Vision for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor
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Discover the vision for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor and its ambition to become a top 10 global innovation cluster. This report explores how stronger connectivity, innovation, investment and sustainable development could support the creation of 160,000 new jobs, build on the region’s £105 billion venture capital ecosystem, attract global investment and deliver lasting economic benefits across the UK.
Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor launches shared vision to become a top-10 global innovation cluster.
A new strategic vision for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor has been launched today, setting out a shared ambition supported by industry, academia, national government and local government to establish the region as one of the world’s leading innovation ecosystems.
The Vision for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor outlines a long-term framework to build a globally connected innovation supercluster capable of accelerating economic growth, strengthening UK productivity and improving quality of life for communities across the region and nationwide.
The vision has received input and support from local leaders through England’s Economic Heartland, alongside Lord Vallance’s Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor Unit within HM Treasury.
The vision also draws inspiration from the work of The Wildlife Trusts and wider environmental partners, recognising that long-term prosperity and economic growth must go hand-in-hand with nature recovery, climate resilience and the creation of healthier places for communities to live and work.
At the centre of the framework is a shared ambition for the Corridor to become a top-10 global innovation cluster, supported by a mission to create a fully integrated innovation ecosystem that rapidly converts research into scalable technologies, captures greater long-term value for the UK and improves people’s lives across the region and beyond.
The strategy is underpinned by five core priorities:
• Integrating the Corridor into a single innovation ecosystem
• Positioning the Corridor as a globally connected hub of UK innovation
• Accelerating innovation adoption and diffusion across the UK
• Building a complete end-to-end innovation and value capture system
• Enhancing quality of life through inclusive growth, nature and sustainable development
The framework also establishes long-term objectives for the region, building greater depth to the target of unlocking £78bn of cumulative GVA by 2035 that was announced by the Chancellor in January last year. To reach that economic target the vision sets an objective of delivering 160,000 additional jobs and attracting £105bn of additional venture capital investment.
The strategic framework builds upon a substantial body of work undertaken across the Corridor over many years. It primarily takes inspiration from a Vision Report created by Oxford Brookes and Cambridge Econometrics, and builds on economic analysis of the region’s potential by Public First, alongside the recently updated 100 Miles Wilder paper delivered by the Wildlife Trusts. Drawing from these reports and through a series of workshops and discussions across the region and with central government, this Vision and strategic framework for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor is intended to support deeper collaboration between government, industry, academia, local authorities, investors and communities.