Building a World-Leading Climate Tech Ecosystem in Oxfordshire

How do you turn a county into a world-leading climate tech ecosystem, and why does collaboration matter more than competition when tackling the climate crisis?In this episode of Oxford Plus, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Hannah Scott, CEO of Oxfordshire Greentech and Co-Founder of the Climate Tech SuperCluster, about building networks that connect climate innovators with the funding, expertise and corporate partnerships they need to scale. They explore how Oxfordshire has quietly become one of the UK's most important regions for climate innovation, with emerging specialisms in energy tech at Harwell, fusion at Culham and sustainable chemistry at Begbroke.With the UK climate tech sector now valued at $75.3 billion but investment falling 67% since 2023, Hannah explains how business networks like Oxfordshire Greentech help startups leapfrog challenges, access visibility and navigate the valley of death. From the recent launch of a green ammonia demonstrator at Harwell to the formation of a cross-European climate tech supercluster spanning Amsterdam, London and Paris, this conversation reveals how local action can drive global climate impact.Whether you're an entrepreneur looking for support, an investor seeking deal flow, or a corporate wanting to engage with cutting-edge climate solutions, this episode offers a practical roadmap for plugging into one of the UK's most dynamic innovation ecosystems.(00:00) - Welcome to Oxford Plus (03:01) - The Range of Climate Tech Innovation in Oxfordshire (05:21) - Geographic Reach Beyond Oxfordshire (08:31) - The Climate Tech SuperCluster (11:26) - Cross-Regional Collaboration with Cambridge Cleantech (15:51) - Day-to-Day Support for Members (22:56) - Key Events Throughout the Year (27:17) - Access to Finance Conference (29:08) - Networking Innovation and Speed Dating (32:03) - Climate Solutions Conference (33:14) - Connecting Startups with Local Government (36:42) - How Investors Can Engage (37:26) - The MIT Five-Stakeholder Model Hannah Scott: Hannah Scott is the CEO of Oxfordshire Greentech, a not-for-profit business network building a world-leading climate tech innovation ecosystem in Oxfordshire with impact beyond. She leads the organisation in managing and engaging members, connecting them with funding, customers, and business expertise whilst facilitating scale-up innovation through events, programmes and projects. Hannah is also Co-Founder of the Climate Tech SuperCluster, which showcases, develops and scales climate-critical technologies across the UK and Europe. She sits on the Oxford Economic Growth Steering Board and was named to edie's 30 Under 30 Class of 2023. Having helped launch Oxfordshire Greentech in 2019 whilst working for sustainability consultancy Bioregional, Hannah has now stepped into full-time leadership of the network and continues to deliver successful events, commercial opportunities and projects with climate and social impact.Connect with Hannah Scott on LinkedIn or visit Oxfordshire GreentechSusannah de Jager: Susannah is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn and Subscribe to the Oxford+ Newsletter for Exclusive ContentOxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager and supported by Mishcon de Reya, HSBC Innovation Banking, and James Cowper Kreston.Produced and Edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.