--- title: "Startup tech office space in Edinburgh" description: "Where startup tech occupiers cluster in Edinburgh, what they pay, and what the typical fit-out looks like." canonical: https://classa.info/cities/edinburgh/industries/startup-tech pageType: city-industry lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)." --- > Startup tech occupiers in Edinburgh typically cluster in Haymarket, plan ~130 sqft per seat at mid fit-out ($120–175/sqft), and pay around 42 GBP/sqft ($53 USD) on Class A. ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: Haymarket. - Typical fit-out spec: Mid ($120–175/sqft). - Plan ~130 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 42 GBP/sqft ($53 USD). - Typical lease: 10 years with 18 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Edinburgh: 85/100. # Startup tech office space in Edinburgh **Startup tech occupiers in Edinburgh typically cluster in Haymarket, plan ~130 sqft per seat at mid [fit-out](/topics/fit-out-capex)">fit-out ($120–175/sqft), and pay around 42 GBP/sqft ($53 USD) on [Class A](/glossary/class-a).** ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: Haymarket. - Typical fit-out spec: Mid ($120–175/sqft). - Plan ~130 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 42 GBP/sqft ($53 USD). - Typical lease: 10 years with 18 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Edinburgh: 85/100. ## Where they cluster Startup tech occupiers in Edinburgh typically anchor in Haymarket. Tech, financial services, professional services, hospitality. ## What they pay Class A rent in Edinburgh runs 42 GBP/sqft ($53 USD) on a 10-year lease with 18 months free. Prime submarkets sit at or modestly above the city index. ## Spec and fit-out Typical startup tech fit-out targets mid specification at $120–175/sqft. Functional Cat-B with branded reception and standard meeting-room mix is standard. ## Headcount sizing Plan around 130 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount startups office in Edinburgh typically targets 13,000 sqft of leasable area. ## Talent angle Series B–D scale-ups prioritize flexibility and signature loft stock to attract engineering talent away from incumbents. Among the deepest fintech and asset management talent pools in the UK regions. University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt anchor the regional pipeline. Strong AI talent (Edinburgh's AI4ER programme) drives the post-2020 tech absorption pipeline. ## Tax and lease context Headline corporate tax: 25%. Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI) structures predominate. 10-year terms with 5-year tenant breaks standard. Scottish leases differ procedurally from English (different forms of guarantee, irritancy rather than forfeiture). Rent-free periods of 18-24 months on a 10-year term, plus £40-£60/sqft TI typical. ## Key facts | city | Edinburgh| | industry | Startup tech| | naics | 541511, 541512, 518210| | preferredSubmarket | Haymarket| | preferredFitoutSpec | Mid| | fitoutBand | $120–175/sqft| | sqftPerSeat | 130| | classARentLocal | 42 GBP/sqft/yr| | classARentUsd | $53/sqft/yr| | vacancyPct | 8.4%| | typicalLeaseYears | 10| | typicalRentFreeMonths | 18| | talentIndex | 85| | corporateTaxPct | 25%| ## Frequently asked questions ****Where do startup tech occupiers lease office space in Edinburgh?**** : Most cluster in Haymarket. Rent runs ~42 GBP/sqft ($53 USD) for trophy and prime stock. ****What fit-out spec do startup tech occupiers run in Edinburgh?**** : Typically mid at $120–175/sqft. ****How much office space per seat should a startup tech occupier plan in Edinburgh?**** : Plan ~130 sqft per seat blended. A 100-person team typically takes 13,000 sqft. ****What NAICS codes describe the startup tech vertical?**** : Representative NAICS 2022 codes: 541511, 541512, 518210. ****What is the talent index in Edinburgh?**** : 85/100. Use the city profile for full detail. ## Related - [**Startup tech — global overview**](/industries/startup-tech) - [**Edinburgh — full city profile**](/cities/edinburgh) - [**Financial services in Edinburgh**](/cities/edinburgh/industries/financial-services) - [**Asset management in Edinburgh**](/cities/edinburgh/industries/asset-management) - [**Investment banking in Edinburgh**](/cities/edinburgh/industries/investment-banking) - [**Legal services in Edinburgh**](/cities/edinburgh/industries/legal-services) ## Editorial provenance Reviewed by [**Class A Atlas Editorial Desk**](/about/authors/class-a-atlas-editorial-desk) — House byline · global editorial team. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our [methodology](/about/methodology) and [editorial standards](/about/editorial-standards). ### Primary sources for this page - [CBRE Marketview reports](https://www.cbre.com/insights) — CBRE - [JLL Office Insight](https://www.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights) — JLL - [Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/insights) — Cushman & Wakefield - [Savills World Research](https://www.savills.com/research_articles/) — Savills - [Colliers Global Office Outlook](https://www.colliers.com/en/research) — Colliers [Full sources index](/about/sources) · [Submit a correction](/about/corrections) ## Related topics - [**Class A Lease Negotiation**](/topics/class-a-lease-negotiation) — How to negotiate a Class A office lease — the playbook from LOI to signed deal. - [**Hybrid Workplace Strategy**](/topics/hybrid-workplace-strategy) — How to size, structure, and lease a Class A office for a hybrid workforce. - [**ESG / LEED for Tenants**](/topics/esg-leed-tenants) — How tenants evaluate, negotiate, and report on ESG performance in a Class A office lease. - [**Cross-border Expansion**](/topics/cross-border-expansion) — How to run a coordinated Class A office search across multiple geographies. - [**Fit-out Capex**](/topics/fit-out-capex) — How to budget, sequence, and govern Class A office fit-out capex. - [**Lease vs Flex**](/topics/lease-vs-flex) — When premium flex (coworking, [managed office](/glossary/managed-office)) beats a conventional Class A lease — and vice versa. --- Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/cities/edinburgh/industries/startup-tech), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.