Merete D. Nielsen Director, Cluster Excellence Denmark Board of Directors, TCI Network Making things smarter and better through clusters some Danish learnings
Five key areas - making things smarter and better through clusters Making sense of clusters and their position in the ecosystem The (economic) value of clusters for SME s Smarting up SMEs through clusters Cross-cluster innovation building up even smarter and better use of clusters Cluster globalisation the smart way
Smart Up the definition of clusters Cluster aim to build knowledge bridges between companies and knowledge institution and to create innovation and growth within a group of companies Triple helix organisation, i.e. both companies, knowledge institutions and public partners/ civil society take an active part Formally established organisation of the cluster and its activities with at least one fulltime equivalent and have the resources to offer services and activities to the members. Minimum of 20 committed participants from private companies Clusters must have a valid label; Bronze, Silver or Gold of the ECEI - European Cluster Excellence Initiative
The Danish Clusters an overview af the leading ones 14 8 19
THE SMARTER ECO-SYSTEM OF INNOVATION Clusters are Bridge builders between research and business Facilitating innovation Connecting to other actors in the innovation system Turning policies into action Animating international collaboration
Relations between the Danish clusters
CLUSTERS IN THE DANISH BUSINESS AND INNOVATIONSYSTEM Very nice performance for clusters: Clusters has the biggest participation of companies compared to resources spend Total spending on business support and innovation per year in DK 6.3 billion EUR
The annual Performance Account 2018 16.545 COMPANIES PARTICIPATED IN ACTIVITIES IN THE DANISH CLUSTERS Companies Cluster IN 2017 EACH OF THE CLUSTERS COLLABORATED WITH 29 DIFFERENT KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTIONS 40 DIFFERENT PUBLIC ENTITIES Public entities Knowledge institution Over 5.800 companies got new competences improving innovation. Over 4.600 companies developed new ideas leading to new products, processes and services Over 2.800 participated in collaboration projects I 2016 SAMARBEJDEDE HVER AF DE 42 KLYNGER OG INNOVATIONSNETVÆRK I GENNEMSNIT MED: 24 FORSKELLIGE VIDENINSTITUTIONER Almost 2.400 companies developed new products and services 38 FORSKELLIGE OFFENTLIGE AKTØRER. ANNUAL TURNOVER IN THE CLUSTERS - 52 EUR MIO: 1/3 FROM THE STATE, 1/3 FROM REGIONS/MUNICIPALITIES AND 16 PCT. FROM COMPANIES (AND SOME EU FUNDING)
HOW DO CLUSTERS SMART UP SMES? Knowlegde sharing Matchmaking Innovationsproject, - preprojekter, feasability studies, Entrepreneurship Competence development Internationalisation
SMARTING UP SMES: A FEW EXAMPLES The Odense Robotic StartUp Hub Copenhagen Agrifood Incubator EU-China Cleantech Competition Growing Games: Hack your audience Interactive Denmark Circular economy Lifestyle and Design Cluster And much more!
SYLAB = CROSS-CLUSTER INNOVATION Bringing back clothing production to Denmark Cross-cluster collaboration between Lifestyle & Design Cluster and RoboCluster Connecting robot technology with designers and creative entrepreneurs Today hosting around 80 entrepreneurs.
Range of smart use of clusters
From local to international clusters International clusters Local/county based clusters Denmark has a lot of new smaller local and county based clusters. Some stay local, while others has a really big development potential Regional clusters Regional based clusters often builds on regional strongholds (or the wish to develop such). Normally a lot of regional funding. All five regions works with clusters. Approach quite different. National clusters The national clusters covers more national strongholds and has national funding. They might have started locally or regionally, but has over time developed perhaps with offices around the country.. Most of the mature clusters are very active internationally. Some has offices aboard. While others collaborate with or are drivers of international networks with other clusters. Almost all gold clusters has a strong international profile.
Smarter internationalisation of SME s
MODELS AND METHODS FOR SME INTERNATIONALIZATION THROUGH CLUSTERS Cluster internationalization along the value chain Cross-sectorial cluster innovation SMEs globalization via clusters System export via complex product solutions Transnational cluster platforms Clusters supporting SMEs into international research
WHICH COUNTRIES
RECOMMENDATIONS CLUSTERS AND POLICY MAKERS TO CLUSTERS Align the cluster strategy with the regional strategy and share your specific insights! Secure the cluster develop your own strategy and sustainable funding (more than one funding source!) Develop a full range of services over time. Make connections and collaboration projects with other clusters going beond the classic specialisations. Strive for professionalization TO POLICY MAKERS Identify relevant clusters or likewise Use cluster managers as a way to develop and implement your strategy Work with long term funding at least four years. And be prepared to stop if it doesn t work. Think of areas where clusters can play a role: On internationalisation? On crosssectorial innovation? Measure and evaluate Failure will happen just learn from it.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CLUSTERS? TCI is global network of cluster experts TCI reaches out to 9,000 practitioners from development agencies, government departments, cluster organizations, academic institutions, companies and multilateral organizations in over 110 countries Annual conference in Toronto Global Matchmaking http://www.tci-network.org https://youtu.be/ha3jp4s9xs0
Merete D. Nielsen, Director, Cluster Excellence Denmark mdn@clusterexcellencedenmark.dk www.clusterexcellencedenmark.dk