Innovate Cambridge has appointed former Babraham Research Campus innovation director Kathryn Chapman as its new executive director to amplify the city’s world-class innovation.
A molecular bioscientist by training, Chapman has had a distinguished career in diverse leadership and strategic roles across the public and private sectors.
Following a successful research career at the University of Manchester, Harvard Medical School, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Chapman has played a pivotal role in shaping inclusive innovation landscapes, building cross-disciplinary virtual and physical communities and creating novel models to remove barriers to success.
This includes a decade building and leading the innovation strategy for NC3Rs, a UKRI Research Council, establishing the Milner Therapeutics Institute at the University of Cambridge to deliver an innovation hub for life sciences, and directing the innovation strategy at the Babraham Research Campus.
Throughout these roles, Chapman’s focus has been on spearheading initiatives that propel startups, entrepreneurs and businesses towards success and driving meaningful change at a national and international level.
The Innovate Cambridge strategy, underpinned by a partnership with over 200 organisations and Charter Signatories and over 500 key stakeholders, aims to ensure that Cambridge’s science, innovation and business communities have what they need to be successful, maximising economic and social return and sharing that growth with the wider community and the UK.
The success of Innovate Cambridge to date, under the leadership of Tabitha Goldstaub, has enabled the organisation to secure funding for the next three years to take the organisation into a new phase of delivery and impact.
This includes nurturing people who will deliver pioneering discoveries; translating ideas into successful businesses; collaborating outside and within the region to amplify impact; and leading on sustainable, inclusive and green growth. Progress on the strategy will feature at the Innovate Cambridge Summit, which takes place in the city on 23rd October 2024.
“The momentum and strong support for Innovate Cambridge, alongside its ambitious strategy co-developed by all stakeholders, provides a fabulous opportunity to further enhance Cambridge as a global innovation hub that benefits the world,” said Chapman.
“I’ve spent eight years in the Cambridge innovation ecosystem and am very excited to lead Innovate Cambridge and mobilise the collective brilliance and energy of Cambridge to deliver real value across the city, region and the UK through innovation-driven economic growth.”
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