The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or simply the United Kingdom is the largest state in the British Isles and comprises the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland which is located in the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland borders many other smaller islands. This country has a long and rich history combined with a liberal, modern and forward-thinking mentality. Due to numerous waves of immigration, Great Britain is culturally extremely diverse. Not only is the UK one of the world's leading financial centers, it has numerous other strong industries that together make up the fifth largest economy in the world and the second largest economy in Europe after Germany.

The UK is currently going through major changes and one can only wait and see what the UK economy will look like once it leaves the European Union. Now we can look at the popular applications from UK companies and why the UK is one of the top destinations for foreign entrepreneurs.

One entry point for the rest of Europe
The UK is an important gateway to the rest of Europe. The UK is a major trading partner within the European Union and also has ties to other member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. Access to larger markets is a crucial factor for any business and many foreign entrepreneurs see the UK as the most advantageous location to do business in order to reach as many other markets as possible.

Currently, the UK enjoys being part of the EU single market, which means that UK registered companies can, among other things, trade freely with any member country of the EU single market without tariffs, quotas or trade taxes. This is not only financially beneficial for the UK businesses, it saves time and most importantly - they get a huge customer base. After exiting the European Union, the UK will most likely exit the single market, however trade deals are being negotiated to continue to benefit from the potential customer base in the EU.

Develop new products
In 2011, the UK government launched a campaign to encourage a business-led recovery from the recession. The campaign, called StartUp Britain, was designed to inspire and support entrepreneurs. Since then, annual birth rates have increased each year as entrepreneurs value the technical support provided for new product development and other support needed by entrepreneurs. This is just one example of numerous campaigns, think tanks and incubators across the country. In addition, the UK is rich in resources and extremely bright professionals willing to change the world with their business ideas.

Find new customers, suppliers and partners
According to the World Bank, Britain is home to more than 65 million people and is one of the few countries in Europe where the population is expected to grow in the future. Entrepreneurs are rightly taking advantage of this large base of wealthy clients.

But the UK is attractive to foreign and local entrepreneurs not only because of the advantages offered by the large local customer base and potential markets, but also because the UK is a perfect location to meet new suppliers and partners for your business. Just like you, numerous other entrepreneurs decide to relocate to the UK every day for the above reasons. Due to the popularity of the English language, foreign entrepreneurs can communicate with each other, as well as with local entrepreneurs, without a language barrier. Numerous trade and business related conferences, shows and workshops are frequently held in the UK, helping to bring together like-minded people with business ideas.