SCIENTIFIC breakthroughs in Oxfordshire could lead to thousands of new jobs over the next few years, says an innovation researcher.

Dr George Blumberg was speaking after the opening of a new business incubator at Begbroke Science Park, where scientists and inventors can set up new companies to create materials for the computer and telecoms industries.

Fledgling businesses will be able to take space on monthly licences rather than having to sign long leases. They can expand later if there is room.

After studying the sector, Dr Blumberg recommended the setting up of an innovation centre to encourage new companies to commercialise world-beating research at Oxford University and at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, near Didcot.

His report was produced for the Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council by Oxford Innovation, a company run by the science and technology charity The Oxford Trust.

The university bought the former Weed Research Organisation site at Begbroke last year for its materials science laboratories - and offered space there for the incubator.

Dr Blumberg said: "The Begbroke Science Park is proof that Oxford University, Government, not-for-profit organisations and the private sector are working together to build science-based businesses in Oxfordshire.

"We're very optimistic about these developments since I first spotted the emerging opto-electronics/advanced materials cluster about a year ago."

Dr Blumberg also brought together representatives of Oxfordshire's cluster of 26 companies and research organisations to share expertise and ideas.

He said: "The forum is now run by the Department of Trade and Industry and the last couple of meetings have attracted about 50 people."

He added: "At the moment the sector employs less than 500 but if more venture capital could be attracted you will start seeing perhaps a dozen bigger companies employing a few thousand people each."

The first company at the opto-electronics innovation centre will be Hymetrics, set up by Richard Jones, who previously ran Warren Jones environmental instrument company in Bicester.

Story date: Wednesday 01 December

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