Why Milton Keynes Has a Thriving Digital Hub for Coworking

Milton Keynes is one of the UK’s newest cities with an advancing economy to match its upgraded status. A smart city with a healthy startup ecosystem, the local area is a magnet for high-growth initiatives.

Founded as a new town in the late 1960s, the city’s layout includes a pre-planned central business district. Coworking spaces in Milton Keynes benefit from this forward-thinking approach. The offices here are surrounded by easy transport options and great amenities.

Milton Keynes is also a growing tech hub with historical importance. Home to the revolutionary Bletchley Park, the city leads the way in artificial intelligence, with a world-first agreement on the future of AI occurring here in 2023.

You’ll find plenty of opportunities for success in Milton Keynes. It leads the UK Competitive Index, enjoying high levels of entrepreneurship and GVA per capita.

In this article, we will examine why Milton Keynes is a location to watch closely if you own or operate a business. We will also discuss why the city is a smart choice for coworking spaces.

Why businesses are coworking in Milton Keynes

Tech is an industry that lends itself to coworking. When you work in a shared space alongside other startups, you’ll prompt discussions around your products and services. This leads to innovation and ideas from outside your silo.

With our coworking membership options, you can book a meeting room in any of our centres to further your new partnerships. This is ideal for collaborative projects or confidential work.

Below are some of the main reasons Milton Keynes now houses over 10,000 innovative businesses.

1. City status

Achieving city status in 2022, Milton Keynes is a success story of pioneering urban planning. It’s a model for new towns around the world, an accolade that has been reflected in local growth.

Thanks to its systematic planning, Milton Keynes enjoys a high percentage of green space within the city boundaries. This goes hand in hand with local focus on sustainability, as the council aims for a carbon-neutral status by 2030.

The area is known for its innovation, including being the first to incorporate curbside recycling. As such, Milton Keynes has a burgeoning tech sector. With over 2,400 related enterprises, this new city is holding its own against larger cities like Liverpool and Leeds.

2. Digital hub development

Milton Keynes is the leading digital hub in Buckinghamshire. Santander’s new Unity Place HQ sits in the heart of the city and provides a new centre for innovative startups.

This landmark location plays a key role in Milton Keynes’ evolving reputation. Unity Place, which includes eateries, cafes, and more, hosts networking events in its 300-seat auditorium. This is just one of the ways they hope to attract further tech talent to the area.

It’s joined by the MK:U Innovation Hub, a state-of-the-art space created in collaboration with Cranfield University. The MK:U Innovation Hub hosts events and demonstrations focused on smart cities and emerging tech.

3. Advantageous location

Shared office spaces in Milton Keynes are in high demand thanks to their accessibility. The city’s deliberate urban planning ensures that you’re never too far from a transport stop.

There are seven main railway stations, and inter-city services reach London in just over 30 minutes. If you commute by car, the M1 motorway runs alongside the city limits.

Milton Keynes also attracts talent from surrounding cities. Sitting between Oxford and Cambridge, your startup can reach the next generation of tech talent.

This area is considered a “tech arc” that spans from London to Birmingham. Milton Keynes is an M1 connection away from places like Leicester’s Innovation Hub and London’s Silicon Roundabout.

4. Academic collaboration

As a tech hub with a strong focus on education, Milton Keynes offers a great learning environment for startups. Many major tech companies make their home in the city, and they’re keen to find new ideas.

Cranfield University, a local post-graduate institution, offers many tech-focused courses. Telecommunication startups can access the university’s cutting-edge communications lab.

This new Centre for Antenna and Communication Technology Innovation is available for industry use. Specialist collaboration for SMEs is part of its services.

Outside of Cranfield, the South Central Institute of Technology partners with Microsoft to educate digital entrepreneurs. Local tech forums also work to bring business support to new startups in the region.

5. Collaborative environment

There’s a steady stream of collaboration and community engagement within Milton Keynes. Local events include talks with The National Museum of Computing, which is within Bletchley Park.

Protospace is a not-for-profit initiative aiming to stimulate innovation in the area. In 2023, this collaborative entered a partnership with the local council to develop the future of tech in Milton Keynes. Protospace hosts hackathons, talks, and industry panels.

As a two-time host of the European Robotics League Competition, Milton Keynes thrives on innovation. This event promotes smart city working and is an important opportunity for local entrepreneurs.

6. Large technology sector

Milton Keynes leverages its computing history with its growing reputation as a tech hub to attract new startups. 30% of the local workforce is in tech, leading to a mixed ecosystem that delivers new growth opportunities.

Estimates place the number of software engineers at over 6,000. This is a skilled sector that pulls from Milton Keynes’s young population.

Businesses like Graphnet Health boost the local medtech sector, and there’s a thriving tech consulting cluster in the city. Big names in the industry like IBM, KPMG, and CityFibre provide networking opportunities for local startups.

7. Government support

Digital hubs succeed when they get support from the local government. Milton Keynes is lucky enough to secure regular council funding as the city invests in its smart city status.

Milton Keynes City Council has set up the MK Tech Fund Grant Scheme in partnership with the MKIG. As the largest not-for-profit angel investment network in the UK, it’s aiming to grant £7,000 funding each to local tech innovators.

