The HempCluB project is funded by the COSME Programme and brings together 7 clusters and associations operating in the bioeconomy, advanced manufacturing, and hemp production sectors – with the aim of creating new connections in many technological and bio-based EU value chains. The project recognizes the role of bioeconomy and sustainable practices in addressing many of today's challenges, including the reduction of the impact of traditional productions and consumption paths on the environment.

In this sense it can be said that the project targets the bioeconomy and circular economy sector, improving the management skills of cluster managers, strengthening cluster excellence capacity by improving the portfolio of business support services, facilitating B2B and C2C collaborative activities to strengthen interregional strategies for the bioeconomy, enhancing collaboration and networking activities between European organisations, promoting internationalisation, technology and knowledge transfer through the activation of new opportunities for growth and capacity of excellence for clusters and their members.

The HempClub project implements the ClusterXchange pilot scheme to support short-term exchanges between different COSME countries to better connect Europe’s industrial ecosystems and to facilitate transnational cooperation, peer learning, networking, and innovation uptake between actors of different industrial clusters.

In this context, the next event organized by the project will be the “Clusters meet regions” Exchange – which will take place in Iasi (Romania), on November 21-23, 2023. The main topic of the event will be clusters in bioeconomy with the aim of creating a collaborative network within clusters and their stakeholders, discussing enabling factors for bioeconomy in Europe, and learning more about existing projects on bioeconomy.

It will be a 3-day group exchange, organized on the occasion of the Cluster Meet Region event, a conference that will debate the role of clusters as reliable dialogue partners in the design, implementation, and ongoing monitoring of regional development policies and programs with a focus on smart specialisation, skills for industrial transition and entrepreneurship.

During the first day, an introductory meeting, a discussion about cluster services for dual transition and a welcome reception will take place. On the second day, visitors will have the opportunity to attend the Cluster Meet Regions event and on the third day, a bioeconomy conference will be organized by HempClub, in collaboration with the RuralBioUp and Biorural projects. These projects also have bioeconomy as their focus, in particular: Biorural wants to connect the dots to unlock the potential of European rural areas towards circular bioeconomy and RuralBioUp’s main objective is to support innovators to scale-up inclusive and small-scale biobased solutions in rural areas. 

The exchange will be hosted by Clustero, the representative body of Romanian clusters and the main platform of cooperation, exchange of information and support towards developing the national cluster landscape based on innovation and internationalisation. Currently, the Association gathers 47 of the most active Romanian clusters in the field of textiles, renewable energy, wood and furniture, ICT, agri-food, etc. They represent 2000 enterprises, 189.000 employees, 9 billion EUR turnover, and 1 billion EUR exports (2019).

Click on the following link to pre-register and to know more about the event and the programme: https://www.eventbrite.it/e/clusters-meet-hemp-club-iasi-romania-tickets-723276689047?aff=oddtdtcreator

If you want to stay updated on upcoming ClusterXChange that will be organized by HempClub project, visit:

- project page: https://hempclubproject.com/clusterxchange/

- project social media: HempClub LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/83302386 HempClub Twitter: https://twitter.com/HempClubEU HempClub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/H3mpClub