Who really benefits when an innovation ecosystem succeeds?
In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager talks to Dr Olga Kozlova, Director of Innovation and Engagement at the University of Oxford, about Equinox, Equitable Innovation Oxford, the regional partnership she has helped drive since its launch. Olga explains why Oxford wants to avoid repeating San Francisco's mistakes, where economic success sat alongside rising poverty and crime, and how Equinox is instead building a skills agenda, an inward investment unit and a founders' pledge to spread the benefits of growth more widely.
The conversation lands as the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor gains fresh momentum, with government plans to double funding and unlock up to £78 billion for the UK economy by 2035. Olga argues that Britain needs more national pride in its innovation strengths, and a clearer story about why Oxfordshire's growth should matter to everyone who lives there, not just those inside the university's walls.
- (00:00) - Welcome to Oxford+
- (01:13) - Introducing Equinox and Equitable Innovation
- (02:29) - Bringing Equity and Innovation Together
- (05:54) - Taking Stakeholders on the Growth Journey
- (06:38) - Focusing Equinox's Delivery Priorities
- (07:50) - Telling Innovation's Local Success Stories
- (09:07) - Opening Up Oxford's Communal Spaces
- (10:21) - Supporting Founders Outside the University System
- (12:31) - Building an Inward Investment Unit
- (16:34) - Backing the Ox-Cam Rail and Growth Corridor
- (19:59) - Keeping Sovereign Talent and Capital in the UK
- (22:32) - National Pride and Self-Belief
Olga Kozlova: Dr Olga Kozlova is Director of Innovation and Engagement at the University of Oxford, where she leads work on technology commercialisation, start-ups, investment and inclusive innovation ecosystems, and is one of the driving forces behind Equinox, Equitable Innovation Oxford. She previously established and led the Innovation and Industry Engagement Directorate at the University of Strathclyde and founded Converge, Scotland's national company creation and entrepreneurship development programme. Olga is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an experienced board member and adviser across the UK innovation ecosystem.
Susannah 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.
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Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager and supported by Equinox.
Produced and Edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.
