North West has a Local Growth Score of 973, 27 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000. It is scored on all 460,839 active companies across its 35 local authorities.
The North West region profile scores every active company in the region together, on the same four pillars and the same UK benchmark as each local authority.
That works out as the average of its authorities' scores, weighted by their active companies, so a large authority counts for more than a small one. With more companies than any one authority, its likely range is narrower too.
Each dot shows the pillar score on a scale where the UK as a whole scores 1,000, marked by the line. The paler band is the likely range. The composite weights Innovation, Scaling and Investment 30% each and ESG 10%.
−28 points against the UK · Likely range 969–975 · 30% of the composite
Innovation scores 972 across North West, ranking 10th of 12 regions.
The 5 measures behind this pillar
Patents25%
Granted patent families filed in the last 20 years, held anywhere in the corporate group (capped, log scale).
Academic spinouts25%
Whether the company is a university spinout.
R&D grant value25%
Value of R&D grants received in the last five years: Innovate UK, EU programmes and other grants for R&D (capped, log scale).
Innovative sectors15%
Tagged with any industry or buzzword on a curated list of innovative sectors, for example chips, biotechnology, quantum, AI, data, SaaS, FinTech and CleanTech. About 2.5% of companies.
Tagged with any of the eight IS-8 sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, professional and business services, and defence. About 18% of companies.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score.
Scaling
992
Well below average regionally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−8 points against the UK · Likely range 989–995 · 30% of the composite
Scaling scores 992 across North West, ranking 10th of 12 regions.
Whether the company is a 20% scaleup (Beauhurst high-growth signal).
Headcount growth45%
Annualised three-year employee growth rate over the latest four years of accounts, including group accounts, for companies with five or more employees at the start (capped). All other companies count as zero.
Accelerator10%
Whether the company has attended an accelerator.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score.
Investment
951
Below average regionally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−49 points against the UK · Likely range 947–955 · 30% of the composite
Investment scores 951 across North West, ranking 9th of 12 regions.
The 3 measures behind this pillar
Equity raisers40%
Whether the company raised equity in the last five years.
Equity raised40%
Amount of equity raised in the last five years (capped, log scale).
First-time raisers20%
Whether the company's first equity deal ever was in the last five years. A first-time raiser always counts as an equity raiser too.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score.
ESG
987
Well below average regionally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−13 points against the UK · Likely range 985–989 · 10% of the composite
ESG scores 987 across North West, ranking 11th of 12 regions.
The 5 measures behind this pillar
Clean energy30%
Active in clean or renewable energy, or clean technology.
Other green activity20%
Active in green buildings and infrastructure, green transport, or sustainable farming and food.
Environmental accolades20%
Has an environmental accolade, including completed Innovate UK clean growth grants.
Social and governance15%
Has a gender pay equality signal from a report in the last five years, a director gender equality signal, or a social accolade.
Not-for-profit proxy15%
Is limited by guarantee without share capital, a rough indicator of non-profit status.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score.
Compared to the UK regions
North West is ranked 10th of 12 regions by Local Growth Score.
Dots share one axis across the site. The line marks the UK benchmark of 1,000; differences are in points.
Explore the data behind the index
Every score on this page is built from real, named company activity, patent filings, fundraisings, spinouts and scaleups. Book a call to see the data behind any authority's score, and how Beauhurst can support your work.
