This month I spoke to the Daily Telegraph’s James Cook and Morgan Meaker for an article they were writing about Cambridge – ‘Why Cambridge’s Silicon Fen is fast becoming Europe’s answer to California’. Whilst we are home to fewer celebrities and considerably less sunshine, it is true that Cambridge, England, home to the Speechmatics HQ, is a hotbed of the world’s best technology talent. The Fens provide the perfect environment for agriculture and my interview with The Telegraph made me reflect on what it is about Cambridge - an ingrained culture here creates a fertile environment for big thinkers leading on world-changing innovations. Anyone who lives or visits here marvels at the surroundings, with natural beauty and nods to great city greats like Stephen Hawking and Charles Darwin dotted across its footprint. Getting out of the same room sparks creativity, particularly after stillness from the last year. Big thinkers think big, promoting a culture that accepts failure as a side-effect and setting 'BHAG' goals drives excitement and energy into businesses. People come to Cambridge to study and often end up staying, taking years to research and perfect their ideas, and it's essential to structure days to allow time for thinking and reflection, discussion and collaboration. At Speechmatics, we encourage teams to take time to think in a way that best suits them, with initiatives like 'Hackamatics' - a 'sprint-like' event where teams collaborate over unique projects with no distractions.