News & Insights
You can view and search both Cambridge Ahead press releases and additional news content relating to key topics of interest here. If you would like to be kept up to date with our work please also sign up to receive our newsletter at the bottom of the page.

What can emerging sectors tell us about Cambridge’s role in the ‘Growth Mission’?
06/02/2025
In this blog, we explore how emerging sectors—such as cell and gene therapy—highlight the power of cross-sectoral collaboration, and why Cambridge’s strengths in innovation will be essential to fulfilling the Growth Mission.

Job Advert for Engagement Manager
31/01/2025
We are seeking a proactive and dynamic Engagement Manager to lead our member engagement programme, delivering impactful events and compelling content to strengthen relationships and enhance communication with our audience and stakeholders.
The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, with excellent communication and relationship management skills, capable of fostering meaningful connections across business, academia, and government.

Growing Together Alliance Report
30/01/2025
This report introduces our transformative vision for "Connected Clusters," which aims to leverage the power of interconnected regional innovation hubs to foster sustainable, shared growth. By breaking down traditional barriers and advocating for a more collaborative approach, we seek to address regional disparities, catalyse innovation, and strengthen the UK’s innovation economy.

The Future of Sustainable Energy in Greater Cambridge
14/01/2025
With energy demand set to triple by 2050, meeting this challenge requires innovative solutions. Our report presents a vision that leverages the region’s strengths—its world-class research, dynamic business ecosystem, and engaged communities. From pioneering energy projects to new funding models, we outline the key steps needed to create a sustainable, inclusive energy future.

Build-out Data Report
28/11/2024
Our latest build-out data report, produced in collaboration with Savills delves into planning consents and completion rates across the Greater Cambridge area. This data is one indicator of, rather than a comprehensive study into, the rate that new homes are built-out in our city region.

Cambridge Ahead Industrial Strategy Consultation Response
25/11/2024
We’ve engaged with our members and local partners to ensure a strong, unified response to the UK government’s Industrial Strategy consultation. This response outlines how the Industrial Strategy can better leverage Cambridge’s unique position to contribute to the UK’s overall economic success, while fostering regional collaboration, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth across the country.

Widening access to good jobs created in Cambridge
18/11/2024
As the Cambridge city region continues to grow rapidly, it is essential that the benefits of this growth to local communities. In this blog, our Policy Officer Emma Pritchard takes a look across the wider Cambridgeshire region to explore the role that community organisations play in helping people into fulfilling and meaningful work, and what we can learn from them.

Building Stronger Virtual Teams: Experimental Insights on Social Capital report published
03/09/2024
The Cambridge Ahead Young Advisory Committee (YAC) has published its latest report Building Stronger Virtual Teams: Experimental Insights on Social Capital. This report builds on the YAC’s previous research in this area which suggested that young workers are choosing to go into their workplace more often than required by their employer. A potential driver of this behaviour is the social capital offered by the physical workplace and team environment.

Semiconductors: What a deep dive into Cambridge’s microchips sector can tell us about how our ecosystem creates and scales world-leading innovation
03/09/2024
In this blog we explore the semiconductor ecosystem in Cambridge and the key ingredients that have helped it to emerge as one of the most important regional clusters for a technology that is fundamental to modern life

Abbey People, Cambridge Ahead, Cambridge City Council and The Brilliant Club Launch Groundbreaking Initiative
21/08/2024
Abbey People, Cambridge Ahead, Cambridge City Council, and The Brilliant Club are thrilled to announce the launch of a groundbreaking project, Abbey Parent Power, to empower parents and increase local education opportunities.

Call for Evidence: Energy - a vision for net-zero Cambridge
25/06/2024
Professor Aled Jones, Director of the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University, explains why he is working with Cambridge Ahead to launch a call for evidence on energy and sustainability in the Cambridge city region.

