ECCP September 2023 Quarterly Newsletter |
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Dear ECCP Member,
Welcome to the ECCP September Quarterly Newsletter!
September marks a season of change and transition and, in this spirit, we bring you a rich harvest of updates, events and opportunities from the ECCP community.
In this edition, we will traverse across Europe, showcasing:
- a range of impactful ECCP events and community members’
experiences;
- the latest Open Calls;
- a series of insightful publications for you to enjoy.
Furthermore, we've included an invitation for you to participate in the revamped ECCP discussion groups.
Let’s embrace this season of growth and transformation with the ECCP while we continue to foster collaboration, innovation and progress across our vibrant community. Enjoy the read!
Best regards,
Your ECCP Team
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CLUSTERS MEET REGIONS
Check out our upcoming ‘Clusters meet Regions’ events to discover the regions where clusters play an active role in regional economies and are drivers for economic transition! 👇
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A new call for applications to host upcoming Clusters meet Regions events in 2024 will open soon. Stay tuned!
Clusters meet Regions in Burgas, Bulgaria
On 13-15 September, we were in Bulgaria for Clusters meet Regions in Burgas. Themed “Enhancing cross-sectorial and trans-regional cooperation”, the event in Burgas was the ninth event of the Clusters meet Regions series. It focused on the priorities established by the region, such as tourism, ICT and creative industries, but also represented an opportunity to get a detailed overview of the local cluster panorama. Read more about the event here. Check out the event's Flickr album for more pictures like the ones below. ⤵️
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Late applications to participate in our EU-South Africa Matchmaking event can still be accepted, provided that eligibility criteria are fulfilled and costs are borne by the participants.
Late applications are possible until 17 October 2023, 23:59 CET. Apply here:
🎯Target ecosystems: Agri-food, Green Industries, Chemicals and Metals, Tourism, Transport (Maritime and Automotive), Digital Tech, Textiles and Leather.
Please note that the Call for Expression of Interest for both Clusters and SMEs to join the EU-Singapore Matchmaking event is now closed. There are no available places in the delegation and late applications won't be accepted.
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Are you ready to unlock the limitless potential of collaboration and innovation to transform the landscape of digitalisation, cybersecurity, AI, clean technologies, 3D printing and the VR industry?
Following the highly successful European Cluster Conference held in Prague in 2022, the National Cluster Association of the Czech Republic, alongside its esteemed counterparts, CEDEG, Klastr MECHATRONIKA and the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences are inviting you to be part of the ECCP matchmaking event
on 24 October 2023, in Prague, Czech Republic.
This event is organised in the context of Clusters meet Regions
and will be held in a hybrid format to allow everyone to participate.
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Register now! The ECCP Matchmaking event in Düsseldorf, Germany, will take place on 8 November in the framework of the Clusters meet Regions event. More information will be available here soon.
Want to learn more about our matchmaking events and why you should attend? Watch the video below ⤵️
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We are happy to announce that the Second Cluster Booster Academy, successfully held on 21-22 September 2023, marked another significant milestone in the journey toward enhancing European clusters' potential by gathering 21 cluster managers from 13 different countries. Read all about the key highlights from the event here!
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C2Lab – CLUSTER COLLABORATION LABS
C2Labs are interactive events for companies, cluster organisations, financial providers, actors from civil society and other interested entities to establish new collaborations and to develop project roadmaps.
Watch the video below for more info! 👇
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Together with the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, we are organising the next Cluster Collaboration Lab in Ljubljana/Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia, on 25-26 October 2023. The focus of this lab will be on transport, energy, Ukraine, skills and networks in the Danube Region.
Register here!
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This C2Lab, organised for 14-15 November in Vilnius, Lithuania, is strongly driven by the challenges of the agri-food ecosystem, focusing on several obstacles and cross-cutting topics related to skills, networking and innovation. Strengthening the sustainability of agriculture has significant ramifications for economic and social development and is crucial to competitiveness.
Register here!
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C2Lab: A Catalyst for Project Success
Our C2Lab events offer exceptional chances to shape your project ideas, craft compelling business cases and broaden your European network. Want some first-hand proof? Two participants, Anna Rosenqvist and Pirkko Taskinen, praised C2Lab events for propelling their projects forward, nurturing creativity and enabling valuable networking. One even successfully aligned their project with EU Horizon, while the other warmly recommended C2Lab for practical collaboration and fostering new connections.
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Anna Rosenqvist, Interior Cluster Sweden.
