Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation

Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation
Name	Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation
Established	2012
Type	Research centre
Location	Cambridge, England
Parent institution	University of Cambridge
Director	Clare Harrington

Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation The Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation is a multidisciplinary research and practice hub at the University of Cambridge focused on socially driven change, social enterprise, and impact-oriented innovation. The centre interfaces with civic actors including local authorities such as Cambridgeshire County Council, philanthropic funders such as the Wellcome Trust, and global networks such as the Skoll Foundation and Ashoka. It convenes scholars, practitioners, and policymakers from institutions including the Judge Business School, the Institute of Continuing Education, and the Department of Psychology to translate research into practical interventions across sectors.

Overview

The centre conducts applied and theoretical work on social entrepreneurship, responsible innovation, and systems change, drawing on expertise from the Centre for Sustainable Development, the School of Clinical Medicine, the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, and the Faculty of Law. Its agenda intersects with initiatives led by organizations such as Nesta, Social Enterprise UK, UNICEF, OECD, and World Economic Forum, positioning the centre as a bridge between local practice in Cambridge (city), regional policy in East of England, and global agendas like the Sustainable Development Goals. Core activities include incubating ventures, advising municipal partnerships with Greater London Authority, and informing philanthropic strategy alongside foundations such as the Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundations.

History

The centre was founded in response to cross-disciplinary collaborations emerging from projects with the Institute for Manufacturing, the Cambridge Social Ventures, and the Cambridge Enterprise technology transfer office. Early partnerships included pilots with the Royal Society and the National Health Service through collaborations with Addenbrooke's Hospital and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Influences on its formation included models from the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Saïd Business School, the Helsinki Design Lab, and the Young Foundation. Over time the centre expanded ties with international nodes such as Stanford Social Innovation Review, Harvard Kennedy School, MIT D-Lab, and Oxford Said Business School.

Research and Programs

Research streams span social finance, impact measurement, community-led regeneration, and technology for inclusion, engaging scholars from the Department of Sociology, the Department of Politics and International Studies, and the Cambridge Judge Entrepreneurship Centre. Projects have investigated outcomes with partners like the BBC community initiatives, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Oxfam, and Save the Children, as well as methodological collaborations with RAND Corporation and Imperial College London. Programmatic offerings include an incubator that mirrors accelerators such as Y Combinator and Seedcamp but adapted for social ventures, alongside evaluation frameworks informed by work at the Carnegie UK Trust, the Overseas Development Institute, and Grameen Bank case studies.

Education and Training

The centre delivers postgraduate modules and executive education in partnership with the Judge Business School, the Faculty of Education, and the International Development Programme. Short courses target leaders from Local Enterprise Partnerships, international NGOs like CARE International and Médecins Sans Frontières, and corporate partners such as Unilever and Microsoft exploring shared-value approaches. Pedagogical design draws on case-method resources from the Harvard Business School, action-research traditions from the Institute of Development Studies, and experiential labs inspired by IDEO and the Tate Exchange.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Strategic partnerships include municipal and regional actors such as Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, national funders including the Economic and Social Research Council, and international organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, and European Commission. Academic collaborations feature joint projects with King's College London, London School of Economics, UCL, and international centres such as University of Cape Town and National University of Singapore. The centre also works with impact investors and intermediaries including Big Society Capital, Triodos Bank, Impact Investing Institute, and sector networks like Social Investment Business.

Impact and Evaluation

Impact assessment at the centre employs mixed methods developed alongside experts from the Behavioural Insights Team, the National Audit Office, and the What Works Network. Evaluations of community programmes have been published in forums connected to the British Academy, the Academy of Social Sciences, and journals associated with Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. Case studies highlight changes in local delivery models with partners such as Citizens Advice, Shelter (charity), and Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, while policy influence is evidenced by briefings to committees at the House of Commons and consultations with the Department for Business and Trade.

Category:University of Cambridge research centres