London bags $9bn US AI firm Replit’s first overseas office

US AI coding startup Replit, valued at $9 billion, has chosen London as its first international office, marking a significant boost for the city's growing tech scene. The San Francisco-based company will operate from an office in King's Cross, with plans to double its European workforce and investments within a year. London's allure for AI companies is evident, as it has attracted 86 AI-related foreign direct investment projects since 2025, outpacing other European cities such as Paris and Madrid.

Mayor Sadiq Khan hailed Replit's decision as a "huge vote of confidence in London," praising the city's talent pool, diverse skills, and existing AI companies. London now hosts 20% of office leasing in major European cities, with AI firms vying for prime real estate. Replit's arrival in King's Cross adds to the city's technology cluster, which already includes Google DeepMind and the UK operations of OpenAI and Anthropic.

The company, founded in 2016, boasts over 60 million global users and European clients such as PwC, EY, Mercedes-Benz, Trustpilot, and Hg. CEO Amjad Masad emphasized the company's intention to leverage London's European customer base and tap into the UK's tech workforce. Replit also partnered with The Lord Mayor’s Appeal to provide a four-week AI software-building course for 100 young Londoners not in education, employment, or training.

Britain's AI minister, Kanishka Narayan, affirmed the government's commitment to attracting investment from rapidly growing AI companies like Replit as part of its strategy to expand the nation's technology sector.