BLOG: Q&A event at Kassam Stadium: The importance of business engagement within Oxfordshire

Home to two of the UK’s 13 ‘unicorn’ ($1 billion) tech businesses Oxfordshire has a track record of nurturing genuine innovation and taking it to a world-stage.

The global success and growth of both Oxford Nanopore and Immunocore is very much down to both companies’ willingness to embrace innovation – that said being able to operate in an environment that encourages business growth has also been key to their international achievements.

Both organisations benefited from Oxfordshire’s ability to support growth and – as we move into a period of significant growth for the county spearheaded by our Local Industrial Strategy – these positive conditions will no doubt be key to the success of our current business community too.

It is therefore important that our SMEs are actively engaged and aware of how they can innovate – not just to support their own growth but potentiallysupporting Oxfordshire’s capabilities of continuing to be a genuine global asset.

On Tuesday 10 July we will be holding our third quarterly Q&A event at the Kassam Stadium with a focus on our ‘Enterprise’ priority. Leading figures from key businesses across Oxfordshire will gather to discuss:

‘How can Oxfordshire businesses make an impact – nationally and internationally – by embracing innovation?’.

Our panel includes:

• Nigel Tipple – Chief Executive OxLEP
• Emma Jones MBE – Founder Enterprise Nation
• Ian Nash – Area Director of Business Banking – HSBC
• Dr Matt Perkins – CEO Oxford University Innovation

More panellists will be announced soon.

As well as the Q&A event businesses will get the opportunity to learn more about our Growth Hub created to support businesses to start and growleading to job creation within Oxfordshire.

Join us at the Kassam Stadium on 10 July – book your FREE ticket now.

 PICTURED: OxLEP Communications ManagerRob Panting and PR and Communications Apprentice Leona Weston at the Kassam Stadium – ahead of the upcoming event