Overview
Coventry’s economic landscape is characterised by a robust employment sector with a total of 234,401 employees. The city has seen significant growth in certain sectors, particularly in wholesale and retail trade, as well as professional, scientific, and technical activities. The presence of various sectors such as construction, transportation, and information communication highlights the diversity of the city’s economic base. With 203 businesses reporting employee growth and a notable increase in the number of scaleups, Coventry’s economy shows signs of dynamic development.
Employment and Business Growth
- Total Employees: Coventry has a strong workforce of 234,401 employees. The city has witnessed a positive trend in employment, with 203 companies reporting an increase in their workforce.
- Sectors with Most Companies: The leading sectors in Coventry are wholesale and retail trade (4,453 companies), professional, scientific, and technical activities (3,287 companies), and administrative support service activities (2,647 companies). These sectors collectively represent a significant portion of the city’s economic activity.
- Top Growing Sectors: Emerging sectors showing growth include Analytics, Internet Platforms, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Automotive, and E-commerce. These sectors, while currently smaller in size, indicate a shift towards technology and digitalisation in the city’s economic landscape.
- Scaleups: The presence of 73 scaleups demonstrates the city’s conducive environment for business growth and development.
- New Companies: In the past two years, Coventry has seen the inception of 5,228 new companies, indicating a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and a healthy startup ecosystem.
Business Continuity
- Company Cessations: The number of companies that have ceased operations stands at 3,457, which is a critical indicator of the business environment’s challenges and the lifecycle of businesses in the city.
Diversity and Innovation
- Gender Representation in Founders and Directors: Founders’ gender distribution shows 14.62% female and 83.63% male, highlighting a gender gap in entrepreneurship. In director roles, 25.23% are female, and 69.27% are male, showing a similar trend but with a slightly higher female representation.
- Innovation Indicators: Coventry has a substantial number of patent owners (2,916) and grant recipients (25), suggesting a strong focus on innovation and intellectual property.
Conclusion
Coventry’s economy is diverse, with significant contributions from trade, professional services, and emerging tech sectors. The city shows strong growth in employment and business scaleups, although challenges in company cessations and gender diversity in leadership roles are evident. The high number of patent owners and new companies indicates a vibrant environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.