Scheme

Milton Park, one of the UK’s leading science and innovation communities, is home to over 270 companies working at the forefront of clean energy, life sciences and advanced technology.

To champion the Park’s contribution to the UK’s net zero and innovation agenda, MEPC and Meeting Place worked together to host a senior delegation from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), including the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Paul Monks. The visit was designed to provide DESNZ with first-hand insight into the pioneering work taking place at Milton Park and to support dialogue between central government and leading green tech occupiers.

Strategy

Meeting Place secured DESNZ’s attendance and helped to shape the visit agenda. Following the Industrial Strategy, we worked closely with MEPC and DESNZ to align the visit with priorities around net zero, energy resilience and economic growth. Liaising closely with occupiers and stakeholders, our team supported with event logistics and narrative, to ensure the day delivered maximum value for both policymakers and Park occupiers.

We curated a tour of key occupiers, including Tokamak Energy, Nexeon, TreQ and Nium; cutting-edge companies developing technologies across fusion energy, battery materials, quantum computing and clean ammonia production. The site visits were followed by a roundtable discussion, which brought together senior figures across the science and energy sectors to discuss the importance of placemaking and how government and industry can better collaborate to scale up innovation and navigate growth barriers.

Following the event, Meeting Place coordinated PR efforts, sharing video and press release content from the event with media, to extend the visit’s impact whilst increasing visibility for Milton Park and its occupiers.

Outcome

The visit was praised by DESNZ as being "highly enjoyable and informative." In a follow-up letter, Professor Paul Monks highlighted the value of seeing the “exciting work” taking place at Milton Park, and how the environment created by MEPC has enabled businesses to thrive. The discussions offered the delegation “useful insight into the important research and development being carried out on site,” as well as the challenges faced by innovative firms as they scale.

Ahead of the Life Science strategy and following the Industrial Strategy, the event strengthened relationships between government and some of the UK’s most promising climate tech companies. It also positioned Milton Park as a best-practice case study for place-based innovation which supports national policy goals.

The visit also generated widespread positive media coverage and a high-quality video assets. By helping to bring together central government, Milton Park and its occupiers, Meeting Place ensured the event made a lasting contribution to profile raising and the wider role of science and tech hubs in delivering a net zero future.