Our annual Summer Gala welcomed new Industry Partners, launched an innovative resource hub and celebrated a bumper year!
The event was hosted by global genomics leader, Illumina at its Granta Park offices in Cambridge. Illumina joined Cambridge LaunchPad in April this year – bringing its DNA Day Programme to UK schools for the first time.
The birthplace of DNA sequencing, Cambridge is one the UK’s most science and technology-intensive clusters with a vibrant, growing economy that draws an extensive range of STEM skills. Local STEM businesses play a pivotal role in helping teachers, school children and young people to experience the vast array of available career opportunities.
Cambridge LaunchPad provides a collaborative platform for organisations to reach a wide range of schools with ease and efficiency. Our growing collaboration of Cambridge-based STEM businesses is investing their talent and resources in regular, interactive STEM education to support the future growth of skills and jobs in Greater Cambridge.
Anne Bailey, CEO of Form the Future who manages Cambridge LaunchPad, said:
“Cambridge LaunchPad has always had a focus on attracting a wider range of students to STEM. We pledge that careers in STEM are for all. We are excited to work with our new Industry Partners and together showcase the vast range of STEM opportunities that are available in Cambridge.”
Joining Founding Partners Marshall, TTP and ARM, Cambridge LaunchPad welcomes Ninja Theory. The BAFTA award-winning Game Studio joins as a Platinum partner and will be instrumental in the ongoing development of the programme.
Chief of Staff, Jade O’Kane said:
“Joining Cambridge LaunchPad will help us to inspire local school children to think about an exciting career in video games. Ninja Theory is a diverse team of experts, combining technology and art to make impactful games. It is critical that as we look to the future we continue to broaden the diversity in our team, whether it be game designers, programmers or marketeers, and in turn the diversity of the voices represented in our games.”
The Cambridge Building Society, an independent, mutual society joins as a Silver Partner and Cambridge LaunchPad’s first financial institute.
Chief Commercial Officer, Carole Charter commented:
“Joining the established Cambridge LaunchPad programme supports our ambition to improve financial education in our region, and we are excited to be working with them to deliver great resources and opportunities for young people.”
Further demonstrating the extensive range of jobs in STEM, Cambridge LaunchPad also welcomes five Bronze Partners across varied industries. Owlstone Medical is globally recognised for the development of a breathalyzer for the early detection of cancer, inflammatory and infectious disease.
Vice President of HR, Lizzy Burke, said:
“Our mission is to save 100,000 lives and $1.5bn in healthcare costs, which we aim to achieve through our diverse and talented team of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs. We’re excited to work with Cambridge LaunchPad to create materials to inspire young people of all ages and backgrounds with the wonderful world of STEM.”
Bruntwood SciTech, a 50:50 joint venture between Bruntwood and Legal & General, and the UK’s leading property provider dedicated to driving growth of the science and technology sector, will be announced at the gala.
Aline Charpentier, Head of Innovation at Bruntwood SciTech’s Melbourn Science Park, said:
“We’re delighted to be supporting Cambridge LaunchPad with this new Programme which encourages the future growth of skills and jobs in Greater Cambridge.”
The other new Industry Partners announced at the gala were Cambridge Design Partnership – an end-to-end innovation partner, propelling global brands and ambitious start-ups to success; cofinitive – a full-service PR and marketing consultancy, and Socius, the mixed-use developer behind plans for Devonshire Gardens, with a strong focus on delivering social and environmental impact.
Liam Ronan-Chlond, Head of Engagement and Social Value, Socius, said:
“Socius are so proud to play a part in this incredibly innovative initiative that will harness the benefits of economic growth in Cambridge for the benefit of local people; tackling inequality and improving local life chances.”
As well as introducing the new Industry Partners, a new digital resource hub was launched. The new resource hub consists of curated content to increase STEM engagement in schools across Greater Cambridge. This, alongside extra-curricular and supra-curricular activities, and career-based videos will deliver the continued and consistent reinforcement and interaction needed to boost the science capital of tomorrow’s workforce.
Anne continued:
“We were thrilled to launch an expanded programme that enables us to work with a growing number of Industry Partners to help them to expand their STEM initiatives and skill development commitments.”
