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31-777: Silicon Fen or the Cambridge Cluster is a collective name given to high tech businesses focused on software , electronics , and biotechnology , including Arm and AstraZeneca , in and around the city of Cambridge in England. The name Silicon Fen originated as an analogy with Silicon Valley in California because Cambridge lies at the southern tip of the Fens . The local growth in technology companies started with Sinclair Research and Acorn Computers . More than 1,000 high-technology companies established offices in

62-600: A high-technology centre, which has meant that commercial rents were generally lower than in other parts of the UK and thus giving companies a head-start on those situated in other more expensive regions. However, the recent technology boom has changed the situation and Cambridgeshire now ranks as one of the highest costs of living in the UK outside London, which is home to an even bigger technology centre. High tech Startups working on high technologies (or developing new high technologies) are sometimes referred to as deep tech ;

93-598: A large number of leading independent schools, including public schools such as Radley College . The county has two universities: the ancient University of Oxford and the modern Oxford Brookes University , which are both located in Oxford. In addition, Wroxton College , located in Banbury , is affiliated with Fairleigh Dickinson University of New Jersey . The "dreaming spires" of the University of Oxford are among

124-421: A lower population than neighbouring Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, which are both smaller. During most of its history, the county was partitioned as fourteen divisions called hundreds , namely Bampton , Banbury , Binfield , Bloxham , Bullingdon , Chadlington , Dorchester , Ewelme , Langtree , Lewknor , Pyrton , Ploughley , Thame and Wootton . The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry ,

155-727: A town that previously had only light industry in the electrical sector , is usually dated to the founding of the Cambridge Science Park in 1970 as an initiative of Trinity College at the University of Cambridge . The characteristic of Cambridge is small companies in sectors such as computer-aided design . They are spread over an area defined by the CB postcode or 01223 telephone area code , or more generously in an area bounded by Ely , Newmarket , Saffron Walden , Royston , and Huntingdon . In 2000, then Chancellor of

186-601: Is a non-metropolitan county with five districts. The part of the county south of the River Thames , largely corresponding to the Vale of White Horse district, was historically part of Berkshire . The lowlands in the centre of the county are crossed by the River Thames and its tributaries, the valleys of which are separated by low hills. The south contains parts of the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills , and

217-487: Is a significant part of several economies. The Israeli economy has the highest ratio in the world, with the high tech sector accounting for 20% of the economy. High tech makes up 9.3% of the American economy according to Statista and CTech . Multiple cities and hubs have been described as global startup ecosystems . GSER publishes a yearly ranking of global startup ecosystems. The study does yearly reports ranking

248-622: Is an organization facilitating networking in the area. Other possible factors include a high standard of living available in the county, and good transport links, for example to London and with Cambridge Airport having a full service business jet centre. Many graduates from the university choose to stay on in the area, giving local companies a rich pool of talent to draw upon. The high-technology industry has little by way of competition, unlike say in Oxfordshire where many other competing industries exist. Cambridgeshire has only recently become

279-503: Is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Gloucestershire to the west. The city of Oxford is the largest settlement and county town . The county is largely rural, with an area of 2,605 km (1,006 sq mi) and a population of 691,667. After Oxford (162,100), the largest settlements are Banbury (54,355) and Abingdon-on-Thames (37,931). For local government purposes Oxfordshire

310-477: Is responsible for the most strategic local government functions, including schools, county roads and social services . The county is divided into five local government districts : Oxford , Cherwell , Vale of White Horse (after the Uffington White Horse ), West Oxfordshire and South Oxfordshire , which deal with such matters as town and country planning , waste collection and housing. In

341-668: The 2016 European Union referendum , Oxfordshire was the only English county as a whole to vote to remain in the European Union by a significant margin, at 57.06% (70.27% in the City of Oxford), despite Cherwell (barely) voting to leave at 50.31%. Oxfordshire has a comprehensive education system with 23 independent schools and 35 state secondary schools. Only eight schools do not have a sixth form ; these are mostly in South Oxfordshire and Cherwell districts. Oxfordshire has

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372-702: The Caversham area of Reading , now administratively in Berkshire , was historically part of Oxfordshire, as was the parish of Stokenchurch , now administratively in Buckinghamshire . The areas of Oxford city south of the Thames, such as Grandpont , were transferred much earlier, in 1889. Oxfordshire includes parts of three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty . In the north-west lie the Cotswolds ; to

403-491: The battle of Blenheim . The gardens, which can be visited, were designed by the landscape gardener "Capability" Brown , who planted the trees in the battle formation of the victorious army. Sir Winston Churchill was born in the palace in 1874. It is open to the public. Chastleton House , on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire borders, is a great country mansion built on property bought from Robert Catesby , who

434-543: The Exchequer Gordon Brown set up a research partnership between MIT and Cambridge University, the Cambridge–MIT Institute , in order to increase international collaboration between the two universities and strengthen the economic success of Silicon Fen. In February 2006, Cambridge Judge Business School reported estimates that there were approximately 250 active start-ups directly linked to

465-538: The Midlands and follows the Cherwell from Banbury via Kidlington into the city of Oxford, where these join the navigable Thames. About 15% of the historically named Wilts & Berks Canal , in sporadic sections, has been restored to navigability, including the county-relevant 140 metres near Abingdon-on-Thames where it could, if restored, meet the Thames. Oxfordshire contains a green belt area that fully envelops

496-560: The Midlands to the north, with spurs running south to Henley-on-Thames and north to Banbury . Although it had some significance as an area of valuable agricultural land in the centre of the country, it was largely ignored by the Romans and did not grow in importance until the formation of a settlement at Oxford in the 8th century. Alfred the Great was born across the Thames in Wantage , in

