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Companies in Cambridge

Cambridge is the 26th biggest place on the UK company register, with 22,624 live companies, or 0.4% of the UK total. 2,822 of those were formed in 2025. 1,254 (5.5%) have a proposal to strike off on file, below the UK figure of 7.3%. Compared with the UK as a whole, Cambridge stands out for mining of chemical and fertilizer minerals: 176 companies, 101.0 times the national share.

What Cambridge has more of than the rest of the UK

Each trade's share of Cambridge companies, compared with its share across the UK.

  • Mining of chemical and fertilizer minerals (176 companies)101.0×
  • Manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery (231 companies)58.0×
  • Repair and maintenance of aircraft and spacecraft (402 companies)35.2×
  • Manufacture of other parts and accessories for motor vehicles (250 companies)26.4×
  • Research and experimental development on biotechnology (312 companies)18.2×

Biggest trades in Cambridge

Live Cambridge companies, by year formed

Only companies still live are counted, so older years look smaller. 2026 stops on 1 November 2026.

20122026
See every year as a table
YearLive companies
2012467
2013596
2014623
2015688
2016732
2017813
2018941
20191,085
20201,016
20211,163
20221,207
20231,650
20241,911
20252,822
20262,403

Oldest active companies in Cambridge

  1. Hughes Hall Conference CompanyFormed 1893
  2. Cambridge University Cricket and Athletic ClubFormed 1894
  3. St Edmund's College CambridgeFormed 1898
  4. Astra PharmaceuticalsFormed 1908
  5. Associated British Engineering PlcFormed 1910

Funny company names registered in Cambridge

Nearest in size

Town means the post town of the registered address, which isn't always where a company trades. Many companies use an accountant's or formation agent's address. Figures come from Companies House on 1 November 2026.

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