Cambridge

Cambridge exists because Oxford turned violent. In 1209, Oxford's townspeople hanged two scholars for a murder they likely didn't commit; King John backed the townsmen. Fearing more violence, Oxford scholars dispersed—some to Paris, some to Reading, some to Cambridge, where Ely Cathedral's monks had already established a scholarly reputation. By 1226, enough scholars had gathered that they organized under a Chancellor. In 1231, Henry III granted a royal charter.

What began as a refuge became a rival. Where Oxford's colleges are scattered through the city, Cambridge's Back—a shared meadow along the River Cam—gave the university a coherent core. King's College Chapel, begun in 1446, remains one of Britain's most magnificent buildings. When Henry VIII sought theological justification for breaking with Rome, he turned to Cambridge and hired Edward Foxe, Provost of King's.

The 20th century brought a different kind of transformation. In the 1970s, Cambridge began encouraging spinouts from university research—and 'Silicon Fen' emerged. ARM, born in a barn in 1990, now designs chips that power most smartphones. The ecosystem has grown 80% in a decade: from 473 active companies in 2015 to 848 in 2025. Spinout investment has surged from £46 million in 2015 to £879 million in 2024. Life science spinouts raised an average of £8.4 million each in 2024—highest for any UK city.

Cambridge's tech ecosystem is now valued at $191 billion. It has produced more European unicorns than any other city. International investors participate in nearly 40% of deals, up from 7% a decade ago. The £15 million Innovation Hub on Hills Road aims to become 'the UK's answer to Boston.' Babraham Research Campus and Granta Park house 80 biotech companies.

By 2026, Cambridge will test whether a 800-year-old university can maintain its position as Europe's leading innovation engine. The scholars who fled Oxford built something that now generates £23 billion in annual economic impact. The refuge became the laboratory.