Sagentia’s heritage has always been closely linked to that of the 'Cambridge Phenomenon' – the high technology cluster based around Cambridge University in the UK that emerged in the 1980s. Our founder Professor Gordon Edge is one of a small number of key individuals who have played a central role in the development of the cluster into the globally recognised position that it occupies today.
From our launch in 1986 the central characteristic of the company has been a drive to innovate and to create value from technology. This is enabled by a corporate culture in which there is a minimal hierarchy, and in which project teams are built from the best people for the job. Vigorous interaction between peers is encouraged, as is individual freedom. Most importantly there is a strong emphasis on the polymath – the person whose knowledge base encompasses both technology expertise and business acumen.
The company grew through the 80s and 90s, moving headquarters from our initial base near the Cambridge Science Park to our current location just south of the city of Cambridge in 1995. During this period Catella Holdings became our major shareholder, building a relationship which continues today.
By the millennium we had established a strong international business presence, with major clients in the USA, and several European countries. In 2000 an IPO and listing on the LSE main market enabled us to initiate a pipeline of ventures and investments aimed at commercialising intellectual property, and this in turn helped us build broader and deeper business relationships with clients and co-investors. We expanded the Harston site dramatically, helping to accommodate many of the new ventures, and growing into today’s dynamic and attractive campus.
