Best Practice from Germany in the Development of SME Innovation Clusters Chișinău, 28/29.1.2016 Daniel Stürzebecher DLR PT National Contact Point SME
SMEs in Germany The German Innovation Model is strongly characterised through its SME More than 1 Mio. innovative SMEs in Germany 16 Mio. people are working in SMEs Germany has the highest share of innovative SMEs in Europe Between 2012-2014: 125.000 documented product- and/or process innovations by SMEs Cooperation along and between value chains is one of the success factors Many SMEs are part of a cluster and organised in cluster initiatives 2
Cluster Initiatives in Germany Germany National Level - 15 Leading-Edge Cluster ( Spitzencluster ) - 100 GoCluster labelled Cluster Initiatives Regional Level / Länder - 16 federal states with regional cluster initiatives, for example: - 118 Cluster initiatives in Baden-Württemberg 3
https://www.bmbf.de/de/der-spitzencluster-wettbewerb-537.html 4
Cluster Initiatives in Germany Germany National Level - 15 Leading-Edge Cluster ( Spitzencluster ) - 100 GoCluster labelled Cluster Initiatives Regional Level / Länder - 16 federal states with regional cluster initiatives, for example: - 118 Cluster initiatives in Baden-Württemberg 5
http://www.clusterportal-bw.de/ 6
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Sharing joint visions for the future Start Up Phase Implementing complex cooperation projects Cooperation on several management levels Realising joint activities Taking care of legal aspects and ressource planing is required Networking and information exchange First cooperation approaches and sharing of tasks Trustbuilding measures Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Start Up Phase Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Start Up Phase Start Up Phase Building trust - Introducing Relevance getting SMEs and further partners together that drive the process - Identifying the cluster who are the cluster participants? - Develop Cluster Financing Plan - Setting up cluster governance General Manager and Assembly - Discuss the preferred future with a cluster vision, an initial strategy and short term tactical agenda Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Start Up Phase Cluster Strategy and Short Term tactical Agenda: - Were relevant market challenges identified, value chains analysed, surveys among cluster participants carried out? - Was the industry involved? - Is there action and implementation plan for the next year with measurable targets and dedicated budgets existing in a written form? - What could the cluster strategy look like? Ist all about cooperation but to which aim? Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Excursus Cluster Strategy Development Focus areas of a cluster strategy Improving innovation capabilities Exploring business opportunities Fostering entrepreneurship Education, training, human resources development Marketing and branding Improving cluster-specific framework conditions Internationalisation For strategic focus of clusters compare ESCA and the European Cluster Excellence Label: http://www.cluster-analysis.org/
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Sharing joint visions for the future Start Up Phase Implementing complex cooperation projects Cooperation on several management levels Realising joint activities Taking care of legal aspects and ressource planing is required Networking and information exchange First cooperation approaches and sharing of tasks Trustbuilding measures Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Networking and information exchange Trustbuilding measures Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Sustaining the trust: networking and exchange activities - Launching the cluster initiative - Getting to know each other: For example Cluster Lunch or company visits - First workshops on topics of mutual interest Networking and information exchange Trustbuilding measures Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Creative on-site Best Practice Networking: Network Creative Industries Baden-Württemberg - Networing and Exchange format - Cluster Company invites others to their premises - Session with open presentations on a preset topic - Afterwards: Networking See: Network Creative Industries Baden-Württemberg https://kreativnetzwerk.mfg.de/de
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Sharing joint visions for the future Start Up Phase Implementing complex cooperation projects Cooperation on several management levels Realising joint activities Taking care of legal aspects and ressource planing is required Networking and information exchange First cooperation approaches and sharing of tasks Trustbuilding measures Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Realising joint activities First cooperation approaches and sharing of tasks Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Realising joint activities Steps in the development of SME Clusters First cooperation approaches and sharing of tasks Activities depend on the cluster strategy - Exploring business opportunities: - Thematic and/or business/commercial-based events and workshops for cluster participants - Internal cluster participants matching - Participation of the cluster organisation in trade fairs / conferences abroad with own booth / speech etc. to present the cluster and its participants Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Best Practice Networking: Network Creative Industries Baden-Württemberg https://kreativnetzwerk.mfg.de/de 19
