Science Oxford is the public face of The Oxford Trust, which is an independent registered Charity (number 292664). It was founded and endowed in 1985 by Sir Martin and Lady Audrey Wood, who were also co-founders of Oxford Instruments, the first spin off company from Oxford University. Over the past 25 years we have earned a reputation for supporting new high technology companies and for pioneering new initiatives that support the local high tech economy.

We pioneered Innovation Centres in the UK, and promoted new initiatives such as the Oxford Investment Opportunity Network and Venturefest, an annual conference which brings together entrepreneurs, researchers and investors. During this period we produced a number of influential reports looking at the structure of the local economy, and played a key role in the setting up of the Oxfordshire Innovation and Growth Team in 2009.

By 2000 our work incubating and offering practical support for start-up companies had become commercially viable, so in order to maintain their charitable focus, and to allow the business to grow, Trustees decided to set up a subsidiary company, Oxford Innovation, to oversee our commercial activities. Oxford Innovation has gone from strength to strength, and following merger with the SQW consultancy in 2007, now operates innovation centres and manages innovation contracts throughout the UK.

In 2010, following The Oxford Trust’s rebranding as Science Oxford, we relaunched our work with science businesses as Science Oxford Networks, with the aim of linking local science businesses to the wider community.