Beyond the Golden Triangle: moving towards a more collaborative approach to regional economic development
18/04/2024
In this blog, we analyse Innovate UK data to reveal the interconnections between Cambridge and innovation clusters outside of the ‘Golden Triangle’, and introduce a new research project from The Growing Together Alliance and the Bennett Institute for Public Policy which will shed more light on the network of economic interconnections and innovative partnerships between regions.

UK economy at risk due to infrastructure gap in UK’s fastest growing city
02/04/2024
A group of renowned business leaders, academics and experts from Cambridge have written to the Chancellor and Shadow Chancellor warning that the UK economy will take a significant hit unless the widening infrastructure gap in the nation’s fastest growing city is addressed.

Latest research shows sustained employment growth across the region’s diverse economy
25/03/2024
The latest annual monitor of the Cambridge city region’s economy from Cambridge Ahead shows that job creation is positive across all sectors in the region, with major employment growth being driven by knowledge intensive sectors.

Navigating the fast-evolving landscape of work post-pandemic
10/01/2024
The Cambridge Ahead Young Advisory Committee (YAC) has been exploring the experiences of younger people working in Cambridge’s ‘knowledge intensive’ sectors since the height of the pandemic, building up an understanding of the future of work through a series of surveys and roundtable events. In this blog, members of the YAC explore the results of their latest research and ask: “Is the tide turning on remote and hybrid work?”

The link between transport and quality of life, and the cost to communities of not improving connectivity
08/12/2023
In his first blog as Chair of the Cambridge Ahead Transport Group, Duncan McCunn reflects on the important role connectivity can play as an enabler and the cost to our communities of the growing transport challenges we face.

Cambridge Ahead appoints new co-chairs to Young Advisor Committee
27/11/2023
Cambridge Ahead, the business and academic member organisation dedicated to the sustainable and inclusive growth of the Cambridge city region, is delighted to announce the appointment of Jacqueline Platt and Jason Mellad as co-Chairs of its Young Advisory Committee.

The Growing Together Alliance
05/10/2023
We're part of the Growing Together Alliance which unites six leading employers’ groups to strengthen cooperation and good growth across different parts of the country. Along with BusinessLDN, Business South, Business West, Northern Powerhouse Partnership and the North West Business Leadership Team we will work together to leverage each region’s particular strengths.

Winter Heated Overblankets Project
04/10/2023
Through our Cambridge Ahead ESG Network several of our members supported a pilot project in 2022 which provided nearly 900 heated blankets to older people most in need over the winter months, improving their health and wellbeing and helping to keep bills down.

Cambridge Ahead welcomes Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to its membership
18/09/2023
Cambridge Ahead, the business and academic membership organisation committed to the sustainable and inclusive growth of Cambridge over the long-term, is delighted to welcome Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as its newest member.

Cambridge City Region: Creating a model for innovation and sustainable economic growth
28/07/2023
The Cambridge city region's innovation ecosystem plays a crucial role in driving both regional and national economic growth. This blog explores the opportunities offered by the innovation cluster for fostering sustainable growth across the entire region. Drawing on data from Cambridge Ahead's Cluster Insights, the blog highlights how collaboration between businesses and academic institutions fuels this growth and unlocks vast potential for inclusive development and employment creation.

Housing Tribes Vol. 2 Report
25/07/2023
Since 2018, the Young Advisory Committee has been conducting research to shine a light on the housing challenges faced by under-35s living and working here. In its second major report, the 'Housing Tribes' group explores new housing types and tenures which could make living here more affordable.

Cambridge Ahead welcomes announcements bringing East West Rail one step closer
31/05/2023
Cambridge Ahead warmly welcomes the announcements by Government to support Life Sciences in the UK as a national economic priority, with Cambridge and the wider region through to Oxford at the forefront of these plans.

Take Part: The Future of Work Survey
11/04/2023
We are looking towards a future of work which remains permanently changed for many, and the rise of new technologies which have the potential to alter our working lives even further. Tell us about your views on these changes through this latest short survey.

