In the framework of the Europe 2020 Strategy for Growth of the European Commission, a Business to Business event is organised in Athens on 11-12 March.

In this context and in order to further promote business cooperation through clusters at EU level, a parallel event will be organised with the aim to facilitate contacts between Greek cluster managers with their counterparts from other European countries (C2C event). The objective is explore new opportunities for win-win cooperation with Greek clusters and high-tech companies working in a following five thematic areas:

• Green energy and resource efficiency
• Mobile applications
• Creative industries & gaming
• Microelectronics and
• Biotech

A cluster manager can be accompanied by a number of cluster SMEs which can also participate in the B2B event. The detailed agenda of the event will be communicated soon through the European Cluster Collaboration Platform. Participation is free of charge for both events.

In case you wish to be part of the European delegation and participate in C2C event please send an email to nikos.pantalos@ec.europa.eu.

The event will be held in Tunis (Tunisia), from November 27 to 30, 2012. This event will take place during the Business and Technologies Convention (www.cat2012.tn) organised by the Agency for the Promotion of Industry and Innovation (API).

>> More details and documents

"The Economic Significance of Lower Austrian Clusters"

Wednesday, 15 February 2012

12.30 – 13.30

Office of the State Government of Lower Austria (NÖVBB)
Rue du Commerce 20-22, 6th floor, B - 1000 Brussels

            Key words: evidence for impact of regional policy (ERDF Regional Competitiveness and Employment), cluster development, smart specialisation

The Lower Austrian Minister for Business and Technology Dr. Petra Bohuslav andthe Regional Business Agency ecoplus kindly invite you to a business lunch where the results of the survey "The Economic Significance of Lower Austrian Clusters "will be presented.               

With this event we are aiming at contributing evidence based results and experiences in regional smart specialisation to the development of EU innovation policy 2013+.

The recent survey "The Economic Significance of Lower Austrian Clusters" carried out by the Economica Institute for Economic Research demonstrates that the overall economic effect triggered by collaborative Lower Austrian Clusters projects, combining both direct and multiplier value added effects, comes to €27.3 million. The total value added effect of Lower Austrian Clusters, calculated as the sum of direct and multiplier value added effects in Lower Austria, rest of Austria, and abroad, is €47.8 million. The total employment effect is 624 annual jobs, also expressed as 560 full-time equivalents (FTE).

Providing facts & figures it shows that the Lower Austrian Clusters, co-funded by ERDF Regional Competitiveness and Employment, play an important role in developing the regional economy and contribute to regional smart specialisation.

The presentation will be followed by a reception.

Background:

Based on the Lower Austrian Regional Innovation Strategy ecoplus since 2001 has been developing and managing cluster initiatives in five future industries (green building, plastics, food, mechatronics, logistics) and a horizontal initiative on electric mobility.

At present, over 640 companies and research institutions (520 SME) with overall more than 72,000 employees and a total turnover of 23.5 billion EUR are participating in the clusters. Since 2001 up until today, 345 multi-firm projects have been realized with the help of the cluster management.

The Lower Austrian Cluster Program is co-financed by EU Structural Funds (ERDF Regional Competitiveness and Employment)

Please confirm your participation until Friday 10^th February 2012 by e-mail to: post.noevbb@noel.gv.at

Every month the newsletter features news and events about competitive strategies and cluster policy on a global level. Over 7,000 subscribers are informed about the last activities from the TCI members in Africa, Asia - Middle East, Asia - Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania.

Contens of September Newsletter:

• - Message of the President
• - TCI 2011 Auckland: Conference programme announced
• - TCI 2011 Auckland: Register now and start your networking
• - New TCI Contact Point in the Caspian Region
• - Economic intelligence policies, exchange of international experiences: which lessons for Africa?
• - AgroCluster of Ribatejo, Portugal
• - Job creation on a budget: How regional industry clusters can add jobs, bolster entrepreneurship, and spark innovation
• - Eco-innovation: Two new studies released by the Cluster Observatory
• - 2012 Visiting Fellow Programme at TCI Network
• - New Organizational Members joining TCI Network

>> More details

For the sixth consecutive year, the Fondation Sophia Antipolis organizes this major international event dedicated to industrial innovation and support to young innovative companies. 
  
The first day will feature presentations and debates around themes of the internationalisation of clusters and competitiveness “poles” and of the initial funding. A first session will be dedicated to the international cooperation (best practices of development strategies…) 
A second session will concentrate on public / private funding and will be organised with the support of Sophia Business Angels within the EBAN* Winter University. *(European Business Angels Network). 
  
The second day will focus on “European Initiatives for the Internationalisation of Clusters”. The comparisons will enable to clarify differences and similarities between policies of the European Commission, the States and the regions towards clusters and the mobilised means for mapping them. 

>> Programme and registration