Isle Of Wight Ranks Second In South East For Older Business Founders — Study

More than 12% of new company directors on the Isle of Wight are aged over 60, putting the Island second in the South East for older business founders.

Research by virtual office provider Virtual HQ found that 88 of the 708 directors appointed to newly incorporated companies on the Isle of Wight between August 2025 and July 2026 were aged over 60.

That represents 12.4%, more than double the national figure of 5.9%.

The Island had a median founder age of 43, compared with the UK median of 39.

Only Wealden had a higher proportion of older founders in the South East, at 13.3%, while Chichester ranked third with 11.2%.

The study examined 474,121 companies incorporated across the UK over the 12-month period, analysing the recorded ages of directors appointed when the businesses were established.

Virtual HQ said the findings demonstrate that starting a business is not just the preserve of younger people, with older entrepreneurs accounting for a significant share of new company directors in some areas.

The figures are based on company registered office addresses, which may not reflect where founders live or where their businesses operate.