The Cambridge Network is a commercial business networking organisation for business people and academics [1] [2] working in technology fields in the Cambridge area of the UK. The businesses and organisations that make up its membership are typical of those found in the 'Cambridge Cluster' or Silicon Fen. [3] The network is inclusive and encourages cross-sector and cross-business engagement so that new areas of innovation are started.
The network was founded in 1997 by Nigel Brown, David Cleevely, Fred Hallsworth, Hermann Hauser, Anthony Ross and Alec Broers. [4] [5] [6]
Chair of Cambridge Network Ltd is Dr Andy Harter, Group CEO of RealVNC, and current board members include founder Hermann Hauser, Alex van Someren Amadeus Capital Partners, Professor Andy Neely, pro-vice-chancellor of Cambridge University, Lee Welham of Deloitte, Marcus Johnson of Kirly Ltd, Prof Roderick Watkins of Anglia Ruskin University, Peter Taylor of TTP Group, David Cleevely, Andrew Lynn of Fluidic Analytics, Colin Manktelow of NW Brown, Caroline Rowland of Arm Holdings, Vicki Sanderson, Andy Williams Astra Zeneca, Ken Woodberry of Microsoft Research and former Cambridge Network CEO Claire Ruskin. Its president is the vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge, Professor Stephen Toope. John Gourd is chief executive, appointed in September 2019 and David Mardle of Goodwin Procter is company secretary.
A number of special interest groups have arisen from Cambridge Network activities.
Cambridgeshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East of England government statistical region, and popularly known as one of the three counties of East Anglia. The largest city is Peterborough, followed by the county town of Cambridge. In 1974, modern Cambridgeshire was created through the amalgamation of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely with Huntingdon and Peterborough, which including the historic counties of Huntingdonshire and the Soke of Peterborough. A majority of the county is locally governed by Cambridgeshire County Council in combination with the lower tier non-metropolitan district councils of Cambridge, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Huntingdonshire, and South Cambridgeshire. Peterborough however is governed as a unitary authority with one council, Peterborough City Council. It is bordered by Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west.
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is a public university in East Anglia, United Kingdom. Its origins are in the Cambridge School of Art, founded by William John Beamont in 1858. It became a university in 1992, and was renamed after John Ruskin in 2005. It is one of the "post-1992 universities".
The Department of Computer Science and Technology, formerly the Computer Laboratory, is the computer science department of the University of Cambridge. As of 2007 it employed 35 academic staff, 25 support staff, 35 affiliated research staff, and about 155 research students. The current Head of Department is Professor Ann Copestake.
The British Computer Society (BCS), branded BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, since 2009, is a professional body and a learned society that represents those working in information technology (IT) and computer science, both in the United Kingdom and internationally. Founded in 1957, BCS has played an important role in educating and nurturing IT professionals, computer scientists, computer engineers, upholding the profession, accrediting chartered IT professional status, and creating a global community active in promoting and furthering the field and practice of computing.
Silicon Fen is the name given to the region around Cambridge, England, which is home to a large cluster of high-tech businesses focusing on software, electronics and biotechnology, such as Arm and AstraZeneca.
The United Nations Global Compact is a non-binding United Nations pact to encourage businesses and firms worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation. The UN Global Compact is a principle-based framework for businesses, stating ten principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. Under the Global Compact, companies are brought together with UN agencies, labor groups and civil society. Cities can join the Global Compact through the Cities Programme.
Hermann Maria Hauser, KBE, FRS, FREng, FInstP, CPhys is an Austrian-born entrepreneur, venture capitalist and inventor who is primarily associated with the Cambridge technology community in England.
Sir Andrew Hopper is a British-Polish Computer Technologist and entrepreneur. He is treasurer and vice-president of the Royal Society, Professor of Computer Technology, former Head of the University of Cambridge Department of Computer Science and Technology, an Honorary Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
Christopher Curry is the co-founder of Acorn Computers, with Hermann Hauser and Andy Hopper. He became a millionaire as a result of Acorn's success.
A business cluster is a geographic concentration of interconnected businesses, suppliers, and associated institutions in a particular field. Clusters are considered to increase the productivity with which companies can compete, nationally and globally. Accounting is a part of the business cluster. In urban studies, the term agglomeration is used. Clusters are also important aspects of strategic management.
Gerry Fitzsimons (1960–2007) was a British businessman, chief executive of TTP Ventures, a director of TeraView, Oxford Diffraction and TTP Group plc. He was Cambridge Network's first company secretary.
Virata Corporation is an inactive acquired company that was a major contributor to the "Cambridge Phenomenon" or Silicon Fen high-tech cluster in the United Kingdom. Case studies and research papers have been created to illustrate the role of social networking in the creation of Virata's success. There is also research available on the role the company played in Silicon Valley venture networks.
David Douglas Cleevely, CBE, FREng, FIET is a British entrepreneur and international telecoms expert who has built and advised many companies, principally in Cambridge, UK.
Sir Robin Keith Saxby FREng HonFRS is an English engineer who was chief executive and then chairman of ARM Holdings, which he built to become a dominant supplier of embedded systems.
Alastair Ross Goobey CBE was a leading British investment manager and pension fund manager.
The Skolkovo Innovation Center is a high technology business area at Mozhaysky District in Moscow, Russia. Although historically Russia has been successful with development of science and technology, its lack of entrepreneurial spirit led to government intervention in patents and the limitation of Russian tech companies within regional operations.
The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) is a membership-based, non-profit organisation founded in 2007 to foster trade and business relations between the United Kingdom and India. The organisation works with businesses in both countries, as well as the UK and Indian governments, to promote and increase bilateral trade. The UK India Business Council supports UK businesses with the insights, networks, policy advocacy, services, and facilities needed to succeed in India.
East London Tech City is a technology cluster of high-tech companies located in East London, United Kingdom. Its main area lies broadly between St Luke's and Hackney Road, with an accelerator space for spinout companies at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) is a research centre at the University of Cambridge, intended to study possible extinction-level threats posed by present or future technology. The co-founders of the centre are Huw Price, Martin Rees and Jaan Tallinn.
Catapult centres are organisations set up from 2011 onwards by Innovate UK in the United Kingdom to promote research and development through business-led collaboration between scientists and engineers to exploit market opportunities. They receive grants from public funds but are also expected to seek commercial funding.