--- title: "Startup tech office space in Manchester" description: "Where startup tech occupiers cluster in Manchester, what they pay, and what the typical fit-out looks like." canonical: https://classa.info/cities/manchester/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 Manchester typically cluster in New Bailey / Salford Central, plan ~130 sqft per seat at mid fit-out ($120–175/sqft), and pay around 45 GBP/sqft ($57 USD) on Class A. ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: New Bailey / Salford Central. - Typical fit-out spec: Mid ($120–175/sqft). - Plan ~130 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 45 GBP/sqft ($57 USD). - Typical lease: 10 years with 18 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Manchester: 85/100. # Startup tech office space in Manchester **Startup tech occupiers in Manchester typically cluster in New Bailey / Salford Central, plan ~130 sqft per seat at mid [fit-out](/topics/fit-out-capex)">fit-out ($120–175/sqft), and pay around 45 GBP/sqft ($57 USD) on [Class A](/glossary/class-a).** ## TL;DR - Preferred submarket: New Bailey / Salford Central. - Typical fit-out spec: Mid ($120–175/sqft). - Plan ~130 sqft per seat for headcount sizing. - Class A rent context: 45 GBP/sqft ($57 USD). - Typical lease: 10 years with 18 months rent-free. - Talent depth in Manchester: 85/100. ## Where they cluster Startup tech occupiers in Manchester typically anchor in New Bailey / Salford Central. Financial services, professional services, government, tech. ## What they pay Class A rent in Manchester runs 45 GBP/sqft ($57 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 Manchester 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. Strong tech, media, banking, and professional services talent. University of Manchester, MMU, and Salford anchor the regional pipeline — among the largest in Europe by enrollment. Strong graduate retention drives the post-2015 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 are standard. Rent reviews to open-market every 5 years. Rent-free periods of 18-24 months on a 10-year term, plus £40-£60/sqft TI typical. ## Key facts | city | Manchester| | industry | Startup tech| | naics | 541511, 541512, 518210| | preferredSubmarket | New Bailey / Salford Central| | preferredFitoutSpec | Mid| | fitoutBand | $120–175/sqft| | sqftPerSeat | 130| | classARentLocal | 45 GBP/sqft/yr| | classARentUsd | $57/sqft/yr| | vacancyPct | 11.2%| | typicalLeaseYears | 10| | typicalRentFreeMonths | 18| | talentIndex | 85| | corporateTaxPct | 25%| ## Frequently asked questions ****Where do startup tech occupiers lease office space in Manchester?**** : Most cluster in New Bailey / Salford Central. Rent runs ~45 GBP/sqft ($57 USD) for trophy and prime stock. ****What fit-out spec do startup tech occupiers run in Manchester?**** : Typically mid at $120–175/sqft. ****How much office space per seat should a startup tech occupier plan in Manchester?**** : 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 Manchester?**** : 85/100. Use the city profile for full detail. ## Related - [**Startup tech — global overview**](/industries/startup-tech) - [**Manchester — full city profile**](/cities/manchester) - [**Financial services in Manchester**](/cities/manchester/industries/financial-services) - [**Asset management in Manchester**](/cities/manchester/industries/asset-management) - [**Investment banking in Manchester**](/cities/manchester/industries/investment-banking) - [**Legal services in Manchester**](/cities/manchester/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/manchester/industries/startup-tech), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.