Cambridge to Cambourne Busway and Active Travel Corridor
17/03/2023
The continued dynamic and sustainable growth of the Cambridge city region’s economy must be matched by the delivery of infrastructure that will ensure that growth is sustainable for our environment, is inclusive of more people, and improves quality of life across the wider region. Read the full statement here.

Launching the Digital Exclusion Task and Finish Group
15/02/2023
This January, Cambridge Ahead launched its Digital Exclusion Task and Finish group. This group brings together Cambridge Ahead Members and local stakeholders to understand patterns of digital exclusion in our city region and identify pathways for working with local partners to address the issue in our communities.

Headline response to the GCP City Access consultation
08/12/2022
The membership of Cambridge Ahead has considered the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s City Access consultation, as a continuation of our work to input evidence from employers to inform the development of this programme over recent years.

The 2011-21 census data for the Cambridge City region is astonishing – what lessons should we take from it?
13/09/2022
The latest release of Census data for 2011-21 spotlights something remarkable happening in the Cambridge city region, akin to industrial revolution levels of rapid urban area change.

Back in the office (well, sort of…)
07/09/2022
In this blog piece, we explore some of the findings of our most recent ‘Future of Work’ survey run in May 2022, completed by over 200 under-35 year olds working in our member organisations, and a subsequent roundtable between employers and employees held in June 2022. The majority of those surveyed can carry out their work remotely, reflecting the job roles our membership comprises.

Embracing Micro mobility
19/08/2022
Our new report 'Embracing Micro Mobility' explores learning from micro mobility trials held in the Cambridge city region, and, with contributions from the University of Cambridge and Greater Cambridge Partnership, makes recommendations for how we can ensure their integration into our transport network is safe, equitable and effective.

Exploring the relationship between working flexibility, employee retention and recruitment
17/08/2022
In this blog piece, we explore some of the findings of our most recent ‘Future of Work’ survey run in May 2022, completed by over 200 under-35 year olds working in our member organisations, and a subsequent roundtable between employers and employees held in June 2022.

Disruption – a catalyst for discovery
20/05/2022
Humans are at the heart of every city and its progress. But people are notoriously poor at predicting or imagining the future, and often stick to the status quo. How can a city collectively change behaviours and harness experimentation to improve quality of life today and tomorrow?

Fairness, nature and communities – addressing climate change
17/05/2022
In October 2021 the Cambridge & Peterborough Independent Commission on Climate called for urgent action to tackle the impact of climate change locally. The Combined Authority and local councils have broadly accepted the recommendations contained in its report, Fairness, nature and communities – addressing climate change.

RAND Europe: Transport heading for the electric era
11/05/2022
The pandemic has had a huge impact on public transport in particular, while car usage has rebounded. The Government is ontrack to ban sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, but willelectric vehicles improve our quality of life?

RAND Europe Quality of Life Report
27/04/2022
Cambridge Ahead commissioned RAND Europe to research the influences of quality of life of a range of community stakeholders in Greater Cambridge - Understanding the views of organisational and community leaders on the factors that most affect quality of life in Greater Cambridge.

Taking a tailored approach to reshaping work
14/04/2022
Teams at technology giant Arm are used to breaking the mould to invent the future. Our NECE report case study takes a look at what’s next for the working practices at its Cambridge HQ and beyond, as businesses look ahead to a post-pandemic future.

Dame Carol Black: Key steps in improving quality of life in the Cambridge region
21/01/2022
Professor Dame Carol Black, chair of the British Library and the Centre for Ageing Better, is to take on the role of chair of Cambridge Ahead’s Quality of Life project, following Jeremy Newsum stepping down from the role.

Games consoles, wearable devices, NFTs and chip investment to trend in year ahead according to Deloitte's global technology, media and telecoms predictions for 2022
01/12/2021
The technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) practice at Deloitte, has today announced its predictions for the sector in 2022.

