The UK leads Europe in scaleup technology investments, according to the latest annual government-backed Tech Nation report, with just the US, China and India. The UK’s strongest tech sub-sector, and where it currently ranks as number one in the world, is fintech, with investment in high-growth firms amounting to £4.5 billion between 2015 and 2018.

A separate study from Stripe and Tech.eu paints a similar picture, with fintech being the top technology vertical for investment not only in the UK but also in Germany and Sweden.

The Tech UK report also shows that fintech and insurtech are were the biggest employers among high-growth UK digital tech firms last year, employing 18% and 24% of the workforce respectively.

Eileen Burbidge, chair, Tech Nation, says: "The UK has an incredibly pivotal role in the global tech scene. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Fintech sector where the UK is ranked number one in the world; an enviable position that has been established with decades of hard work, entrepreneurial talent, innovation and supportive policymakers."

Prime Minister, Theresa May, adds: "The UK is a global tech powerhouse. I am immensely proud of our country’s ambitious tech scaleups. These companies are delivering significant economic value to the nation through the investment they raise, the jobs they create and the innovative products and services they deliver."

Whether the UK can keep its strong global position in the technology sector post-Brexit has been questioned by, among others, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, with many arguing that investment and jobs could be lost to other European countries.