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I attended the C2Lab event in Sweden, Lund, on 21-22 March, 2023 and I am looking forward to participating in the upcoming C2Lab event in Vilnius on 14-15 November 2023.
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The C2Lab event played a pivotal role in advancing my project idea. During the event, there were dedicated workshops where my project initiative served as a starting point for discussions. With the guidance of skilled facilitators, we were able to refine and expand upon the initial concept.
One significant outcome of the C2Lab event was the realisation that our project idea aligned well with an upcoming EU Horizon call. Subsequently, we formed a consortium comprising seven partners who shared a common vision. We are now actively engaged in the process of developing a comprehensive project proposal.
I highly recommend C2Lab events to other clusters and organizations. These events provide an exceptional platform for exchange of ideas, collaboration and project development. Here is how:
- Creativity and Innovation: C2Lab fosters an environment where creativity thrives. It encourages participants to think outside the box and explore innovative solutions to complex challenges.
- Networking: You will connect with like-minded individuals and organizations, fostering valuable relationships and potential collaborations.
- Access to Expertise: Skilled facilitators and experts are on hand to provide guidance and insights, helping you to transform ideas into viable projects.
- Alignment with Funding Opportunities: C2Lab events can help you identify relevant funding opportunities, ensuring that your project aligns with available calls and increasing your chances of securing support.
I encourage anyone with innovative ideas and a passion for collaboration to participate with an open mind, curiosity and flexibility. The potential for growth and success is significant.
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Pirkko Taskinen, University of Oulu – AIF Water Ecosystem
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I participated in the C2lab in Lund, Sweden on 21-22 March 2023. It was an interesting event where I met new people as a result of the good networking opportunities.
Even though I did not know the other participants before the event, our group created a good project idea. We will soon have our third meeting around the idea that we conceived at the C2Lab, after the summer holidays.
I would recommend the C2Lab events to other clusters/organisations, as they are a practical way of getting to know other people.
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C2Lab continues to serve as a beacon for innovation and collaboration in various fields.
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Check out the upcoming Talks and register now! ⤵️
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The concept “Industry 5.0” provides a vison of industry that goes beyond efficiency and productivity as the sole goals and reinforces the role and the contribution of industry to society. It was coined by the European Commission in 2021 and places the wellbeing of the worker at the centre of the production process.
The EU Clusters Talk “Industry 5.0: People at the heart of business” on 🗓️ 4 October 2023, 8:30 – 9:45 CET, will explore this concept. We will learn about the theoretical approach, discuss how it is perceived by industry and see how it can be translated into practice.
✍️ Register now!
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Upcoming EU Clusters Talks ⤵️
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What is the role of clusters in the green and digital transition of Europe’s regions? And how do they collaborate with regional governments to strengthen regional economy and build resilience? These are key questions for our EU Clusters Talk at the European Week of Regions and Cities. The Talk will take place in-person in Brussels on 12 October 2023, 11:30 – 13:00 CET. Find out more information here.
Save your spot, register now!
Deadline: 30 September
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The 2023 EU-Taiwan Investment Partnership Forum on Semiconductor Clusters took place on 7 September at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. This event marked a significant milestone by hosting the largest-ever delegation of EU semiconductor representatives from nine European clusters spread across different EU Member States, including Belgium, Poland, Italy, Finland, Germany, France and the Czech Republic.
We spoke to Frank Bösenburg of Silicon Saxony about his experience of the event:
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Could you share your general impressions and experiences at the forum?
The event was well attended, particularly by media, and overall had a very good level of participation in the forum and high-level speakers/presentations.
Building upon the matchmaking event in June, have any initiatives or partnerships evolved or seen further development at the September forum?
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Speaking from Saxony, of course, the decision by TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) to build a lab in Europe is a huge marker of progress. In general, there has been more engagement by EU partners, which is reflected by the several country pavilions at Semicon Taiwan, in which the forum was embedded.
Could you provide details on any promising collaborations fostered through connections made at these events? At the event, we deepened our exchange with ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), which we will host as part of a delegation in Dresden, and tightened our cooperation with Polish players. Are there any upcoming initiatives or collaborations you are anticipating as a result of your participation in the forum? At least partially related is the fact that the Free State of Saxony and TU Dresden have signed a cooperation agreement for a "Semiconductor Talent Incubation Program" with TSMC in Taiwan. How do you envision the future of EU-Taiwan partnerships in the semiconductor sector? Based on the decision by TSMC, we expect substantial further growth of the relationships between Taiwan and the EU, not only in Saxony/Germany.