Best Practice Networking: Network Creative Industries Baden-Württemberg https://kreativnetzwerk.mfg.de/de 20
Best Practice Networking: Network Creative Industries Baden-Württemberg Joint Booth at Gamescom 2015 Worlds biggest Games Fair 8 Game Developers of the cluster have been part of the booth See: Network Creative Industries Baden-Württemberg
Best Practice bwcon bwcon Baden-Württemberg: Connected e.v. Founded in 1997 and operated by MFG until September 30 th, 2014 ICT/Hightech network in Baden-Württemberg approx. 600 members (mainly SMEs) 71 research institutions 93 start-ups Offices in Stuttgart and Freiburg German Winner 2010/2011 Best German Innovation Network 2008 Baden-Württemberg: Connected 22
bwcon Services Description of Services Stages of Innovation The bwcon Innovation Chain Student and Research Entrepreneurship Business Idea Generation Incubation Acceleration Internationalisation Scholarships Training and coaching programs matching with market experts in early stages Business Coaching Support the access to international markets innovatebw ESF- Coachin g SIGs Globalisation Services ICT Short Term Support Baden-Württemberg: Connected Medium Term Support Long Term Support
Best Practice bwcon CyberOne Hightech Award Baden-Württemberg Businessplan-Competition since 1999 Awarding trend-setting business concepts of technology oriented start Ups and SMEs Objectives: Catalyse innovative businesses Help participants further develop their concepts Help identify cooperation parnters Open access for potential investors Create jobs Baden-Württemberg: Connected http://www.cyberone.de/ 24
Baden-Württemberg: Connected http://www.cyberone.de/ 25
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Sharing joint visions for the future Start Up Phase Implementing complex cooperation projects Cooperation on several management levels Realising joint activities Taking care of legal aspects and ressource planing is required Networking and information exchange First cooperation approaches and sharing of tasks Trustbuilding measures Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Implementing complex cooperation projects Taking care of legal aspects and ressource planing is required Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Steps in the development of SME Clusters Implementing complex cooperation projects Activities of the cluster: - Initialising working groups on specific issues - Distribution of information about funding programmes and possibilities - Activities like innovation workshops, technology scouting and/or roadmapping campaigns/projects, etc. Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Best Practice Chemie-Cluster Bayern GmbH Market Check of innovative products and Services of cluster participants SMEs structure information regarding their innovation in an online based tool Innovation-Mentors Experts from the target sectors assess the idea and give their feedback to the SMES Helps innovative SMEs: to better assess the market potential of their innovation and to identify new target markets and cooperation partners Chemie Cluster Bayern has linked up the market check with clusters in further regions and sectors http://www.chemiecluster-bayern.de/en/ 29
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Sharing joint visions for the future Cooperation on several management levels Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Sharing joint visions for the future Steps in the development of SME Clusters Activities of the cluster: - Cluster has established its own strong brand and SMEs / participants identify strongly with the cluster - Develop working groups to strategic special interest groups - Strengthening focus on internationalisation activities and cross cluster linkages, e.g. through permanent offices abroad Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
Best Practice Clusterland Special Interest Groups long-term initiatives that meet regularly and follow a working plan facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration Open to interested cluster companies and R&D institutions Activities: providing necessary technologies, joint marketing and public relations and lobbying for a certain topic Objective: to create joint business/project opportunities Example: Austrian Advanced Lightweight Technologies (A2LT), established in 2013 as a cooperation between the automotive, plastics and mechatronic clusters of Clusterland Upper Austria and the Automotive Cluster of Styria (www.a2lt.at) 32
Best Practice MAI Carbon Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) for series production Develop the region into a European centre of excellence for CFRP lightweight construction Working Group covers the entire value chain innovative forms of cooperation between science and business to further reduce material and process costs Objective: CFRP in series production up to 5,000 new jobs in the cluster region http://www.mai-carbon.de/index.php/en/ 33
Complexity Steps in the development of SME Clusters Sharing joint visions for the future Start Up Phase Implementing complex cooperation projects Cooperation on several management levels Realising joint activities Taking care of legal aspects and ressource planing is required Networking and information exchange First cooperation approaches and sharing of tasks Trustbuilding measures Trust Cluster Agentur Baden-Württemberg
thank you Daniel Stürzebecher German Aerospace Centre - Project Management Agency (DLR-PT) NCP SME Daniel.Stuerzebecher@dlr.de 35