Oxfordshire is ‘open for business’ – that is the message the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) has once again taken to Central London earlier today (19 March), as it staged its third House of Commons economic briefing.
This was the third of four briefings lined-up for Westminster, which see OxLEP ‘taking the Oxfordshire economy’ to a national stage. Each event will promote one of the four transformative technologies highlighted in the county’s 2017 Science and Innovation Audit.
This briefing focused on digital health and was hosted by Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds, on behalf of all Oxfordshire MPs.
The event highlighted some of Oxfordshire’s internationally-competitive digital health assets, including keynote discussions led by Lord Drayson, CEO of Sensyne Health (pictured above with Anneliese Dodds) and Dr Tim Ringrose, CEO of the Cognitant Group.
Around 65 guests attended the exclusive event, including investors, foreign embassy representatives and companies working in digital health.
The series of House of Commons briefings will highlight how Oxfordshire’s four transformative technologies, alongside the county’s world-class research and development capabilities, could bring major global opportunities boosting the UK economy.
The county’s Science and Innovation Audit has suggested that the transformative technologies of connected and autonomous vehicles, space and satellites, technologies underpinning quantum computing and digital health collectively has the potential to add up to £180billion GVA growth to the UK economy by 2030.
OxLEP’s first economic briefing took place in September last year, with a focus on connected and autonomous vehicles with a second briefing in January looking into the economic potential of space and satellites.
Nigel Tipple – Chief Executive of OxLEP – said: “The key message we will continue to take to Westminster is that Oxfordshire is very much open for business.
“With a GVA of £23billion per annum, we are one of only three net county contributors to the Exchequer, with a track record of nurturing genuine innovation and taking it to a world-stage.
“Oxfordshire is recognised globally as a place that can support innovation-led growth, greater productivity and major ‘place potential’ as we move towards an ever-increasing internationally-focussed economy.”
OxLEP’s next House of Commons breakfast briefing will take place on 21 May, with a focus on technologies underpinning quantum computing.
Listen to Physics World's podcast on the event
'Silicon Valley in Oxfordshire' - read Physics World's report on the event
