EDITION 2 WINTER 2019 INSIDER STATS: Just how is Oxfordshire leading the way? NEWS IN BRIEF: Get the latest on Oxfordshire’s globally- OUT OF facing economy CHIEF EXEC’S UPDATE: THIS Looking back on 2018 and leading into 2019 WORLD! With a vision of ‘a world empowered by actionable information from space’ and a mission to ‘deliver effective satellite-based solutions for global challenges’ – the Harwell Campus-based Open Cosmos ticks many of the boxes underlining Oxfordshire’s global space credentials, as highlighted in autumn 2017’s science and innovation audit. Part of a space cluster that employees 950 and autonomous vehicles and technologies be delivered in under 12 months – this after people working across 89 academic, private underpinning quantum computing. signing a $2 million ‘Pioneer’ contract with and public space-related organisations the ESA. If fully-utilised, the audit suggested the at Harwell Campus (cover photo), Open technologies could be worth in the region ‘Call to Orbit’ winners are set to be awarded Cosmos is without doubt one of its stand-out of £180billion to the UK economy by 2030 – access to Open Cosmos’ ‘orbit readiness’ players and has made quite the impact since around six per cent of the global economy in programme for free, allowing projects to launching in July 2015, whilst its co-founder these technologies. The UK space industry’s go from concept to ‘orbit readiness’ in just and current CEO was at the prestigious target is an ambitious 10% of the global space three months. It’s hoped a variety of space Entrepreneur First incubator programme. market by 2030 – this in itself could be worth applications and technologies will take Rafael Jordá Siquier led the Open Cosmos £40bn and see 100,000 jobs created for advantage of the opportunity, from those team to deliver its first satellite mission within the UK. working on remote sensing projects, through eight months and continues to support to telecommunication and navigation-based What is particularly impressive is Open a growing team of coders, engineers and projects. Cosmos’ desire to open-up the space market business professionals to ‘democratise’ to smaller companies looking to make their Open Cosmos believes ‘Call To Orbit’ will access to space. way in the sector. ultimately reduce the amount of time and Open Cosmos are a fine example of money needed to get a satellite-based Currently, to send a satellite into orbit could how emerging science and technology- business off the ground, particularly cost millions, however, in October last year, driven companies continue to flourish companies developing new technologies or working in partnership with the European within Oxfordshire and in particular, those validating the commercial potential of a new Space Agency (ESA), Open Cosmos representing the space sector. application. launched ‘Call to Orbit’ – a competition Findings from the Oxfordshire Transformative supporting a range of organisations to put Already a key player at Harwell Campus – Technologies Alliance’s science and their technologies and service-oriented undoubtedly Open Cosmos is a name to innovation report said that the county – and, applications into orbit. watch on a global scale, as Oxfordshire’s in-turn, the UK – can become a ‘global leader’ space cluster continues to build a name for Through the project, they are offering through the space-led data applications itself right across the world. missions that start from £500,000 and can sector, as well as digital health, connected Pictured: Jeremy Long - Chair, OxLEP TAKING OXFORDSHIRE’S GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES TO AWESTMINSTER look back on our second House of Commons economic briefing The Westminster Briefings have directly-led to follow-up discussions with investors, government departments and foreign embassies. Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership Oxfordshire’s world-class research and This exclusive event was attended by more (OxLEP) staged its second House of development capabilities, could bring than 60 people, including investors, foreign Commons economic briefing on Tuesday major global opportunities boosting the embassy representatives and companies 15 January, focused on space-led data UK economy. working in space and satellite technologies. applications and hosted by Wantage MP Ed Many of Oxfordshire’s internationally- OxLEP’s next House of Commons breakfast Vaizey, on behalf of all Oxfordshire MPs. competitive space assets were highlighted, briefing will take place on 19 March, with This series of briefings sees OxLEP ‘taking including keynote discussions led by Mike a focus on digital health. A briefing on the Oxfordshire economy’ to a national stage, Lawton, CEO and Founder of Oxford Space technologies underpinning quantum highlighting how the four transformative Systems, and Tom Page, Head of Public computing is set for May this year with both technologies identified in the county’s 2017 Affairs for Culham Science Centre-based events taking place at Westminster. Science and Innovation Audit, alongside Reaction Engines. “The key message we will continue to take to “This revolution in the space industry