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Babraham Research Campus Wins Prestigious Award for Fostering a Collaborative Innovation Community

22/10/2024

We are thrilled to announce that Babraham Research Campus has been awarded the ‘Driving an Interactive Community’ title at the UK Science Park Association’s (UKSPA) 40th Anniversary Awards. This accolade is particularly meaningful as it recognises our ongoing commitment to building an engaged, collaborative, and innovative community within the life sciences sector.

At Babraham Research Campus, we pride ourselves on fostering a sense of belonging, pride, and partnership within our dynamic ecosystem, which comprises over 1,800 members. This award celebrates the multifaceted approach we have adopted to nurture collaboration and innovation. Key aspects of this approach, highlighted in our submission, include:

  • Supporting a Thriving Community: We actively support our members through a range of initiatives designed to promote both professional and social interaction. These include specialised forums, training programs, and networks tailored for key roles such as CEOs, Lab Managers, HR Managers, CSOs, and COOs. We also provide niche groups, such as Bioinformatics and LGBTQ+ networks, which offer targeted supportsa. Our flagship events, such as the Campus Symposium, Investor Conference, and business support programs, foster both individual professional growth and cross-sector collaboration.
  • Promoting Personal Development: Personal and professional growth is central to our mission. Through the Entrepreneurship & Careers Network and our campus-wide mentoring scheme, we encourage networking and skill-building across the community. These initiatives provide a supportive environment for start-ups and scale-ups, contributing to their growth and success.
  • Enhancing Engagement through Technology: Our award-winning digital platform, Campus Connected, plays a pivotal role in facilitating communication and engagement across the campus. It streamlines operations, personalises content for users, and provides seamless avenues for collaboration, ensuring that community members can connect easily and efficiently.
  • Accelerating Innovation through Collaboration: Our unique academic-commercial co-location model enhances the pace of innovation by fostering cross-sector partnerships. This collaborative approach is supported by campus grants, PhD programs, and the life-science accelerator, Accelerate@Babraham. Companies within our community are able to advance scientific discoveries and secure funding more rapidly, thanks to the robust support network we provide.

These initiatives reflect our dedication to creating a vibrant, interconnected community that not only serves the needs of our current members but also paves the way for future generations of innovators.

While we are honoured to receive this recognition from UKSPA, we remain committed to evolving and refining our strategies to maintain our position as a leader in fostering community-driven innovation.

We extend our sincere thanks to UKSPA for this prestigious award and for hosting a wonderful celebration of our industry’s achievements.