The EXCITE project started February 1st, 2022, with the mission to connect European ecosystems, their industries, research, networks and skills even closer. With 18 months into the project, a lot has been facilitated between the participating cluster partners.

✅ support of 60 Cluster exchanges (incl. 27 SMEs) with matchmaking opportunities

✅ exchanges between the participating clusters on their ecosystems, cluster best practices & services

✅ execution of learning tandems e.g. on digital tools & digital transformation or cluster excellence management & leadership skills between the clusters to improve services or add new ones

✅ Creation of catalogue with online training opportunities for cluster managers

About the project

EXCITE aims to strengthen cluster management and facilitate exchange and strategic partnership between cluster staff and cluster members by using the ClusterXchange system. ClusterXchange is a new pilot project to promote short-term exchanges to better connect industrial ecosystems in Europe. The project will focus on skills, processes and services related to digital transformation - both in terms of the cluster organisation itself and its members, to be able to support them in successfully accessing global markets.

Cluster Exchanges & Study visits

The two-year project EXCITE is focused on facilitating exchanges between SMEs and other European organisations. For that, six European clusters joined forces to organize financially supported company missions with pre-arranged B2B meetings to innovative digital ecosystems in Europe. EXCITE already supported on SME going to:

• France for the Smart Mobility Mission to Sophia Antipolis, 11.-14.10.2022
• Germany for a B2B Matchmaking Mission to SEMICON Europa in Munich, 15.-17.11.2022
• Germany for a French Automotive CXC Mission, 29.11.-01.12.2022
• Spain for Portuguese stakeholder to the Basque Country, 30.01. – 02.02.2023
• Spain for DTI Mission from Bulgarian companies to Barcelona, 27.02. – 03.02.2023
• Belgium for the apc|m & SSI conference in Bruges, 28. – 30.03.2023
• Germany for the Silicon Saxony Day in Dresden, 20. - 22.06.2023 
• Austria for the Business trip “Flexible Electronics - Fascination with a Future”, Graz and Weiz, 26 - 30.06.2023

Testimonial for French Automotive CXC Mission “This mission gave us knowledge of how German industry is preparing for the evolution of the automotive industry with a great opportunity for French companies in the field of digitalisation.”  – Jean-Michel Brossard, CEO Moabi

Company missions to the partners ecosystems in Spain, Lithuania and Poland are planned for 2023 & 2024.

Furthermore, exchanges between clusters are supported in so called study visits. The consortium already visited SCS’s ecosystem in Sophia Antipolis, France as well as Dresden, Germany. Further study visits are planned for 2023/24 e.g. to Bilbao, Spain hosted by cluster partner GAIA.

The project team is EXCITEd for the final six months to come!

Contact us for more information on the project and your benefits:

Alesia Ramanishyna, Project coordinator, Silicon Saxony | [email protected]