The future of flexible working: home working is here to stay but the office lives on
31/08/2021
In the latest of Cambridge Independent's articles with Cambridge Ahead, the business and academic member organisation explores the workplace with contributions from four members of its young advisory committee.

Skills for Jobs - Summary of Our Response
30/07/2021
We have written to Government in response to the Skills for Jobs White Paper. Our response seeks to inform implementation of Government policy ambitions and offer opportunities where industry in Cambridge can collaborate with all tiers of Government to play a major role in doing so.

Cambridge Ahead’s Jeremy Newsum: ‘Quality of life is an essential aspect of economic growth’
29/06/2021
Businesses have a huge responsibility for the places in which they operate; they don’t exist to just generate profit, they’re here as part of the community and their interests are wholly aligned with how that community develops in the long-term.

Cambridge Ahead's response to R&D tax reliefs consultation
03/06/2021
Cambridge Ahead has responded to Government’s consultation on R&D Tax Reliefs. In our response we argue that in order to meet its ambitious target to raise total investment in R&D, Government must support and grow centres of excellence, such as Cambridge, as part of a complementary strategy to promote inward investment and level-up the UK and its regions.

What role for smaller high-quality accommodation in the Cambridge market?
13/05/2021
The Cambridge Ahead Young Advisory Committee has been exploring how different housing tenures and products can effectively meet the needs of younger people living in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country.

Digital delivery of education and training looks set to stay, in some form: what will this mean for people and places?
15/04/2021
Over the course of early 2021 Cambridge Ahead conducted interviews with secondary schools, further education colleges, universities, and employers. This sought to understand what lessons had been learned from a year of enforced digital delivery...

New data reveals Knowledge Intensive (KI) firms in Cambridge continue to outperform national figures
03/03/2021
Medium term data on the growth of the Cambridge economy, right up to the start of the 2020 Covid lockdown, shows persistently higher annual growth rates than the national economy, particularly amongst knowledge-intensive (KI) firms.

YAC Report: Cambridge Nature Network
01/02/2021
The Cambridge Nature Network has three main aims: to increase biodiversity, to enhance public access to public open space, and to tackle climate change. These are long term strategic aims but they are higher now in terms of people’s priorities and in the public consciousness than ever before.

Cambridge Ahead Young Advisory Committee (YAC) Report: The City We Want to Inherit
06/01/2021
On the 24th November 2020 the Cambridge Ahead Young Advisory Committee (YAC) presented to around 100 guests, from across business, academia and local government on ‘the city we want to inherit’. This report covers key topics discussed at the event, all of which aim to highlight a number of areas that will improve and enhance quality of life.

RAND Estimating the incidence of a housing affordability gap across the Cambridge travel to work area
16/12/2020
A major concern among decision makers in Cambridge is ensuring that those working in the city can afford accommodation that meets their needs within a reasonable distance from their place of work.

Cambridge Ahead Response to the Cambridge City Council Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Consultation
07/12/2020
In our response we focus on the role that modular housing can play in tackling homelessness and rough sleeping and welcome the approach that the Council has taken in making best use of spare land for this purpose.

Business leaders urged to share thoughts on how they see their organisations operating in the future following the Covid-19 pandemic
28/09/2020
The Greater Cambridge Partnership wants to hear how the pandemic has affected how businesses operate, particularly looking at any changes to working practices and travel patterns.

Deloitte Life Sciences Catalyst launches in Cambridge with panel discussion made up of industry experts
24/09/2020
Developed through deep relationships across the local and global ecosystem, the Deloitte Life Sciences Catalyst exists to solve the business challenges that keep life sciences leaders and innovators up at night.

Planning permission sought for new university
13/08/2020
ARU Peterborough plans move step closer after planning application submission. A planning application for a new university in Peterborough has been submitted by Pegasus Group, on behalf of Peterborough HE Property Company, to Peterborough City Council.

