A delegation from the Oxford to Cambridge Supercluster Board, including members of the Arc Universities Group, has visited Paris to explore how leading innovation ecosystems are built and scaled.
Bringing together more than 50 leaders from government, academia and industry, the visit positioned the Growth Corridor within a global context as it moves from strategy to delivery.
The programme spanned STATION F – one of the world’s largest start-up campuses – and PariSanté Campus, offering insight into how research, healthcare, start-ups and policy can be brought together to accelerate innovation at scale.
Focus on scaling, not just innovation
At PariSanté Campus, the delegation saw a model built on clear national direction, co-location of talent and strong coordination between public and private sectors.
Discussions covered AI, digital health, industrialisation and bioproduction, alongside companies already scaling within the ecosystem.
The key takeaway was consistent: success depends not just on generating innovation, but on creating the conditions for it to grow.
Strong university leadership
The delegation included Arc Universities Group members Professor Dame Karen Holford (Cranfield University), Professor Deborah Prentice (University of Cambridge), Professor Irene Tracey (University of Oxford) and Olga Kozlova (University of Oxford), reflecting the central role of universities in driving growth across the Corridor.
The region is already recognised as a national economic priority, with the potential to generate £78 billion in additional growth and 403,000 high-skilled jobs by 2050.
Building global partnerships
The visit concluded at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Paris, bringing together UK and French leaders across government, academia and industry.
The reception reinforced a shared ambition to strengthen collaboration between the two countries, particularly in life sciences, digital health and advanced technologies.
Next step: delivery at scale
For the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor, the direction of travel is clear.
The focus is now on scaling innovation – unlocking investment, strengthening international partnerships and building the systems required to support long-term growth.
