Cambridge: A magnet for global business

The entrepreneurial spirit pervades every aspect of Cambridge life.

It enables us to build relationships regionally, nationally and globally: from local civic stakeholders to the wider international community. Such relations are important, as it is through a strong network of supportive and cooperative relationships that an environment is created where high-tech business and innovation can flourish.

Cambridge is surrounded by science parks, incubators and innovation centres which are home to a mixture of startups, local high-tech businesses and UK subsidiaries of international companies. Business support and investment can be found via venture capitalist companies, business angels and numerous informal and formal business networks. It’s this entrepreneurial ecosystem which not only enables innovation, but makes it such an exciting prospect for global business.

What is the Cambridge Phenomenon?

Cambridge recently celebrated 50 years of the ‘Cambridge Phenomenon’, a term first coined by Peta Levi in a Financial Times article in November 1980 to describe the incredible explosion of technology, life sciences and service companies that has occurred in the city since 1960. The link between business and the University of Cambridge is an essential part of the phenomenon and helps support the entrepreneurial spirit which continues to shape the city. 

Always creating links between business and the University

Through our commercialisation arm, Cambridge Enterprise, we connect academics with industry, helping to license their research and offering vital support to new technology ventures. The department is there to help inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs make their ideas and concepts more commercially successful for the benefit of society, the economy and the University itself.

The Judge Business School hosts one of the largest concentrations of interdisciplinary business and management research activity in Europe. Through departments such as the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (CfEL), the School promotes critical reflection, creativity and collaboration with a rich diversity of organisations and practitioners. It also offers exceptional opportunities to learn and network with some of today’s most inspirational and prestigious figures from across the corporate, political and academic communities.

Entrepreneurship is part of the Cambridge ecosystem

Key to the entrepreneurial spirit is the idea that experience is there to be shared, to bring on newer companies and help them succeed.

In a recent article in The Guardian, Tech City – believe the hype?, which questioned why regional centres of innovation are not given more support and exposure, director of  enterprise accelerator IdeaSpace Stewart McTavish said Cambridge has more innovators because, “There’s a real experience base of people that have started and succeeded in Cambridge who are able to help people out. Repeat entrepreneurs and investors are part of the ecosystem and they’re willing to spend their time to help develop business ideas.”