Agro Food Park Development of a (national) food cluster By Søren Madsen, Clusterpreneur, November 2010

Cluster, sector, business park?? The Danish Agriculture and food sector: 175.000 employees Third in Western world after Bretagne and Ontario and before Bayern, Pays de la Loire etc. Export 110 billions Dominant “positions” – meat, dairy and agricultural production

Clear vision In 2020 Agro Food Park will be one of the worlds strongest centres of innovation and distribution of knowledge within agriculture and food and close to 3000 knowledge workers.

A strong starting point 650 knowledge workers and 23.000 m2 laboratory, office space and conference facilities from the start Danish Agricultural Advisory Service (DAAS) and AgroTech have unique competences within primary production and a joined focus on the whole value chain of food production High concentration of international companies in Århus and within an hours drive. Examples are Danisco A/S, Arla Foods, AarhusKarlshamn and Danish Crown/Tulip Foods World class knowledge institutions at Aarhus University, IT Byen Katrinebjerg and The University Hospital in Skejby New infrastructure – new highways and a coming city railway Agro Food Park is the driving force for agriculture and food in the new growth strategy plan for the municipality of Århus

The opening 09.09.09 130 participants

Preparation phase Formulation of the vision Analysis of “clusters” in Denmark and abroad A lot of interviews with interests (companies, institutions etc.) ”Let’s take the chance and start up building Agro Food Park”

Inspiration Food Valley, Holland Scion DTU, North of Copenhagen Sophia Antipolis, Nice Ideon, Lund Medicon Valley Alliance, Copenhagen/Lund Incuba Science Park(s), Århus Øresund Food Network, Copenhagen Food Valley

What is Agro Food Park? An international centre for innovation and distribution of knowledge within the agriculture and food sector A new cluster of companies and institutions in Skejby, Århus New frames which strength the innovation capacity in the Danish agriculture and food sector A centre for the ambition of the Danish governments to make Denmark “Food Valley” in the world.

A part of a larger vision – a technology corridor

The Management Vice President Hans Elbek Pedersen, Danisco A/S CEO Villy Helleskov, The University Hospital CEO Niels Chr. Sidenius, Incuba Science Park Vice President Søren Frandsen, Århus University CEO Director Per Fogtmann, KOFF A/S CEO for business development Jan Beyer Schmidt-Sørensen, The Municipality of Århus CEO Rene Damkjer, AgroTech CEO Frank Bennetzen, Danish Agricultural Advisory Service (DAAS)

Profile for newcomers Small established knowledge companies within the agriculture and food sector Development and application departments in larger companies Public and private research laboratories Institutions of education New national and regional initiatives

Development team Started as a business unit in Danish Agricultural Advisory Service (DAAS) New building - 5.700 m2 for 9 newcomers Several companies have indicated own buildings in Agro Food Park – Master Plan 2020 Arrangements Meetings with interests and friends Innovation projects 2012- new organization form

Agro Food Park and local competitiveness Is Agro Food Park only a business park – or? Does Agro Food Park also contribute to local (East Jutland, Region Midtjylland or Denmark) competitiveness?

Local competitiveness Macroeconomic, Political, Legal and Social context Microeconomic Competitiveness Company operations and strategy Quality of business environment State of cluster development Source: Michael Porter

Cluster Development Defining a sustainable competitive advantage 5-8 months Setting the future challenges Defining a sustainable competitive advantage Structuring actions to build the new value chain First meeting Second meeting Third meeting Interviews with companies and institutions Benchmarking trips Buyer interviews Strategy meetings Action lines task groups

The best UK cluster PRESS RELEASE: 24 March 2010 20:30 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (National)                                                       Minister for Business, Ian Lucas, tonight presented the UK’s first-ever "Cluster Marks"- a new award recognising the best of Britain’s manufacturing clusters and their valuable contribution to the country’s economic growth. Clusters are regional concentrations of related companies and organisations that compete, but also collaborate to share knowledge, increase innovation and drive growth within the sector. The Cluster Mark was established to raise the profile of UK manufacturers involved in cluster activity and to help promote their local strengths internationally. The awards also aim to boost the reputation of the manufacturing sector as a whole and highlight its importance to the British economy.

Cluster development Representing the judging panel, Minister for Business, Ian Lucas said: "It was not our intention to have an overall winner of this competition but the strength of support from the panel for the Humber Seafood Processing Cluster was so strong that we wanted to reflect this.”