Clusters and smart specialization: A new European buzzword or a real opportunity for clusters?Olivier Brunet

Breakout Session: Clusters and smart specialisation strategies: design and implementation

5 September 2013

Clusters and smart specialization:

A new European buzzwordor a real opportunity for clusters?

Olivier Brunet, European Commission,

Working for Aragon, Spain, until May 2014

TCI Annual Conference

“DESIGNING THE FUTURE“

Kolding, Denmark, September 5th, 2013

Regional and Urban Policy

European regional policy

Smart specialization RIS3 is a pillar of this policy:

• + 300 billion for 2014-2020

• All Member States and/or Regions must set up an innovation strategy

• Through an “entrepreneurial discovery process” which offers a large space to clusters... in principle

Less developed regions

More developed &transition regions

60% 20%

6%

44%

Research & innovationEnergy efficiency & renewable energy Competitiveness of SMEs

New EU Regional Development Fund

Key elements

• Selecting priorities

Key elements

• Selecting priorities• Mobilizing and developing innovation potential

Key elements

• Selecting priorities• Mobilizing and developing innovation potential

• Promoting cooperation between regions

Key elements

• Selecting priorities• Mobilizing and developing innovation potential

• Promoting cooperation between regions• Involving public/private stakeholders & funding sources

Step 1: Analysis of regional potential for innovation-driven differentiation

Step 2: participation & ownership

Step 3: vision for the future of the region

Step 4: Selection of priorities

Step 5: policy mix, action plan

Step 6: monitoring and evaluation

Steps to RIS3

(6) Monitoring

(5) Policy mix

(4) Priorities

(3) Vision

(2) Process

(1) Analysis

RIS 3 Strategy

Clusters involvement

- Many interesting stories in the North of Europe

- tradition of dialogue between clusters and public authorities

- SKANE, most innovative region in Europe 2020?

- Not only thanks to clusters, committed public policy leaders, strong Universities, open innovation based on quadruple helix

South Moravia, Brno,Czech Republic

One of the most interesting examples in Central Europe:

- Science and research tradition, 80000 students

- Regional Innovation Agency,planning since 2001

- Good dialogue with innovative companies

- International competitive advantage, brain drain is a challenge

Aquitaine, Bordeaux, France

One of the most interesting examples in France:

- leadership of the Regional authority in a centralized country

- Regional innovation strategy since 2007

- Much attention for cross border cooperation

- In particular with the Bask Country and between Universities

One of the most interesting examples in Spain:

- poorest region of Spain

- took advantage of the RIS 3 opportunity

- Five sectoral workshops

- agrofood, turism, health, energy, environment

Extremadura, Spain

One of the most interesting examples of clusters involvement in a cross border cooperation process:

- political leadership, strong companies and clusters, Universities

- Common interregional projects

- Not only business, also a cultural cross border component

Upper Rhinebetween Germany, Switzerland and France

Clusters in Aragon

Mixed results in Aragon :

- Limited trust between the Regional authority and clusters

- Limited strategic support to clusters

- discussion between Presidents of clusters

- More inter-clustering?

Information, dialogue, involvement?

“Regions of Knowledge” EU projects boosting cooperation between regional innovative clusters :

- Logistics: www.socool-logistics.eu

- already a Joint Action Plan, www.aliaragon.eu involved

- Water management: We@EU just started

- A major opportunity for the cluster www.zinnae.org

Two success stories in Aragon

Entidades de I+D

Agencia pública regional Agentes empresariales

Tejido empresarial aragonés

Clusters

2007 20122014 2020

Europe is facing many challenges at the same time, this is certainly the case in other parts of the world too, such as:

- Closing down of Regional development Agencies in England

- Lack of trust between stakeholders in Central Europe countries

- Lack of administrative capability in the south of Europe

- Doubts about the European integration process

A difficult process in any case

- importance of national strategies in smaller countries in Europe

- need for a consistent national approach in larger countries

- Spain: added value of FENAEIC

- Strong opportunity of a closer cooperation with France Clusters

Let us not forget the national level

The involvement of clusters in the implementation of a regional innovation strategy is key:

- Monitoring and evaluation ?

- How flexible are clusters in cross sectors initiatives ?

- What can we learn from other parts of the world ?

At the end of the day

Despite some up and down in the EU support to clusters:

- The RIS 3 is currently a major opportunity for clusters in Europe

- In the frame of a strong EU regional policy

- Including cross border and interregional cooperation opportunities, often under used

- What can we learn from other parts of the world?

In short, a European perspective

Special thanks to Antonio Novo, President of IDIA and FENAEIC with whom this presentation was prepared

Thanks, let us discuss