In fact, new research suggests that geography actually plays a far bigger role in entrepreneurial success than many founders realise. Importantly, however, they also expose a widening gap between entrepreneurial ambition and the practical realities founders face on the ground. Southampton’s Startup Survival CrisisSouthampton’s bottom ranking is driven by a combination of low business survival, weak infrastructure and limited entrepreneurial activity. For founders based in the city, the data points to an environment that can make an already difficult journey significantly harder. In Birmingham, while there is a higher concentration of businesses, the five-year survival rate remains under 30% and co-working infrastructure is limited.