Entrepreneurs are thriving in Kent after a record number of new businesses were launched in the county last year, according to new figures.

An unprecedented 13,223 companies were registered here in 2014, against a previous best of 12,599.

It brings the county’s total number of firms to 88,167 – another record sum – according to findings based on records at Companies House.

There are 26% more companies active in Kent than there were five years ago.

Medway led the way with 1,888 new companies, followed by Maidstone with 1,260, Sevenoaks with 1,124 and Tunbridge Wells and Dartford which also saw more than 1,000 new companies formed.

Henry Catchpole, chief executive of online secretarial services company Inform Direct, who compiled the figures, believes Kent is posied to surpass neighbouring Surrey for business numbers, which had 89,580 registered firms.

“Becoming an entrepreneur is being recognised as a credible career path..." - Marcus Wright, University of Kent Enterprise Hub

However, the number of company dissolutions “held back total growth for Kent”.

More than 9,000 companies in the county were dissolved in 2014, which means that for every 10 companies formed, seven failed to survive.

Nationally London remains by far the most prolific area for start-ups with 191,915 new companies started in 2014.

Last year in the UK as a whole, 586,784 new businesses were registered with Companies House taking the total number to a record high of 3,509,084. Private limited companies made up over 95% of all formations.

Mr Catchpole said: “It is great to see an entrepreneurial spirit flourishing right across the country. There is lots of support out there for fledgling businesses and it seems people are putting their ideas and dreams into action more than ever before.”

University of Kent launched its Enterprise Hub in 2010 as a place for students, staff and alumni to set up new businesses.

Since then the site on the Canterbury campus has become home to 74 start ups employing 138 people, contributing £3.9 million to the local economy.

Enterprise manager Marcus Wright said: “Becoming an entrepreneur is being recognised as a credible career path.

“With so many graduates going for the same vacancies out there, students are seeking alternatives.

“Many students are starting up businesses with an exit strategy, particularly creating apps, rather than setting up one which will last 100 years.

“We have had six or seven companies which have sold for a couple of million pounds, which we are quite proud of.”