Mayor of Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough 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 Waterbeach's
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 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, 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."
