Oxford Edge: Christ Church Launches New Innovation Centre

Christ Church, Oxford has opened Oxford Edge, its new Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, backed by Blenheim Chalcot. The Centre will educate, inspire and empower students from across the University of Oxford, offering them the chance to develop their own entrepreneurial ideas.

The centre will operate in collaboration with the University of Oxford’s entrepreneurship hub, EnSpire Oxford and the Saïd Business School, and will draw on Blenheim Chalcot’s expertise, and track record in supporting high-growth ventures. 

Students will benefit from education in the core principles of entrepreneurship from Christ Church and University of Oxford tutors as well as Blenheim Chalcot’s network of experienced entrepreneurs, and its educational programmes. This will go hand-in-hand with practical support from established entrepreneurs drawn from Oxford’s community of alumni and its wider ecosystem. 

The Oxford Edge Centre will support a broad range of ventures, ranging from social and civic entrepreneurship to innovation in science and technology.

With meeting rooms, classrooms and state of the art work space, Oxford Edge is a response to growing student demand for entrepreneurial education and will help provide the pathways to innovation that play a key role in the University of Oxford’s vision. By offering the space and backing for students to build on their ideas and develop the skills and entrepreneurial mindset needed to succeed in the very early stages of launching a venture, it will play an important role in Oxford’s development as a major global innovation hub. Last year, Vice-Chancellor Irene Tracey chaired an Independent Review of University Spinout Companies, whose recommendations to fund and support university spinouts were accepted in full by the Government.

The Centre’s educational programme will encompass a curriculum of lectures and interactive workshops with experts, covering problem discovery, venture models, value proposition, and intellectual property. Funded vacation programmes will offer students the opportunity to work together on their own ideas and initiatives.

Professor Sarah Foot, Dean of Christ Church, said: “This year, Christ Church celebrates its 500^th anniversary, and we are looking to the future and our ambitions to serve students for the next 500 years. Oxford Edge is a vital part of this work, helping students and academics make the most of the huge entrepreneurial potential within Christ Church, and the wider University.”

Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, said: “I’m delighted at the launch of Oxford Edge. As our review of university spin-out businesses for government highlighted last year, infrastructure is vital if a city is to become a hub of spin-out creation. This Centre will help us achieve our ambition of making Oxford a global innovation hub.”

Charles Mindenhall, Founding Partner of Blenheim Chalcot and Christ Church alumnus, said: "Innovative thinking and entrepreneurship lie at the heart of growing a successful economy and productive society. That is why Blenheim Chalcot is so keen to champion and support this initiative, which we hope will inspire and equip Christ Church and Oxford students to pursue entrepreneurial careers and endeavours. We look forward to making our entrepreneurial programmes and leaders available to help educate students on the skills and capabilities needed to build great new businesses and organisations."