Oxfordshire has launched a 10-year strategy to transform its innovation economy by creating 20 billion-dollar companies, attracting more than £1 billion annually in investment, and generating 30,000 new jobs by 2035. The Equinox 2035 Strategy was unveiled at the House of Commons on 19 October with support from businesses, universities, investors, and government organizations. The University of Oxford provides the secretariat for Equinox, a regional partnership designed to strengthen Oxfordshire's position as a global technology and science hub.
Ambitious Targets for Global Competitiveness
Equinox aims to attract investment from 10 leading US venture capital funds and 10 UK pension funds, establish a permanent presence for six global corporations, and rank Oxfordshire among the world's top three innovation-intensive clusters per capita. The strategy focuses on four priorities: global competitiveness, capital mobilization, shared economic prosperity, and data-driven ecosystem intelligence. A new regional Inward Investment Unit would create a single point of contact for international investors, corporations, and developers.
Research Strength and Spinout Performance
Oxfordshire already hosts approximately 3,000 high-tech businesses employing around 30,000 people, with major assets such as Harwell, the UK's first AI Growth Zone at Culham, and corporate investments from Moderna and BMW Group. The University of Oxford has supported the creation of more than 350 companies through Oxford University Innovation, which have collectively raised over £8 billion since 2011. In the first half of 2026, Oxford spinouts raised €908 million, exceeding the €864 million raised across Germany's entire university spinout ecosystem and representing 20% of European spinout investment.
Overcoming Scale-Up Barriers
Peter Leek, chief scientific officer at Oxford Quantum Circuits, said deep-tech businesses need patient capital, specialist talent, infrastructure, and customers to scale internationally. Oxford is an extraordinary place to start a company, but the harder part is what comes next, he noted. The strategy proposes stronger investment readiness support and initiatives to connect high-growth companies with institutional investors and international venture capital.
Inclusive Growth and Skills
Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, said 30,000 new jobs would represent a huge opportunity only if local communities can access them. The strategy includes employer-led skills programs, improved access to innovation-sector employment, and a shared regional data platform for workforce planning. More than 100 organizations have signed the Equinox Charter, and over 200 people have participated in workshops and events.
Leadership Backing and Momentum
Professor Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford and chair of the Equinox Council, said the challenge is to anchor innovation benefits in the UK. Dr Olga Kozlova, chief executive of Equinox, said the partnership is moving from consultation to delivery. Ed Bussey, chief executive of Oxford Science Enterprises, called the target of 20 unicorns by 2035 achievable, adding that OSE builds one potential billion-pound company monthly and has seen three unicorn outcomes in the past year.
Equinox's 10-year plan aims to connect Oxfordshire's research, businesses, talent, investment, and innovation assets more effectively while creating a clearer front door for international investment. The strategy's four priorities provide a framework for helping companies start, scale, and stay, while ensuring that growth delivers opportunities for communities across the county. By moving from engagement to delivery, Oxfordshire is positioning itself to become one of the world's leading innovation-intensive clusters per capita.