Innovation rarely happens in isolation. While new ideas often begin with individuals or small teams, their ability to grow, scale and deliver impact is shaped by the environment around them.
As we look ahead through 2026, one thing is increasingly clear: innovation campuses play a critical role in supporting both startups and established businesses — not just through infrastructure and expertise, but through connection, community and collaboration.
At Rothamsted Enterprises, our campus brings together businesses, researchers and partners around a shared focus on agri-tech, environmental innovation and sustainable food systems.
What the Evidence Tells Us — and What Our Campus Experience Reinforces
Research into science parks and innovation campuses suggests that co-located companies can benefit from stronger innovation activity, improved access to networks and, in some cases, higher survival rates. However, the evidence is not uniform and outcomes vary depending on sector, business model and stage of growth.
What is consistently clear — both in the literature and in practice — is that co-location works best when ecosystems are actively cultivated rather than passively provided.
Our own campus experience reinforces this.
Collaboration as the Norm, Not the Exception
In a recent Rothamsted Enterprises campus survey, every responding business reported collaborating with other ventures or research groups on site. While the scale of the survey is modest, the consistency of responses highlights how proximity, shared focus and a connected campus environment make collaboration part of everyday working life.
This collaboration is not always formal. It often emerges through informal conversations, shared spaces, introductions made on campus, and participation in events — the kinds of interactions that are difficult to replicate in isolated or remote settings.
The Human and Social Value of Co-Location
Starting and scaling a business — particularly in science- and technology-led sectors — can be an isolating experience. Founders and small teams often navigate technical, commercial and regulatory challenges simultaneously, often with limited peer support.
Innovation campuses help address this by creating living, social environments where businesses are surrounded by people facing similar challenges. This sense of community builds resilience, confidence and momentum – supporting not just innovation outcomes, but the people driving them.
Clear Demand for Support and Shared Activity
The survey also highlights a strong appetite for active engagement and practical support. Respondents identified a need for help with areas such as funding and investment, commercialisation, business growth and access to relevant networks.
Crucially, there was also strong interest in joint marketing, events and innovation programmes, signalling that businesses want to do more together — not simply share a location.
This combination of demand and willingness creates a powerful opportunity: when businesses want to collaborate and the campus is designed to enable it, shared value follows.
Why Sector Focus Amplifies Impact
On sector-focused campuses like Rothamsted, these benefits are amplified. Businesses are not just co-located — they are co-located with purpose.
Shared sector focus enables:
- Faster trust-building and relevant collaboration
- Peer learning grounded in real, shared challenges
- Stronger alignment between research, commercialisation and market need
This environment supports startups, scale-ups and established organisations alike — enabling innovation that is both rigorous and commercially relevant.