Arm technology is now powering the world’s fastest supercomputer
02/07/2020
At the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC) it was announced that the Fugaku supercomputer, a system jointly developed by RIKEN and Fujitsu, and based on Arm technology, was awarded the number one spot of the TOP500 list.

Babraham Research Campus Impact Report
16/06/2020
Research led by an academic team from the University of Cambridge has demonstrated the benefits and outputs from the significant taxpayer investment into the Babraham Research Campus; evidencing the overall economic, social and scientific contribution the Campus makes to the UK economy.

New report confirms the Babraham Research Campus at the forefront in supporting the UK’s early-stage bioscience enterprises
16/06/2020
Research led by an academic team from the University of Cambridge has demonstrated the benefits and outputs from the significant taxpayer investment into the Babraham Research Campus; evidencing the overall economic, social and scientific contribution the Campus makes to the UK economy.

The Rising Network launches a series of free, online events open to all to help combat stress and facilitate safe connections during COVID-19
07/04/2020
During these uncertain times of COVID-19 and social distancing, it can be very stressful and challenging trying to juggle and manage work, home life, family members and personal safety.

New data shows Cambridge technology companies accelerated their hiring last year, despite the uncertainties of the Brexit debates
11/03/2020
Findings illustrate national significance of Greater Cambridge economy and underline urgency of addressing acute congestion and housing stresses to sustain growth potential.

Cambridge Ahead puts Quality of Life at the top of its agenda with latest senior level appointments
09/03/2020
Business and academic member organisation, Cambridge Ahead is delighted to announce Professor Roderick Watkins as Director of Cambridge Ahead and Jeremy Newsum as Chair of the newly formed Quality of Life project group.

Bridging the skills gap. How do we inspire and motivate young people to explore a wider breadth of career options?
31/01/2020
If we are to continue to retain and attract important and innovative employers to the region, we need to ensure we are able to home-grow a workforce that is suitably trained, as a pre-requisite.

Cambridge Ahead Annual Publication 2020
30/01/2020
Our third Annual Publication offers a comprehensive update on the projects we have been working on over the last 12 months and the initiatives we continue to take forward for the sustainable advancement of Cambridge for employers, employees and residents.

E-bikes, audiobooks and industrial 5G among technology, media and telecoms predictions for 2020
11/12/2019
Deloitte predicts that the proportion of people who cycle to work will grow by one percentage-point over the next three years, equating to tens of billions of additional bicycle rides per year.

How Cambridge Ahead is helping to tackle the toughest challenges facing our city
14/10/2019
It is arguably Cambridge’s greatest challenge – and there are signs of the struggle wherever you go. How can this historic city grow in a sustainable way? How can its enormous economic potential be maximised without ruining its special character? Jane, Harriet and Dan spoke to the Cambridge Independent about our work…

Rising demand for long haul travel in London Stansted’s catchment strengthens case for airline growth in the South East
11/10/2019
New research from London Stansted Airport and popular travel fare website Skyscanner has revealed that the airport’s catchment area is responsible for more than half of all UK demand to some of the world’s most popular destinations.

Deloitte continues to invest in skills, technology and audit quality as it reports revenue growth of 10.9% to £3.97bn
27/08/2019
Deloitte in the UK & Switzerland has increased revenue by 10.9% in the year ended 31 May 2019, from £3.58bn in 2018 to £3.97bn, as the firm continues to invest in each of its businesses and its people.

GCP unveils options to improve public transport and air quality
26/02/2019
The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) is inviting views from commuters, residents and businesses about how to cut congestion and transform public transport to give people a real alternative to using a car – helping to reduce air pollution as well as maintaining sustainable economic growth.

Call for local businesses to influence the region’s digital future
06/12/2018

Membership organisation, Cambridge Ahead, appoints Harriet Fear as new Chair
19/11/2018
Cambridge Ahead, the business and academic member group dedicated to the sustainable growth of Cambridge and its region, today announced the appointment of Harriet Fear as its new Chair, effective January 1st. Harriet takes over from Ian Mather, who has chaired the organisation since its creation in 2013.

