AEI Tèxtils, the Catalan technical textiles’ cluster, held its 12^th General Assembly on 9^th June virtually.

During the General Assembly, Dra. Ariadna Detrell, cluster manager of AEI Tèxtils, presented the 2019 activity report, including:

• The cluster participation in more than 20 international events related to the advanced textile materials’ sector and matchmaking events among clusters such as: Techtextil, EU-Taiwan Cluster Collaboration, Cluster accelerator bootcamp, mission to Israel, among others.

• The organization and/or co-organization of 10 events, such as the Seminar on Textile Innovation for Building and Living, Context International Conference, Intecluster meeting textile-packaging: challenges and solutions, etc.

• The coordination of the European project LIFE-FLAREX co-funded by the LIFE programme from the European Commission, the Cost Action CONTEXT and the Catalan project ECODISTEX.

• The participation as a partner in the European projects EU-TEXTILE2030, co-funded by COSME under the Cluster go International programme, TEXSTRA, DESTEX and FOSTEX, all co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme.

• Co-founder of the European Economic Interest Grouping EU-TEXTILE2030.

• Submission of 15 project proposals with the aim of increasing services to its members.

• Support members with their strategic projects, through the SME Instrument / EIC Accelerator programme of the European Commission and other cascade funding programmes.

• Organization of meetings with cluster members.

AEI TÈXTILS set the following specific objectives for 2020:

• Increase the number of members (four new members have already joined during the first semester).

• Increase the staff with two new profiles.

• Implementation of a communication plan, established for 2020 and 2021.

• Execution of 12 projects from the cluster and 6 projects from its members.

• Participation in 17 project proposals and to collaborate with 14 projects from its members.

• Redefine the cluster strategy facilitated by the CLAMTEX project (co-funded by the COSME Cluster Excellence Programme).

• Increase member’s meetings and thematic webinars.
• Strengthen cluster position towards sustainability and industry 4.0

In order to achieve these goals, the cluster has a staff of 4 people, with different complementary profiles to provide their experience both in the advanced textile materials’ sector, in the development of innovation activities, project management or strategic reorientation processes.

In short, AEI Tèxtils’ vision is to become a reference to promote, boost and contribute in increasing the competitiveness of the Catalan technical textiles’ cluster and its members.