Welcome to the O2C Arc web-site!

The site contains a wealth of information, and is a forum in which you can voice your ideas about the future of the knowledge based economy in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc area.

You will find a comprehensive listing of events, meetings, activities concerning the knowledge based economy is the 'Events' section. In the 'Company Directory' you will find a list of the most important high technology and knowledge intensive service companies in the area. The products and services offered by each company, and their full contact details are given. Often the companies will post a description of their latest product, service offering or invention. Potential collaborators and / or suppliers can be found in this section! A description of all the main professional networks and business support organisations is given in the 'Networks Directory'. Maps showing the nature and density of the innovation assets of the area are given in the 'Maps' section. Click on a map icon and a description of the 'asset' will be revealed. These four sections will be of particular use to the private sector.

What is the most effective way to manage a major knowledge based economy, such as the Oxford to Cambridge Arc? Does past success secure future success? These and related questions are debated in the 'Governance' section. 'Practitioner's Corner' goes further, and present a range of articles, papers and commentaries on the state of the knowledge-based-cum-innovation economy of the O2C Arc area. These two sections will be of particular use to policy makers.

Everyone can make use of the 'Forum' and 'O2C Blog' sections; indeed it is here where you can voice your opinions and discuss with others from across the O2C Arc area - and no doubt across the globe! The Oxford to Cambridge Arc area is one of the most important innovation 'hotspots' in the UK and Europe; how do we ensure that this area remains a hotspot, and that the activities therein found benefit the wider community inside and outside the area? Discuss!

Building Europe's premier knowledge based economy

"...economies such as ours have no choice but to out-innovate and out-perform competitors" (The Rt Hon Gordon Brown speaking as the Chancellor, December the 6th 2006).

The O2C Arc organisation was established by 3 regional development agencies (EEDA, EMDA and SEEDA). The aim is to create in an area stretching between and including Oxford and Cambridge an "arc" of innovation and entrepreneurial activity that would, in time, be 'best in the field' and comparable to such iconic areas of innovation as Silicon Valley in California. This is to be achieved by increasing collaboration between the Oxford and Cambridge, and by linking these two city-regions with the innovation community of the central area; its universities, high technology companies, entrepreneurs and skilled labour force.

The O2C Arc organisation works with the public and private sectors of the Arc area in order to build one of Europe's premier knowledge based economy. More specifically the organisations assists the innovation community of the Arc area "to improve and accelerate the production, management and commercial use of science based research and intellectual property (IP) produced by the universities, corporate and public sector laboratories, and private sector companies"