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• SVC2C 2007
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• Entrepreneurship at Cambridge

Entrepreneurship at Cambridge

The University of Cambridge sits at the heart of one of the world’s leading clusters of high technology entrepreneurship – the Cambridge Technopole. This cluster has over 1,400 technology-based firms – both start-ups and multinational corporations – which in combination employ over 40,000 people, and is also the home of market leading firms such as ARM, Autonomy, Red Gate Software as well as rising stars such as Light Blue Optics, Owlstone and Plastic Logic.

A vibrant innovation ecosystem has evolved within the Technopole which connects academics, students, investors, serial entrepreneurs, large firms, and a wide range of professional service providers to help the next generation of entrepreneurs address the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow. This ecosystem is internally and externally linked by numerous networks (such as the Cambridge Network, ERBI, Cambridge Wireless) and events (such as the Cambridge Network Open Meetings, the Cambridge Enterprise Conference and ERBI’s BioPartnering Exchange).

Four broad categories of organisations make up particularly important constituent groups of the cluster:

• Start-ups: Including spin-outs from the University, spin-outs from existing firms, and new start-ups.
• Multinational corporations Cambridge has long been home to research activities of firms such as Rolls-Royce, Microsoft and Unilever, but the trend towards open innovation has resulted in the more recent arrival of firms such as Philips and Nokia.
• Support service providers in addition to specialist legal, accountancy, HR and PR support, Cambridge has a long history of technology consultancy with firms such as Cambridge Consultants, Sagentia, TTP and PA Technology providing a key link in the chain between technology and commercial success for many firms.
• Investors Cambridge companies attract significant investments from venture capital and corporate venture capital funds, but also benefit from the presence of business angel networks such as Cambridge Angels and the Great Eastern Investment Forum.

Entrepreneurship and innovation activities thrive within the University. Cambridge Enterprise is now one of the UK’s most successful technology transfer offices generating US$ 14m of consultancy and licensing income, and its portfolio of 68 spin-outs continues to buck the economic downturn with the raising of over US$ 50m in recent months. The Judge Business School’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning leads the teaching of practically focused programmes including the widely popular Enterprise Tuesday, Ignite and Enterprisers. The Engineering Department’s Institute for Manufacturing runs a wide range of technology and innovation management courses, and is home to the i-teams programme. Student-led initiatives play a critical role in the ecosystem with Cambridge University Entrepreneurs running some of Europe's most successful business creation competitions and training events, and Cambridge University Technology and Enteprise Club running the annual international Technology Ventures Conference as well as other VC-related events throughout the year.

These organisations, and many other innovation and entrepreneurship-related groups and programmes, are linked together through shared events and through the Cambridge University Enterprise Network.