Harwell Campus has launched its vision to become a world-renowned location for innovation, high technology industry and research. The new strategy is built on Harwell improving the productivity of the UK economy and the skills of its workforce; stimulating high-tech business growth; and supporting UK and international research and innovation.

The contribution that Harwell makes to the UK’s Industrial Strategy is already significant, leading in research and achieving commercial success in key global markets such as Life Sciences, Space, Energy, Super Computing and Big Data. With 6,000 people employed across 250 public, private and academic organisations and an estimated GVA of £1billion, Harwell provides job creation and economic growth that benefits the whole country.

To support future growth there will be over four million square feet of additional office, laboratory and high-tech manufacturing space developed across the 710 acres Campus. This ambitious growth, reflects the significant investment in the Campus from the 50:50 public / private partnership that manages Harwell, plus the Government’s confidence that this location is central to the success of the UK economy. 2017 witnessed a further £264 million of investment by the Government at Harwell in the new Faraday Institution (£65 million), Rosalind Franklin Institute (£100 million) and National Satellite Testing Facility (£99 million).

Siobhán Duffy, Executive Director Innovation, Element Six said: “The Harwell strategy is positive news because the more Harwell grows as a world centre of innovation, the more opportunities there are for tech companies in the UK, large and small. As an example, we chose to locate our Global Innovation Centre at Harwell because we needed a location with a leading reputation that would give us access to a high-tech talent pool; place us close to our academic partners for innovation and ensure our centre was highly accessible for visiting global partners.”

“Our strategy will firmly place Harwell Campus as a world leading location for research and innovation. Building on our long-standing heritage at the forefront of global research we are creating an environment for businesses and innovation that supports economic growth, with strong multidisciplinary collaboration.”, commented Dr Tim Bestwick, Executive Director of Business and Innovation at the Science Technologies and Facilities Council.

Angus Horner, Partner and Director of the Harwell Campus Partnership: “We are enjoying a new era of industrial revolution, which generates myriad exciting opportunities for the UK to rebalance its economy and redefine itself amongst its international friends as a nation of ‘Merchant Inventors’. Today’s strategy is enabled by the UK already having hugely talented and ambitious people, multi-billion pound facilities and a culture that has before and can again grow huge global industries and trading platforms.”