Innovation Europe > Cluster Networks

In an increasingly global competitive market, European clusters are seeking to improve and strengthen their performance and innovativeness.

Clusters are more than mere user-producer linkages between industries. They are drivers in today’s knowledge society comprising networks of interdependent firms, knowledge-producing institutions, intermediaries and related customers, all linked through complex value-added chains. In recent years, European and national policy measures have increasingly targeted innovative industry clusters. A wealth of practical experience on cluster management and development has been accumulated and can be drawn on by clusters in Europe.

Further information can be found at: www.europe-innova.org

Automotive

Biotechnology

Energy

ICT/Optics

Food/Drink

Space

Textile

Automotive

BeLCAR — Bench Learning in Cluster management for the Automotive sector in European Regions
The great diversity amongst European countries distinguishes Europe from the rest of the world. Networking between small and medium enterprises (SMEs) reflects this distinctiveness and provides a dynamic environment for the European automotive industry. This has put Europe at the forefront in the development of specific capabilities related to cross-company and inter-organisational co-operation. If the future of the industry lies in increased specialisation in the value chain, the European automotive industry seems to be particularly well positioned in terms of structures and capabilities.

TCAS — Transnational Clustering in the Automotive Sector
The focus of TCAS is on facilitating exchange of experience and best practice among European automotive clusters in order to strengthen their performance, create a transnational cooperation platform and opening up new European business perspectives for cluster enterprises.

Biotechnology

NetBioCluE — NETworking activity for BIOtechnology CLUsters in Europe Co-ordination action
NetBioCluE aims to support networking, collaboration and the transfer of knowledge among innovation stakeholders and actors in the biotechnology for health sector in Europe. The project will address all types of innovation including technological and organisational innovation. It will operate at the scale at which clustering realises the most beneficial innovation development, management and transfer and will include many different types of clusters.

Energy

CENCE — the promotion of entrepreneurial innovation through Connecting ENergy Clusters across Europe
Support cooperation activities between participating Energy Clusters for establishing, at the EU level, a collaboration and learning platform that facilitates the promotion of entrepreneurial innovation through the exploitation of synergies, the exchange of knowledge, and the transfer of best practice.

ICT/Optics

ENOC — European Network of Optical Clusters
The “Optics & Photonics” cluster is composed of a large percentage of high technology SMEs with less than a hundred employees. These companies do not require a specific industrial environment to develop and mature; start-ups can take off irrespective of geographic location.

mClusters — Integration of Europe’s Mobile ICT Community
The mClusters project will be centred on local but globally connected innovation clusters in order to achieve greater benefits from Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The project brings together groups of advanced users of information society technology with experts from academia, industry and supporting institutions to foster the exchange of best practice in the creation of new applications, and to diffuse related knowledge.

NICE — Networking ICT Clusters in Europe
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been identified as playing a key role in achieving the objectives of a strategy of: higher growth, more and better employment and greater social inclusion.

OMNI-NET — Opto-Micro-Nano Innovative Network Exploiting Transversality
OMNI-NET focuses on optics and micro/nano electronics (OMN) clusters, relating to IST and NMP technologies.

The most common challenges for technological clusters are convergence and transversality/pervasion. Convergence relates to the combining of technologies from different fields to meet the demand of end markets. Transversality and pervasion relate to these technologies application to a wide range of markets, and include ICT, automotive, aerospace, medical equipment and energy.

Food/Drink

ABC-Network — Enhancing the Networking of European Agro-Biotech Clusters
Agro-biotech clusters (ABC) differ from classical agro-food clusters in their emphasis on the scientific dimension. The extent of clustering amongst participant ABCs varies and the ABC Network aims to enhance it. The network will draw on expert help to increase co-operation between participants through analysis of best practice and the identification of barriers to networking and innovation. The project will undertake a benchmarking effort at EU and international levels, and develop a methodology and tools for cluster management.

Space

CASTLE — Clusters in Aerospace and Satellite Navigation Technology Applications Linked to Entrepreneurial Innovation
CASTLE is a trans-national aerospace technologies cluster encompassing 3 European regional clusters and with a strong sectoral focus on satellite navigation (SatNav) applications.

Space technologies offer countless possibilities for ground-based applications. They offer opportunities beyond the traditional space industry to SMEs, service providers, content providers and private and public users. Space is a crucial link in the competitive knowledge-based society. Digital television, 3G-mobile communications and the Internet are the best-known examples of service platforms to which space-systems contribute.

ENCADRE - The Applications Cluster Platform
The ENCADRE network numbers 16 clusters in the field of satellite and space technologies based applications. The network started a number of actions to raise awareness among companies, entrepreneurs and users on the opportunities offered by existing space and satellite technologies, e.g. GPS II, Galileo/EGNOS, to develop hundreds of new applications in a wide array of existing and new markets. The network will in the next months launch a new website with the principalt aim of offering transparency of cluster/incubator activities.

Textile

INNOTEX — Best practice platform for entrepreneurial INNOvation for the technical TEXtiles sector
Develop a best practice platform for innovation and entrepreneurship within the technical textiles sector by identifying and facilitating the transfer of innovation and entrepreneurship best practice between complementary clusters in the technical textiles domain.