challenges, you may easily find yourself running a successful startup in this city.

Best of luck!