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Overview:
The East of England is a dynamic environment with a unique mix of major
multinationals, new start-ups and university research facilities working in
closely networked clusters. Recognised as one of the most important technology
centres in the world, the region also has a well-established manufacturing base,
a large agriculture and food processing industry, a strong financial services
sector and a significant energy industry, with a growing renewables sector.
It is the region’s unrivalled record of research, development and innovation
that underpins its attraction. Its commercial R&D spend is number one in the UK
and accounts for a quarter of the national total. It also has the largest per
capita concentration of R&D engineers in the country and is home over 30 major
research centres across multiple sectors. The top four UK companies by research
spend – GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, BT, Unilever– all have major R&D
facilities in the East of England.
There are ten universities, including Cambridge, Cranfield, Essex, Hertfordshire
and University of East Anglia (UEA) – all with close business ties. The
world-renowned University of Cambridge has just celebrated its 800th anniversary
year and has been placed first in the world for research by the Sunday Times and
ranked second in the world and top in Europe by Times QS. Cranfield University
in Bedfordshire is an exclusively post-graduate university with over 20 years’
experience of working with industry.
“If you want to be a serious player in the wireless communications industry you
need an R&D presence in Cambridge. It is the most important technology town in
Europe and a good source of talent.”
JiChang Hsu, vice president, MediaTek
Key sectors: Key sectors include
life sciences, including biotechnology and pharmaceuticals; ICT, software and
advanced electronics; advanced engineering, energy and environmental, including
renewables; and food production and processing. The service sector includes
financial and business services, creative and media and distribution.
R&D strengths: advanced
engineering, biotechnology, bioinformatics, electronics, environmental sciences,
food, genomics, ICT, marine science, medical devices, medicine, optoelectronics,
pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, software, telecommunications.
Major investors include:
3Com, Accelrys, Accuri Cytometers, Adobe, Alcatel-Lucent, Allied Bakeries,
Amgen, Antisoma, Argenta Discovery, ARM, AstraZeneca, AVL, Azopharma, BAE
Systems, Bernard Matthews, Biofocus, Britvic, Broadcom Corporation, BT Labs, CNH,
CSR, Cambridge Consultants, Cambridge Display Technologies, Canada Life, C-MAC
MicroTechnology, CIP Technologies, Conexant, Convergys, Cresset BMD,
Cyclofluidic, Del Monte, Delphi, Computacenter, EADS Astrium, Eastman Kodak,
Eisai, Ember Corporation, Epson, Essen Instruments, f-star, Ferrero, First Data
International, FlightSafety Boeing, Ford, Fujitsu, Guangzhou Xiangxue
Pharmaceuticals, General Motors, Gennum, Genzyme Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline,
Group Lotus, Hexcel, Hitachi, IFDS, IQMS, Jordans, McCain, MediaTek, MedImmune,
Merck Sharp & Dohme, Microsoft, Motorola, Neilsoft, Nestlé UK, Nestor
Pharmaceuticals, Nissan, Nokia, Nortel, Novacta Biosystems, Novus Biologicals,
Olympus, Paion, Palm Group, Pearl Assurance, Perkins, Pfizer, Philips, Pi
Shurlock, Plastic Logic, Plextek, Premier Foods, Qualcomm, Raytheon, SRI,
Sagentia, Sanyo, Schlumberger, Selex, Sewon Cellontech, Sony, Stem Cell
Sciences, Symbian, Tata Consultancy Services, Thomas Cook, Toshiba, Unilever,
Vocalis, Warner Brothers, Xenova, Yazaki.
Grants: Grants for Business
Investment are available in Luton and South Bedfordshire (see map on Grants
Information).
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