8:05 AM, 24th April 2026, 2 minutes ago
Nearly 400,000 company directors aged under 28 are now running UK-registered businesses, with property investment forming part of a model where younger entrepreneurs rent in one place while buying elsewhere to let.
The analysis of Companies House data by Hiscox identifies 393,531 active Generation Z directors in 2025.
Growth has averaged 78% a year, with new entrants continuing to establish companies, including in property.
The business insurance platform found that ‘Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate’ accounts for 4.7% of Gen Z-run businesses.
These companies typically acquire and hold property, generating income through rent.
Rent and buy elsewhere
Robin Edwards, a property buying agent at Curetons, said: “High property prices continue to make personal homeownership difficult, so many Gen Z investors see property investment as a different way to enter the market.
“Often these Gen Z investors rent and work in cities like London where it’s expensive to buy, so instead they invest in other regions of the UK with much cheaper property prices that offer better yields and more potential for capital growth.”
The direct and partnerships director at Hiscox, Nick Thornhill, said: “The meteoric rise of Gen Z entrepreneurs shows that the next generation is taking an active involvement in business – they’re turning bold ideas into business ventures and taking on influential roles.”
London is home to growth
Hiscox says that director numbers have risen from almost zero in 2012–2013 to more than 97,000 by 2023–2024.
The latest partial year, to November 2024, recorded 56,853 directors, down on the previous sample period but still much higher than earlier figures.
London accounts for 21% of Gen Z-run companies, including property firms.
Growth has extended beyond the capital, with Belfast recording a 180% rise in director appointments over five years.
Bradford follows at 148%, while Bolton has doubled over the same period.
