Cambridge Network hosted a combined event yesterday (Monday) which got people talking animatedly about new cross-sector innovation and collaboration. The biggest local networks and press got together to launch the new Agri-Tech Cluster at the opening of Cambridge Business Awards Week.
AstraZeneca's VP Shaun Grady spoke about the choice of Cambridge over the rest of the world and RealVNC's Andy Harter set out some of the magical aspects of Cambridge and the connectivity that we enjoy - more on this soon!
The new addition to the high-skill family in Cambridge, (following hi-tech, wireless, bio-tech, life sciences and clean-tech), is agri-tech, and this new cluster looks set for success. The global quest for food security is driving innovation in agricultural technology, and the East of England is well placed to deliver it. This region could be the global hub for 21st century agriculture. That was the message from Dr. Belinda Clarke, director of the new Eastern England Agri-Tech Cluster, which officially opened yesterday a week after she took up her post.
Belinda told an audience of 200 from a wide range of businesses and public sector organisations that the planet is facing a perfect storm of socio-economic pressures, and that agri-tech - which covers a huge range of topics - can help us use the land and resources available to feed the world.
Mindful of the economic opportunities that this presents, the UK government has developed a national strategy, which Eastern England in particular is well placed to lead as:
- Cambridge and Norwich offer a concentration of world-class R&D
- Cambridge Partnership for Plant Sciences (CPPS), Institute of Food Research (IFR), John Innes Centre, NIAB, Norwich Research Park, The Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge, The Sainsbury Laboratory Norwich, University of Cambridge and University of East Anglia
- the region contains prime agricultural land
- there are innovative large-scale growers / processers to provide market pull
- Cambridge has individual and collective expertise in starting companies and encouraging entrepreneurs
The rest of Business Awards week sees our two major business press organisations, Business Weekly and the Cambridge News, announcing the winners of their respective Cambridge awards. Many finalists were present at the opening and Cambridge Network wishes them, and the Agri-Tech Cluster, the very best for the year ahead.
Photo courtesy of Cambridge News
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