Overview
Stratford-on-Avon’s economic landscape shows a dynamic mix of sectors with a notable emphasis on professional, scientific, and technical activities. The area demonstrates moderate growth in employment and business activities, underpinned by a diverse range of sectors. Notably, there are emerging strengths in sectors like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and analytics.
Employment and Business Growth
- Total Employees: 99,504. This figure represents the total workforce in Stratford-on-Avon, indicating a substantial labor pool.
- Employee Growth Rate: The number of employees has risen by 5.07%, reflecting a healthy growth trajectory in the local economy.
- Number of Scale-ups: 61. This number of businesses experiencing significant growth is indicative of an entrepreneurial and dynamic business environment.
Sector Dynamics
- Top Sectors: The dominant sectors are professional, scientific, and technical activities (17.28%), administrative and support service activities (16.75%), and wholesale/retail trade (10.76%). This diversity underscores a balanced economic base.
- Top Sectors Showing Growth: Notable sectors showing growth include SaaS, business/professional services, analytics, educational services, and internet platforms, indicating a shift towards technology-oriented services.
Business Continuity
- Company Cessations: The data does not specify the number of company cessations, which would be crucial to understand business continuity in the region.
- New Companies (2 Years): 2,795. This number suggests a vibrant entrepreneurial environment and a positive trend in new business formation.
Diversity and Inclusivity
- Gender Diversity (Founders): 18.59% female founders, 80.77% male founders. This highlights a gender gap in entrepreneurship.
- Gender Diversity (Directors): 31.05% female directors, 63.74% male directors, showing slightly better gender balance in leadership roles.
- Age Diversity (Directors): A diverse age range in company directors, with the largest groups being between 50-60 years (29.24%) and over 60 years (29.76%).
Innovation and International Reach
- Number of Patent Owners: 7. This figure, though modest, indicates some level of innovative activity.
- Number of Exporters: 339. This shows a significant international business presence, which is essential for economic resilience.
- Foreign Parent Companies: 25. The presence of businesses with foreign parent companies suggests international investment and connectivity.
Conclusion
Stratford-on-Avon exhibits a robust and diverse economic landscape with strengths in professional and technical services, alongside emerging sectors like SaaS and analytics. While showing promising growth in employment and new business formation, the region could benefit from increased attention to innovation and gender diversity in entrepreneurship.