Northern companies are shaping the UK’s next wave of creative growth. With the right infrastructure, investment, and support in place, they have the potential to lead on a global stage, writes Courtney Walker, BGF Investor and Board Observer at KOMI Group, for Prolific North’s Creative Powerhouse series.
The North has long been a creative powerhouse — from the music of The Beatles and Oasis to world-class media productions at MediaCityUK, home to the BBC, ITV and Dock10 studios. This identity, rooted in community and creativity, is now driving commercial impact on a global scale.
Manchester is home to one of Europe’s largest creative hubs, with a £5 billion digital ecosystem that continues to expand. Meanwhile, the UK’s creative economy contributes £124 billion annually and supports 2.4 million jobs.
While London remains dominant, the North is rapidly emerging as a challenger, fuelled by resilience, talent and ambition to compete internationally.
READ MORE: North lands lion’s share of government’s £150m Creative Industries Sector Plan funding
Encouragingly, the UK Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan recognises this opportunity, with a clear goal to make the UK the global destination for creative investment and innovation. Its focus on skills, technology and regional growth reflects what we’re seeing on the ground — that targeted funding and strategic support can unlock significant scale and sustain the North’s impressive momentum.
Learning from leaders: Northern creatives breaking through
The creative businesses that stand out in the North are building scalable, data-driven models that thrive in global markets.
KOMI Group, backed by BGF, is a prime example. Producing more than 40,000 pieces of content each year and generating 4.5 billion monthly views for 150 million users worldwide, its growth is powered by KOMI Insights, a proprietary analytics platform that tracks algorithm changes across digital platforms in real time.
“AI hasn’t replaced people; it’s allowed us to increase our quality and output unilaterally,” says Sam Lenehan, group MD at KOMI Group. KOMI’s ability to harness technology to enhance creative performance shows how data-driven decision-making can underpin rapid growth.
In July 2024, the business secured a multi-million-pound investment from BGF, alongside follow-on funding to fuel international expansion, strategic M&A and investment in its proprietary tech platform.
READ MORE: How Manchester agency Cantarus went from side project to plotting global growth
The Insights Family tells a similar story. From a Manchester start-up, it has scaled to serve global brands including Disney and Warner Bros., leveraging deep expertise in how children and families engage with content.
“Manchester’s creative energy certainly stands tall,” says CEO Tom Williams. “The creativity, resilience and ambition in this region rival anywhere in the UK — and we’re fast making a name internationally.”
When the business secured investment from BGF in January 2024, it entered its next phase of growth from its Northern base, with a continued focus on innovation and international expansion.
These businesses illustrate the mindset driving the North’s creative success. The best performers act with agility and foresight — adapting quickly to shifts in consumer behaviour, technology or regulation.
They diversify across audiences, platforms and markets, building resilience through multiple revenue streams. They treat technology as a competitive advantage, using AI, machine learning and advanced production tools to scale efficiently. And crucially, they plan ahead financially, securing investment early and partnering with growth investors who bring both capital and expertise.
The infrastructure Northern creatives need to win
Individual successes are vital, but systemic improvement is essential if the North is to achieve global scale. Three priorities stand out.
- First, education must align with industry reality — with stronger creative training, adaptable technical skills and clearer career pathways for future talent.
- Second, export support should be strengthened, reducing trade barriers and building international partnerships to help Northern businesses scale overseas.
- Finally, clear regulation for the AI era is needed to give creative innovators confidence to push boundaries while protecting intellectual property.
A shared responsibility for growth
Northern England has the talent, infrastructure and cultural foundation to capture a greater share of the global creative economy. The Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan is an important step, and investors like BGF are already seeing how ready businesses are to respond.
But this is only the beginning. If government, investors and industry act together, the North won’t just close the gap with London — it can lead the UK’s next wave of creative innovation.
