Nick Pettit

BIO 2026 in San Diego was a timely reminder that international life sciences growth is driven by the partnerships, capability and capital that allow science to become companies, clinical evidence and products, real estate is not the driver of this but one of the enablers.

For years, the UK’s innovation story has been told through the lens of the Golden Triangle. Oxford, Cambridge, and London have dominated headlines, investment flows, and political attention.

The UK has no shortage of world-class innovation. The challenge is turning that innovation into globally competitive businesses that scale here, stay here, and deliver long-term value to the UK economy.

A standout session challenged the UK to think bigger than the Oxford-Cambridge corridor. Leaders from across the country—Cambridge, Oxford, Glasgow, Liverpool, and beyond—explored how science-led growth can and must benefit the whole of the UK.

Speaking at the 2025 Superpower Conference, Lord Patrick Vallance delivered a powerful call to action: to unlock the full potential of the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster and turn the UK into a true scientific superpower.

Now the dust has settled, and Labour has expectedly assumed government, the party that frames itself as the ‘party of business’ must quickly get to work in proving that it is.

Tim Smith from Sifted moderates an insightful discussion with a distinguished panel featuring Mark Thompson (PsiQuantum), Sheelpa Patel (Mavens & Mavericks, King's Entrepreneurship Lab), and Andrew Williamson (Cambridge Innovation Capital).

Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Professor Irene Tracey CBE, and Vicky Pryce share insights on crafting an effective industrial strategy in this thought-provoking panel discussion moderated by Professor Greg Clark CBE.