527-595: The Vale of White Horse. The University of Oxford was founded in 1096, although its collegiate structure did not develop until later on. The university in the county town of Oxford (whose name came from Anglo-Saxon Oxenaford = "ford for oxen ") grew in importance during the Middle Ages and early modern period. The area was part of the Cotswolds wool trade from the 13th century, generating much wealth, particularly in

558-606: The area during the five years preceding 1998. Some early successful businesses were Advanced RISC Machines and Cambridge Display Technology . In 2004, 24% of all UK venture capital , representing 8% of all venture capital in the European Union , was received by Silicon Fen companies, according to the Cambridge Cluster Report 2004 produced by Library House and Grant Thornton . The so-called Cambridge phenomenon, which gave rise to start-up companies in

589-499: The business and academic membership organisation dedicated to the long-term growth of the city and its region, reported in 2015–16, that growth of Cambridge companies was approximately 7% over one, three, and five-year durations. Global turnover of Cambridge companies increased by 7.6% to £35.7bn, up from £33bn the previous year, and global employment grew by 7.6% to 210,292. The number of companies headquartered within 20 miles of Cambridge grew from 22,017 to 24,580. The Cambridge Network

620-548: The city in the middle, runs the Thames with its flat floodplains. This river forms the historic limit with Berkshire , remaining so on some lowest reaches. The Thames Path National Trail follows the river from upper estuary to a source. Many smaller rivers in the county feed into the Thames, such as the Thame , Windrush , Evenlode and Cherwell . Some of these have trails running along their valleys. The Oxford Canal links to

651-607: The city of Oxford and extends for some miles to protect surrounding towns and villages from inappropriate development and urban growth. Its border in the east extends to the Buckinghamshire county boundary, while part of its southern border is shared with the North Wessex Downs AONB . It was first drawn up in the 1950s, and all of the county's districts contain some portion of the belt. The Oxfordshire County Council , since 2013 under no overall control ,

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682-638: The main army unit in the area, was based at Cowley Barracks on Bullingdon Green, Cowley . The Vale of White Horse district and parts of the South Oxfordshire administrative district south of the River Thames were historically part of Berkshire , but, in 1974, Abingdon , Didcot , Faringdon , Wallingford and Wantage were added to the administrative county of Oxfordshire under the Local Government Act 1972 . Conversely,

713-525: The north-west includes part of the Cotswolds ; all three regions are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The county's highest point is White Horse Hill (261-metre (856 ft)), part of the Berkshire Downs. Oxfordshire was recorded as a county in the early years of the 10th century and lies between the River Thames to the south, the Cotswolds to the west, the Chilterns to the east and

744-676: The reasons for which Oxford is the sixth most visited city in the United Kingdom by international visitors. Among many notable University buildings are the Sheldonian Theatre , built 1664–68 to the design of Sir Christopher Wren , and the Radcliffe Camera , built 1737–49 to the design of James Gibbs . Blenheim Palace , close to Woodstock , was designed and partly built by the architect John Vanbrugh for John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough , after he had won

775-610: The south and south-east are the open chalk hills of the North Wessex Downs and the wooded hills of the Chilterns . The north of the county contains the ironstone of the Cherwell uplands. Long-distance walks within the county include the Ridgeway National Trail , Macmillan Way , Oxfordshire Way and the D’Arcy Dalton Way. From the mid-point western edge to the southeast corner of Oxfordshire, via

806-607: The term in a financial column in 1969, saying Arthur H. Collins of Collins Radio "controls a score of high technology patents in a variety of fields" and in a 1971 article used the abbreviated form, "high tech". A widely used classification of high-technological manufacturing industries was provided by the OECD in 2006. It is based on the intensity of research and development activities used in these industries within OECD countries, resulting in four distinct categories. Today, high tech

837-410: The term may also refer to disruptive innovations or those based on scientific discoveries. High tech, as opposed to high-touch , may refer to self-service experiences that do not require human interaction. The phrase was used in a 1958 The New York Times story advocating " atomic energy " for Europe: "... Western Europe, with its dense population and its high technology ...." Robert Metz used

868-555: The top 40 global startup hubs. from 2023 The following is a list of the 15 largest exporting countries of high tech products by value in millions of United States dollars , according to the United Nations . Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( / ˈ ɒ k s f ər d ʃ ər , - ʃ ɪər / OKS -fərd-shər, -⁠sheer ; abbreviated Oxon ) is a ceremonial county in South East England . The county

899-488: The university, valued at roughly US$ 6 billion. Several of these companies have grown into multinationals , including Arm , Autonomy Corporation , AVEVA , and Cambridge Silicon Radio . In 2012, it was reported that strong employment growth in the Silicon Fen hub was hampered due to its significant concentration on research and development , which was limiting competition in manufacturing and costs. Cambridge Ahead,

930-499: The western portions of the county in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. Morris Motors was founded in Oxford in 1912, bringing heavy industry to an otherwise agricultural county. The role of agriculture as an employer declined rapidly in the 20th century; currently under one per cent of the county's population are involved due to high mechanisation. Nevertheless, Oxfordshire remains a very agricultural county by land use, with

961-652: Was one of the men involved in the Gunpowder Plot with Guy Fawkes . Stonor Park , another country mansion, has belonged to the recusant Stonor family for centuries. Mapledurham House is an Elizabethan stately home in the south-east of the county, close to Reading . The Abbey in Sutton Courtenay is a medieval courtyard house . It has been recognised by the Historic Building Council for England (now Historic England ) as

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