and the “One of the things that has kept me sane over Westminster is that Oxfordshire is very much unlocking of the ability to do business on the past two and a half years is the privilege open for business. orbit is coming from a range of military and of representing Harwell and the extraordinary civilian sources. The official space agencies space sector that I have seen grow up With a GVA of £23billion per annum, we are “ will typically tell you it takes 7 to 10 years to around me. one of only three net county contributors to get a new material and product concept into the Exchequer. We also have a track record of The UK Government has played a key role space. However, in response to the demand “ nurturing genuine innovation and taking it to a in attracting the European Space Agency we’re getting from clients in the US, Europe world-stage – in particular, through the space here and setting up the Satellite Applications and Asia, we have developed proprietary sector, given that we are home to the number Catapult, and also investing over many years high strain composites and membranes that one concentration of science research in the high grade science facilities in the area, underpin a range of products, plus achieved facilities in Western Europe. such as the Diamond Light Synchrotron. a sector record of getting a new product ” Oxfordshire is recognised globally as a concept on orbit in under 30 months. That “ The Rt Hon Ed Vaizey MP place that can support innovation-led pace of development will only accelerate growth, greater productivity and major further.” ‘place potential’ as we move towards an “Culham Science Centre offers us a secure site ever-increasing internationally-focussed Mike Lawton, CEO of Oxford Space Systems with good facilities and plenty of scientific economy.” expertise on tap. It offers credibility to potential investors and partners, and good Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive of OxLEP links to the supply chain and other clusters, especially Harwell.” Tom Page, Head of Public Affairs for Reaction Engines FOLLOWING THE 15 JANUARY HOUSE OF COMMONS BRIEFING ON SPACE-LED DATA APPLICATIONS, THE NEXT BREAKFAST EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR 19 MARCH WITH A FOCUS ON DIGITAL HEALTH – IT WILL BE HOSTED BY ANNELIESE DODDS MP. To register interest for future briefings please email [email protected] INSIDER STATS Just how is Oxfordshire leading the way? As we moved towards an increasingly ‘global-facing’ economy, our genuine world-class assets take-on even greater significance. WHAT DO WE CURRENTLY OFFER AS AN ECONOMY: • £23bn GVA per year, one of just • Track record of growing three net County contributors to businesses with market values the exchequer of over $1bn • 3.9% GVA growth in nominal • The number one concentration terms year-on-year since 2016 of science research facilities in Western Europe • 51% of working age population educated to degree level or • 950 people working across 89 above academic, private and public space-related organisations at • 2.6% unemployment rate in Harwell Campus working age population • A visitor economy worth £2.17 • Home to the number one 2018 billion, welcoming 30 million Times Higher Education’s visitors each year globally-ranked university • £600m: The largest fund for university spin outs in Europe via Oxford Sciences Innovation CONNECTED AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES SET TO ‘REVOLUTIONISE THE WAY PEOPLE AND GOODS MOVE’ In November, the Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark visited the Culham Science Centre-based Oxbotica to announce the UK government has committed £25m To receive regular news updates from OxLEP, towards three autonomous vehicle projects, please email [email protected] bringing the introduction of self-driving cars to Britain’s roads ever closer. HARWELL CAMPUS SPACE OXLEP HEADS TO LONDON UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD CLUSTER GROWS CREATING TO PROMOTE INVESTMENT SECURES £17.5 MILLION 150 JOBS OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS TO LEAD NATIONAL AI Harwell Campus announced in December that ‘ARC’ HEALTHCARE PROGRAMMES the Harwell Space Cluster grew by 19% over In October, OxLEP took part in a major two-day Innovate UK have committed to investing more the last 12 months. A total of 150 new posts investment and property event – MIPIMUK – than £17.5 million in the University of Oxford have been filled as the Cluster has grown from promoting investment opportunities across to develop artificial intelligence (AI) healthcare 80 organisations in December 2017 to 89 in the emerging Oxford-Cambridge Arc. applications to benefit patients. December last month. CHILTERN RAILWAYS MARKS A UK FIRST: UTC OXFORDSHIRE EXCEEDS THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF OXFORDSHIRE OPENS FIRST TARGET FOR VISITOR SPEND BICESTER TO OXFORD CRYOGENICS LABORATORY A report commissioned by Experience PARKWAY LINE The Didcot-based UTC Oxfordshire officially Oxfordshire showed in November a significant In October, Chiltern Railways announced that opened a state-of-the-art cryogenics increase in visitor spend in 2017.