With the beginning of the new promotion period from 2014 to 2020 the programs of the european territorial collaboration (ETZ) - better known as INTERREG - are set up newly as well. Equal to all other kinds of EU-programs, INTERREG is incorporated into the tasks and targets of the EU-srategy 2020 for a intelligent, sustainable and integrative growth within Europe.
S3-4AlpClusters
The EU Interreg project "S3-4AlpClusters" aims to better implement smart specialization strategies (S3) through clusters in order to gain sustainable and inclusive growth, generating critical mass. The Smart Specialisation concept is a lever of EU Cohesion Policy and has been applied by several EU regions as integral part of their regional economic and innovation policy. However, not many experiences of successfully implementing S3 in clusters exist yet. Implementation tools must be developed to fully benefit SMEs. Hence, the S3-4AlpClusters objectives are to improve framework conditions for innovation induced by clusters and SMEs and to create new jobs. The implementation of S3 through clusters and cluster organisations is a new approach for enhancing innovation in the Alpine region. Transnational cluster collaborations help to create critical mass of SMEs and to open up new added value opportunities in relevant future fields through joint activities.
Key planned outputs of the project include a joint transnational cluster action plan and a S3 stress test analysis of developed and less developed regions for agenda setting, strategy development and implementation. In addition, a draft for a synchronised scheme as well as an S3-based innovation model, adapted to the regional clusters, are developed. In the end, better framework conditions for companies through a tested innovation model with corresponding services are to be created.
The project receives ERDF-funding (grant) in the amount of EUR 1.93 million from the European Union under the Alpine program. The total budget of the project is EUR 2.52 million.
Further information about the project can be found here.
DanuBioValNet
Within the Interreg Danube Transnational Programme "DanuBioValNet", new, bio-based value chains are supposed to be established. For this purpose, 17 partners from the Danube area began collaboration across regions in the bioeconomy sector on 1 January 2017. The driving force comes from regional cluster organisations that are intensively trained to initiate transnational networking in the bio-based industry.
In order to inform as many enterprises as possible about the new opportunities in the framework of bioeconomy, cluster initiatives have been chosen in particular to be the central contacts for regional development. Eleven of the 17 partners of the DanuBioValNet consortium are cluster initiatives, four of them are ministries and two of them are academic partners. The partners are from ten countries or regions (Baden-Württemberg, Austria, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro).
The project's aim is, among others, to develop new methods and tools for interlinking companies transnationally. For this purpose, cluster managers are intensively trained in order to organise cooperation in the industry and to ensure the creation of new value chains. In their function as sustainable partners, clusters catalyse the implementation of the findings in industry, academia and politics. The long-term aim is to create a network of bio-based industries in the Danube area.
Further information about the project can be found here.
Contact person
- ClusterAgentur Baden-Württemberg
Dr.-Ing. Gerd Meier zu Köcker
Haus der Wirtschaft
Willi-Bleicher-Straße 19
70174 Stuttgart - Phone
- + 49 711 123-3034
- MzK(at)clusteragentur-bw(dot)de