A freshly launched, online platform is set to showcase Oxfordshire’s globally significant innovation ecosystem and highlight why it is a ‘location of choice’ for some of the world’s best talent and emerging transformative technologies.
'Oxford Calling' aims to connect Oxfordshire with similar innovation ecosystems around the world, promoting the county as a major global hub that positively rivals the likes of Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv and Boston.
Created and hosted by OxLEP, Oxford Calling will highlight the work, achievements and major ambitions currently being developed and delivered in Oxfordshire, connecting the region with other stand-out, technology-driven economies.
Oxford Calling also informs businesses and entrepreneurs outside of the region of the countless opportunities to collaborate with some of the world’s best talent, as well as demonstrating just why Oxfordshire is a commercially-viable location to set-up home and grow a business, or indeed relocate to.
WATCH: 'Introducing Oxford Calling'
Oxford Calling will leverage Oxfordshire’s world-leading position of being a cornerstone in the global medical and life sciences sector, as well as being a linchpin in research fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, fusion energy and space.
One further, major benefit of Oxford Calling is the ability to bring together Oxfordshire’s innovation ‘offer’ and position it within one digital platform.
The site has already seen dozens of organisations, science parks, academics and entrepreneurs featured, each showcasing their respective, globally-significant activities and collectively underlining Oxfordshire’s position as an innovation world leader.
In addition, a host of original features – all delving deeper into Oxfordshire’s transformative technologies – will be regularly created, bringing users of the site information and news they simply may otherwise not receive.
Content will also be shared from OxLEP’s ongoing podcast series, OxTalks, which has already featured some of Oxfordshire’s major figures from its innovation community – including features on the power of University of Oxford spin-out companies, fusion evolvement at Culham Science Campus, as well as a focus on the county’s globally-significant tourism offer, including the World Heritage site of Blenheim Palace.
Nigel Tipple – Chief Executive of OxLEP – said: “For hundreds of years, the city of Oxford and Oxfordshire more-widely has led the world providing solutions to many of the most-pressing global issues.
“From the development of penicillin through to, most-recently, the creation of a Covid 19 vaccine, protecting millions of people around the world from the Coronavirus. Oxfordshire remains a global scientific powerhouse, with our world-leading research and industry expertise contributing around £2.5 billion to the UK economy.
“We are very excited to see how Oxford Calling can support our thriving innovation landscape by bringing us even closer to other similar hubs around the world, spearheading new ideas and innovations.”
Oxfordshire’s innovation ecosystem is underpinned by one of the strongest research and development economies in the world.
Key, innovation-focused components of Oxfordshire's economy include:
- The University of Oxford scoring number one in the world university rankings for an eighth consecutive year (Times Higher Education) in 2023.
- Having the highest concentration of science research facilities in Western Europe.
- Around £850million of funding secured for university spinouts via Oxford Sciences Enterprises – the largest in Europe.
- Approximately 2,950 high-tech firms are currently based in Oxfordshire.
- Fifty-one percent of the working age population qualified to degree level or above.
In creating Oxford Calling, OxLEP builds on a legacy and programme of work that has made a significant impact for the county, as well as creating major levels of engagement with businesses, company founders and political figures around the world.
For much of the past decade, OxLEP has played a key role in supporting a variety of businesses – many from overseas – either to set-up in Oxfordshire, attracted by the county’s innovation ecosystem, or to relocate to the area.
Since 2017, OxLEP – working alongside the Department for Business and Trade – has helped to attract 295 foreign direct investments into Oxfordshire, leading to around 6,000 jobs being created or safeguarded.
