A thriving tech ecosystem and deep talent pool: why Zopa chose Manchester as its second home

By Peter Donlon, Chief Technology Officer, Zopa Bank

It’s no secret that Manchester is home to a thriving tech ecosystem with a strong financial services presence and a deep talent pool. With a flourishing startup scene and five major universities, it is also one of Europe’s fastest-growing tech hubs, and now – home to Zopa’s second office in the UK.  

Our new Manchester office is a major milestone moment for Zopa and we expect it to  propel our growth ambitions.

We plan to scale our new regional office to 500 employees in the coming years by drawing from regional universities and the wider local talent pool Manchester offers, with 50 new roles already live with a mix of specialties and seniority. 

We shared our vision for Manchester with local business leaders and colleagues at our opening event in September in the presence of Mayor Andy Burnham, who described Zopa’s move as a massive vote of confidence in the city’s digital and tech sector.

I was also joined by Phil Swan, Director for Digital at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Katie Gallagher OBE, Managing Director of Manchester Digital on a panel discussing Manchester’s status as one of the fastest-growing tech and financial hubs outside of London.  

Phil described Greater Manchester’s tech ecosystem as one built on collaboration, capability and connectivity, while Katie reflected on how the strengths of Manchester’s ecosystem in cyber, AI, data and talent make it one of the best places for fintechs to grow and thrive. 

We take their words on board as we look to our own future in the city and continue Zopa’s impressive growth

Aside from our new Manchester expansion, we've had an exceptionally strong year with increased profitability fueled by product innovation, such as the launch of our flagship bank account Biscuit in June 2025, and targeted acquisitions such as payments platform Rvvup.

Scaling our Manchester office will be key in supporting Zopa’s vision to become the home of money for our customers. It reaffirms our focus on creating effortless experiences and valuable products to build deeper relationships with our customers – some 85% of which are based outside of London. 

Manchester has the energy, connectivity, and capability Zopa needs to support its next stage of expansion, and we are excited to see the city grow and become a world-leading digital city region.