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Amulet coaching services for SMEs
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The Amulet coaching activity consists of one-on-one meetings with Amulet experts who can provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to develop new lightweight solutions within your company.
Their experts are specialised in technical and economic topics, ensuring that you receive tailored advice to address your specific needs and issues.
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Opportunities in the Middle East for xBUILD-EU
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The Internationalisation Report of the xBuild-EU project focuses on exploring business opportunities in eight dynamic countries: Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Discover new horizons in Textile, Construction and Manufacturing.
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EUROCLUSTERS CALLS
🚨 Head over to the ECCP now to take a look at the Euroclusters open calls! The calls offer a wide range of incredible opportunities, from funding to mobility lump sums to innovation support. You won't want to miss out!
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🏆 Cluster policy champion of the Americas! 🍁 Canada has a perfect maturity rate score of 8 out of 8, showcasing its advanced national cluster policy development. With over 10 years of dedicated implementation and clear continuity, Canada's success in cluster policies shines brightly.
Discover more in the 56 country factsheets that the ECCP has developed on cluster policies and programmes across Europe and third-priority countries. The country factsheets are primarily based on desk research at the national level (mainly in the national language) and have been subject to validation by the national authorities. Check them out here.
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Discover ImagoMol, the cluster breaking boundaries in the EU for Structural and Molecular Imaging. Established in 2012, this research-driven cluster focuses on enhancing cooperation between industry and academia in the ICT and health sector to:
- advance the use of innovative medical imaging
- provide quality healthcare services
Thanks to the cluster's profound expertise, ImagoMol successfully lobbied the regional government to make eHealth and precision medicine integral to the regional innovation strategy. Find out more about how to drive digital transition and resilience in the Health Sector with the ECCP Cluster Solutions Library.
The Cluster Solutions Library showcases good practices from across Europe where clusters have played an active role in the 14 industrial ecosystems (as indicated in the updated EU industrial strategy) and regional economies, and are drivers for economic transition, in line with the industrial strategy of green and digital transition and resilience building.
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Recently, we've enhanced our website, streamlined the profile registration process and improved the visualisation of profiles on the platform. Your profile acts as a representation of your organisation, drawing new contacts and amplifying awareness of your activities.
💻 We hosted a series of webinars to assist you in updating your specific profile. Check out the recordings of the webinars here!
To ensure that our users have a smooth registration and editing experience, we have also created a user manual as a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process. This guide will help you understand each step of the account as well as the profile registration process and make it easier for you to navigate the platform.
Check out further details about the profiles here.
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We're delighted to invite you to be a part of our newly restructured ECCP discussion groups! In response to the evolving needs of our vibrant community, we have decided to revamp our discussion groups. Don't miss out, join the conversation today:
- ECCP General Discussion Group: Your gateway to interact with all 14 ECCP ecosystems: exchange best practices and ideas, and find project partners. Join now.
- EU Clusters Support Ukraine: A dedicated group aimed at enhancing the ability of EU industry to contribute to the delivery of humanitarian aid for Ukraine and to support Ukrainian refugees in MS countries. Join now.
- C2Lab: Boost your collaboration with other clusters and scale-up interregional cooperation in new cross-border value chains. Join now.
- Euroclusters: An exclusive space for members involved in the new European Strategic Cluster Partnerships. Share knowledge, tackle challenges and shape the future together. Join now.
This is an opportunity for all ECCP members to expand their horizons, find new connections and exchange best practices across a variety of topics.
*Please note that the links to the discussion groups have changed. We strongly recommend you join the new groups to stay updated on all important ECCP discussions and news.
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In September 2023, the ECCP continues to stand firmly with Ukraine, fostering further collaborations and initiatives. Discover the latest updates and explore how you can contribute to our ongoing efforts by visiting the EU Clusters Support Ukraine page on the ECCP website.
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© 2023 — European Union. All rights reserved. © European Union, 2023. The information and views set out in this email are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of EISMEA or of the Commission. Neither EISMEA, nor the Commission can guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this document. Neither EISMEA, nor the Commission or any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. The ECCP is the European Commission platform for cluster collaboration, operated by a dedicated consortium of IMP³ROVE, Prognos AG, VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH, European Clusters Alliance, InPULSE Partners SRL, AgriFood Lithuania, EURADA, LOW and iO. This email was developed by this consortium.
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