The city is also taking advantage of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to improve the tech community in the city. Milton Keynes has been allocated over £3.1 million in funding from this project, which will be used on tech initiatives.

8. Autonomous technology

Boosted by the changing way people order online, Milton Keynes has an impressive autonomous tech sector. Known as a robotics hotspot, you’ll find delivery robots and self-driving scooters throughout the city.

Thanks to the American-style grid pattern of the local streets, companies can trial these robotics projects on a small but robust scale. The street pattern provides an easier testing ground than traditional UK urban planning.

One company that’s used Milton Keynes as a testing ground is Starship Technologies. Launched in 2018, they now operate the world's largest fleet of delivery robots. They’ve since expanded worldwide and have over six million deliveries under their belt.

Coworking spaces in Milton Keynes

The world of work is changing, and that means that private office space might not always work for your business. If you’re in the digital or creative sectors, coworking provides an agile, affordable alternative.

We’ve chosen three spaces that showcase how convenient coworking in Milton Keynes can be. Day pass options are available at these centres, and for longer-term use, we offer memberships from five days a month for £129 per person.

100 Avebury Boulevard

Launch your business in the heart of Milton Keynes with coworking space at 100 Avebury Boulevard. This new-build centre is minutes from Milton Keynes Central, offering connectivity with London.

The city’s streamlined transport network means many people commute to work. 100 Avebury Boulevard offers secure underground parking as well as bicycle storage for commuters. There are also several bus stops within easy walking distance.

Lunch options include the on-site restaurant as well as the neighbourhood’s many nearby eateries. For a casual meeting, the centre offers break-out areas with seating space.

Tech SMEs will be able to network with Xero and Velocity IT, both of whom have offices within the boulevard. Xero is a multinational with a pedigree in cloud-based computing.

Highlights include:

• On-site lunch restaurant
• Outside seating area
• Break-out areas

Information about 100 Avebury Boulevard

• Location: 100 Avebury Boulevard, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9 1FH
• Starting cost: From £229 per month
• Opening hours: 24/7 for Private Office and Dedicated Desk members, reception hours for other members
• Nearby transport links: Milton Keynes Central Train Station (a five-minute walk away) and South Grafton Roundabout South Bus Stop (a nine-minute walk away)

Atterbury Lakes

Your business can benefit from our Atterbury Lakes coworking space, part of our premium development in this busy business park. It is easily reachable via the nearby M1 motorway, and we offer a lounge area for visiting clients.

Informal meetings can be held in the on-site lunch restaurant, and the centre’s many vending machines can provide fuel as needed. A sandwich service brings your lunch to your desk on busy days.

Atterbury Lakes is primed for networking. You’ll share space with consulting companies, training providers, and IT support specialists. Break-out areas provide a professional environment to meet innovators within your sector.

Highlights include:

• Outside seating area
• Showers available
• Disabled facilities

Information about Atterbury Lakes

• Location: Fairbourne Drive, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK10 9RG
• Starting cost: From £169 per month
• Opening hours: 24/7 for Private Office and Dedicated Desk members, reception hours for other members
• Nearby transport links: Milton Keynes Coachway (a 12-minute walk away)

Midsummer Court

Midsummer Court is a premium coworking space in Milton Keynes city centre. This workspace provides commuter links at Milton Keynes Central and the Oak Court shopping centre.

The centre’s floor-to-ceiling windows and glass frontage offer a stunning, inspirational place to work. There are bookable meeting rooms available for collaboration. You’ll also have a choice of restaurants on your doorstep for informal client catch-ups.

Make connections with the neighbouring PwC office. Midsummer Boulevard, where this centre is located, is a hotspot for software companies. The B2B Viking Digital Hub is a short walk down the road.

Oak Court also has a small business network for local entrepreneurs.

Highlights include:

• Vending machines
• Break-out areas
• Disabled facilities

Information about Midsummer Court

• Location: 314 Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK9 2UB
• Starting cost: From £179 per month
• Opening hours: 24/7 for Private Office and Dedicated Desk members, reception hours for other members
• Nearby transport links: Midsummer Place Bus Stop (a seven-minute walk away) and Milton Keynes Central Train Station (a 15-minute walk away)

Explore Milton Keynes coworking spaces with Regus

Milton Keynes is an up-and-coming city with a growing reputation for tech. With its strong roots in computing and its innovative facilities, your startup will be set up for success in this city.

If you decide to move forward with coworking space with us, we have a variety of membership options to fit your needs.

Choose a dedicated desk option for permanent desk space with storage capability. This is a great choice for startups that want the flexibility of coworking with a space that won’t be used by others.

If you’re not sure how often you’ll need space, then hot desking might work best for you. This provides a low-commitment opportunity to turn up and use our centres as and when you need.

The three business centres we’ve highlighted above offer a low-cost, flexible way to establish yourself in Milton Keynes. As one of the UK’s most promising tech centres, this city can put your startup on the map.

Talk to one of our experts today to see how we can find you the perfect coworking space in this competitive location.