EU Cluster Matchmaking Event: New Opportunities for European Cross-Sectoral Collaboration and Growth
Bozar, Brussels, Belgium, 30 November 2016: With 114 clusters from 21 European countries and over 500 face-to-made meetings this was the biggest ever ECCP Cluster Matchmaking Event.
With over 500 bilateral meetings between EU clusters, the ECCP matchmaking event has clearly met the expectations of the 114 participating cluster organisations from 21 countries. These clusters represent more than 10.000 SMEs in Europe that will benefit from the contacts and the concrete cooperation initiatives developed during the matchmaking sessions. Given the fact that 2017 will be a year where new calls for proposals related to cluster collaboration will be launched, for European Cluster Strategic Partnerships for Smart Investment and Going International, this event represented a great chance to initiate partnership development.
The event was co-organized by the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) in collaboration with AWEX (the Wallonia Export Support Agency) and the local Enterprise Europe Network team.
The EU Cluster Matchmaking Event took place on the eve of the 2016 European Cluster Conference “Clusters 4_0” organised by the European Cluster Observatory, where more than 300 cluster policy makers and cluster managers discussed the future of European cluster policies. In order to find out more about the European Cluster Conference 2016 (see the conference video, the full European Cluster Conference story, the harvesting sheets summarising the group discussions, PowerPoint slides of speakers and see who featured in the final conference programme) please click here
The matchmaking event ended with an informal networking cocktail hosted by the Nouvelle Aquitaine Region Brussels office with the support of the ECCP team and the French Competitiveness Cluster Association (AFPC).
(Christophe Guichard, Cluster Unit - DG GROW, European Commission)
What participants say:
Dr. Andrew Mair, CEO Midlands Aerospace Alliance, UK:
We were able to hold intense 30 minute meetings with 10 other cluster bodies, for developing business cooperation. for benchmarking our own activities and for picking up lessons efficiently. In one day, we met with clusters focused on advanced manufacturing techniques, new metal materials, surface engineering, composites, electronics, plastics, photonics and textiles! All cross-cutting disciplines that our companies in the aerospace industries need for the next generation of aircraft. We have built great foundations and created relationships for developing new inter-cluster projects in the future.
Ciprian Morcan, Coordinator of the Development Department, Agrotransilvania Cluster, Romania
The ECCP matchmaking event gave us the opportunity to identify (in order to attract) technologies and know-how for our cluster needs in the field of bioeconomy. During the 9 meetings I approached partners from 7 countries and concrete follow-up steps were already set-up: deeper mutual learning of our specific competences and even visits to some partners to their research infrastructure facilities in the field of bioeconomy.
Further contacts and details:
European Cluster Collaboration Platform team: contact [at] clustercollaboration.eu
