Key facts
- US AI coding startup Replit has opened its first international office in London.
- The company is valued at $9 billion and is based in San Francisco.
- London will serve as Replit's base for European operations.
- Replit plans to double its local headcount and investment in the next year.
- London has become a major hub for AI companies, attracting significant foreign direct investment.
Replit, a $9 billion US AI coding startup, has established its first international office in London's King's Cross district. The company, which allows users to build software using natural-language instructions and boasts over 60 million global users, will use the London base to manage its European operations.
This expansion underscores London's growing appeal as a hub for fast-growing AI companies from Silicon Valley. Replit joins a significant cluster of AI firms, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Databricks, and Palantir, that are drawn to the capital by its access to skilled engineers and a substantial customer base. According to fDi Markets, London has attracted 86 AI-related foreign direct investment projects since 2025, surpassing other European cities like Paris and Madrid.
Technology companies, with AI firms among the key players, represented a record 20% of office leasing across major European cities in the first quarter of the year, according to JLL. Replit's new office is situated in a technology cluster already hosting Google DeepMind and the UK operations of OpenAI and Anthropic.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan hailed Replit's decision as a "huge vote of confidence in London," highlighting the city's talent pool, diverse skills, and existing AI ecosystem. AI minister Kanishka Narayan affirmed the government's commitment to attracting investment from rapidly growing AI companies like Replit to expand the UK's technology sector.
Replit CEO Amjad Masad stated that the company aims to serve its European customers effectively and leverage the UK's technology workforce. The company also announced a partnership with The Lord Mayor’s Appeal to offer a four-week course for 100 young Londoners not in education, employment, or training, focusing on AI-driven software development.