Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Paul Bristow visited two of the region's fast-growing innovation businesses to see first-hand the kind of pioneering, high-skill companies which are driving Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's economy forward.
The Combined Authority is supporting this kind of dynamic growth by helping tackle skills gaps and connecting the businesses with wider funding and commercial opportunities as they scale.
At SuperSharp Space Systems in Waterbeach, a University of Cambridge spin-out, the Mayor saw the company's thermal imaging satellite technology, capable of resolving detail down to just three metres from space, which is precise enough to assess heat loss across a single building. The technology has applications ranging from crop stress monitoring and wildfire detection to defence and security. SuperSharp now employs 39 people and is preparing to launch two satellites in 2027 and another in 2028. It is also building on its current R&D-focus into commercial manufacturing, with plans to expand into neighbouring warehouse space to scale up production.
The UK space sector employs more than 55,000 people, generates around £18.6 billion and almost a fifth (£454 billion) of the UK economy is dependent on satellite services. The UK sector is number one in Europe for private investment.*
The Mayor also visited Fieldwork Robotics, developers of the world's first autonomous raspberry-harvesting robot. Having recently secured £3 million in funding, Fieldwork is moving from technology trials into commercial deployment, with tests to take place on a farm in Norfolk with the potential for multi-robot fleets to follow to help growers globally tackle labour shortages and rising harvesting costs.
Both companies sit within priority sectors of the region’s Local Growth Plan, which includes a Mayoral ambition to triple the size of the economy by 2050.
SuperSharp is in advanced manufacturing and Fieldwork is in agri-tech and agri-food, and both reflect the kind of innovation-led growth the plan aims to build on.
Recruitment has been a challenge for fast-growing companies like SuperSharp, and the Combined Authority is directly supporting this with three fully-funded interns starting with the company through the Combined Authority’s interships scheme, building on a track record of interns already going on to permanent roles there.
Mayor Paul Bristow said: “World-class innovation happening right here, on our doorstep, is what makes our economy special. SuperSharp’s satellite technology and its future applications are exciting, and it’s great to see them expanding in Waterbeach. And Fieldwork Robotics are solving a real problem for growers with technology built right here, building on our strong and dynamic agri-tech sector.”
"Companies like this need the right support to grow, with access to finance, the networks, and the skilled people to build their teams. That's why we're funding internships to help businesses like SuperSharp find the talent they need, creating opportunities for local people while helping drive our economy forward."
Miguel Goncalves, COO, SuperSharp Space Systems, said: "It was great to host the Mayor at an exciting time as we scale up from R&D into manufacturing. Access to skilled people is a key challenge as we grow, so support like the Combined Authority's internship scheme makes a real difference in securing the pipeline of talent we need."
