Nine high profile business clusters – including the Silverstone Technology Cluster (STC) – have agreed to work together, as a ‘Super Cluster’, across the Oxford to Cambridge Arc, to explore ways to connect the high-tech businesses they represent, and unlock the ‘latent potential’ between the networks.
This will give the region’s high-tech business community a crucial voice in the government’s plans for the Oxford to Cambridge Arc growth corridor.
The super cluster network, set up by MEPC’s Roz Bird, includes the Chief Executives of all the main high-tech networks in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc including:
1. Cambridge Cleantech
2. Cambridge Network
3. Cambridge Wireless
4. Colworth Park
5. MKAI
6. One Nucleus
7. Oxford Innovation
8. Oxfordshire GreenTech
9. Silverstone Technology Cluster
Roz commented: “I have worked with many of the high-tech cluster Chief Executives, in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc, over the years. They inspired me to set up Silverstone Technology Cluster and to establish the business community at Silverstone Park.
“We now have a golden opportunity to work together, as a ‘cluster of clusters’ – a ‘Super Cluster’ – to explore ways to help the high-tech businesses, that we represent, to collaborate, trade with each other, and improve supply chain resilience.
“I am very much looking forward to working with this fantastic group of people, who represent the thousands of high-tech businesses in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc, with the aim of creating new business opportunities for the region.”
The other organisations have also welcomed the formation of the ‘Super Cluster’.
Jo Stevens, Managing Director, Oxford Innovation: “Through our ten innovation centres across the Oxford to Cambridge Arc, we recognise the potential impact the network could have in further supporting the growth of the 300+ high-tech SMEs we support by better connecting them up with the other innovation assets and experts to collaborate and grow.”
Richard Foster-Fletcher, Founder, MKAI: “As a highly innovative and inclusive community, MKAI is honoured to be part of this initiative and help the Oxford, MK, Cambridge Arc corridor to be listed as a reference in high-tech for the world.”
Tony Jones, CEO, One Nucleus: “As we see the increasing importance of the convergence and collaboration across the high-tech disciplines in delivering improved patient outcomes, sustainability and global resilience to healthcare challenges, I am delighted to be working with this excellent group to harness the potential the Oxford to Cambridge Arc offers all our respective stakeholders.”