She comments: "We have our normal full programme of shared training courses, events and peer groups lined up. We have new members joining the Network and companies like Carl Zeiss moving staff to new offices here and starting to get to know colleagues in Cambridge. Welcome to you all.
"At Cambridge Network we are active in helping businesses collaborate to learn and be better than they could be in isolation.
"We have the opportunity to explore exporting to various growth markets and sharing opportunities with each other. For example, we have been invited to India next week with a group from Cambridge – if anyone has an interest please let me know immediately as there may be one funded place for a member company to go instead of me. We have visitors from many vibrant economies over the next few months and we’re keen to introduce businesses who can benefit from the links.
"We also have a big opportunity to win £24M for Cambridge to lead a smart city development – we have many members who would play an excellent part in this if we can move very fast and get your thinking into a bid against other cities.
"We are also competing for better broadband. (See Network members boost broadband drive.) Other regions are less complex than Cambridge and sometimes win these awards because we are already doing so well. Our belief is that the UK should support its most successful centres and that Cambridge has world-class growth potential. We may export intellectual property rather than building factories, but we can certainly help the UK improve its trade balance. We can go from A to A* - not just from C to B.
"Please let me know if you have an interest in setting out aspects of a smart city in Cambridge and see https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/future-cities-special-interest-group/future-cities-demonstrator for some more information. We could so easily win if we joined up well.
"Collaboration is sometimes inadvertent and Lily Bacon of RealVNC is too persuasive! Instead of running for the train in my high heels, I’m signed up to run in Hewitson’s Chariots of Fire Race on 16th September. (See Superwomen in the running for Chariots of Fire)
"So I have two weeks to get from non-runner (ever) to getting round the city centre course. Your local team will be raising money for two local charities and your kind sponsorship would be very welcome! See the story unfold on http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/greyshadesoffifty
"Whatever your area of interest, please do come and engage with Cambridge Network and find out more about how we can help you and your business."
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Contact Claire.Ruskin@cambridgenetwork.co.uk or call the Network team on 01223 300148
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Gearing up for a busy autumn: Network latest from the CEO
5 September 2012
Welcome back to those returning from summer holidays – it is time to start the autumn term, and it promises to be busy! Claire Ruskin, Cambridge Network's CEO, highlights some of the interesting events and development opportunities taking place in the next few weeks.