Cambridge Ahead Annual Publication 2018/19
19/11/2018
Our second Annual Publication offers a comprehensive update on the projects we have been working on over the last 12 months. Whether you read it cover to cover, or just dip into the parts which you find most interesting, you will see that 2018 has been a particularly busy time for our organisation.

Cambridge Ahead Annual Publication 2017/18
24/01/2018
This comprehensive publication tells you about the work we are currently doing as well as what we plan to do. Whether you read it cover to cover, or just dip into the parts that you find most interesting, you will see that there is a lot going on.

Cambridge Ahead response to the Budget
23/11/2017
Business and academic member organisation, Cambridge Ahead has welcomed the emphasis given to further investment in education, skills and local infrastructure – particularly transport, housing and digital connectivity in yesterday’s budget statement.

Cambridge Ahead report explores the current and future landscape of wet lab and incubator space provision for start-up and early-stage life science companies
15/11/2017
Commissioned research examines the economics of providing commercial space for high-potential firms and highlights non-traditional funding routes as opportunities for future development.

Prime Office and Lab Rents in Cambridge Surge Ahead: Bidwells Reports
08/09/2017
Strong demand for office and lab space in the ‘Golden Triangle’ outside of London continues to push up rents. The first half of 2017 has seen prime office and lab rents in Cambridge and Oxford surge ahead as the UK continues to refocus towards the ‘knowledge’ economy.

Cambridgeshire business and community leaders unite at ‘Live Lab’ event to help unleash county’s full potential
23/03/2017
Creating a future vision for Cambridgeshire that will benefit all was the task for more than 200 participants from the county’s business, academic, public sector and community organisations who gathered at the region’s first ever ‘Live Lab’ event.

Cambridge Ahead research highlights the need to develop proactive strategies to attract teachers to the Cambridgeshire region
21/03/2017
Commissioned research confirms that current teacher shortages and retention pose a challenge to sustaining our vibrant and high quality education system across the region.

Attracting and retaining teachers in Cambridgeshire
21/03/2017
The supply and retention of teachers in schools has been identified as a central concern for the city and the region, particularly given that much of the economic growth in and around Cambridge is dependent on the intellectual capabilities and skill sets of its workforce.

BBC Look East report on the #CambsNotspotter launch event
08/03/2017
Nicola Beckford of BBC Look East covers the launch of the #CambsNotspotter initiative by Cambridge Ahead which is aimed at helping make Cambridge a hyper-connected city.

Cambridge Ahead launches #CambsNotspotter initiative to help create a hyper-connected city
07/03/2017
A new crowdsourcing initiative has been launched which will empower Cambridge employees and residents to help provide the city and its surrounding areas with a future-proof connectivity infrastructure.

Membership and Management team grows at Cambridge Ahead
15/01/2017
We would like to formally welcome Carter Jonas as our first new member organisation for 2017. Carter Jonas is a multi-disciplinary property consultant, charted surveyor and estates agent with a network of 37 offices across the UK.

New initiative aims to close the Skills Gap in Cambridge
09/02/2016
A new digital platform which aims to close the skills gap in Cambridge launches this week. Step Up provides a way for schools and businesses to connect so that young people learn about the opportunities in the region and develop the skills that will help them move from education into employment.

CA newsletter no. 6 – Spring 2015
26/05/2015
The title of our Spring 2015 newsletter, ‘Catalyst for Change’, could be seen as a direct reference to our role in bringing about the introduction, by Stagecoach East, of a new, anti-congestion bus service between Trumpington Park & Ride and Cambridge Railway Station from April 2015.

New Quality of Life survey reveals Cambridge workers have huge respect for each other
01/10/2014
A survey of over 4,000 Cambridge employees has revealed that 76 per cent believe people treat each other with respect while 66 per cent are happy with their work life balance. Perhaps not surprisingly in such a green city 89 per cent say they are satisfied with parks and open spaces.