Scaleup programmes
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Cambridge Cluster Insights
Infrastructure
Impact for scaleups
107,000
Companies identified
289
Scaleups identified
£8.5bn
Turnover of scaleups
38.3%
annual turnover growth in life sciences scaleups
22.3%
annual employment growth of ICT scaleups
Key sectors
Cambridge Cluster Insights provides a data-driven understanding of the Greater Cambridge innovation ecosystem, widely recognised as “Silicon Fen”. As one of the UK’s most dynamic hubs for life sciences, technology, and knowledge-intensive industries, the region continues to drive scientific discovery and economic growth. Developed by the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Business Research (CBR) in collaboration with Cambridge Ahead, the platform supports scaling businesses across Cambridge and neighbouring districts, providing data to attract investment, talent, and policy engagement.
The Cambridge Cluster Insights dataset now covers 107,000 companies and limited partnerships, tracking employment and turnover trends over 14 years, offering a uniquely comprehensive picture of local economic evolution. Updates to the platform, including new Power BI functionality, have enhanced access through the Centre for Business Research (CBR) and Cambridge Ahead, enabling real-time analysis, benchmarking, and visualisation for businesses, investors, and policymakers. The dataset allows stakeholders to examine the scale, composition, and performance of the regional economy and its sub-sectors in greater depth. Recent findings in June 2025 show that overall employment growth has temporarily slowed due to broader economic pressures, with Knowledge-Intensive (KI) employment declining by 2.4% for the first time, while non-KI employment still grew by 3.3%. However, the Cambridge region continues to outperform national averages, demonstrating strong resilience and adaptability across sectors.
A new research project, commissioned by Cambridge Ahead and co-sponsored by Brockton Everlast, The Crown Estate, JLL, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, and Cambridge University Health Partners, found that clustering of businesses in the Cambridge City Region has intensified over the past decade. Business parks and innovation districts have seen an increase in KI activity, with transport infrastructure such as Cambridge North Station and the Guided Busway emerging as key enablers of growth. This evidence is helping investors, developers, and government agencies identify optimal sites for expansion and guide sustainable development across the region.
The team also carried out a baseline assessment of the corporate economy across the Oxford–Cambridge Supercluster, building a database of 19,000+ businesses employing 569,000 people with a £135 billion turnover, including 27% employment in KI sectors which grew 6.9% annually despite macroeconomic headwinds. This analysis underscores the continued importance of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as a national growth corridor and highlights the interdependence between innovation, transport, and sustainable urban development.
