1. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it FINAL CONFERENCE, Venice March 13 th 2012 Adriatic Danubian Clustering Trends in the use of Clusters as policy tools: examples from EC funded initiatives Ivan Boesso – Veneto Innovazione S.p.A.

2. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it Outline Veneto Innovazione and its main activities The European Cluster Alliance KEEN Regions Linkages and potential synergies

3. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it Veneto Innovazione Founded with Regional Act N.45/1988 to support innovation and applied research in Veneto; Mission – Innovation promotion – Regional R&I system development – Set up and development of international networks – Comparison and integration of EU practices in innovation policies – Fostering excellence

4. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it ECA - European Cluster Alliance Far from being a narrow and well-defined concept, the cluster concept is now understood as encompassing a broad range of things – open innovation arenas, – nodes of international networks – platforms for addressing societal challenges and meeting public demand

5. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it ECA - European Cluster Alliance ECA is supported by EC DG Entr since 2007 through the CIP/PRO INNO Europe and currently via the TACTICS INNO Net managed by Oseo France and six among the main Innovation actors in Europe: – Veneto Innovazione, Veneto – Vinnova, Sweden, – TMG, Upper Austria – Manchester Metropolitan University, UK – IWT, Flanders – PAED, Poland

6. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it ECA - European Cluster Alliance membership of ECA – From 50 public policy agencies to almost 120 in all EU countries most of them being in charge of cluster programmes and having strong connections with national/regional cluster organisations. linkages – have been created with other cluster initiatives (RoK, Interreg) and internationally with Japan and USA

7. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it ECA - European Cluster Alliance This strong network of policy makers can – debate on cluster policies issues, – propose improvements and deliver relevant priorities for integration in EIP/Cosme, – provide their views on Horizon 2020 flagship initiatives ECA provide policy makers efficient access to information, networks and tools to support clusters/SME’s internationalization activities

8. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it KEEN Regions KEEN-Regions is a RoK project supported by the EC - VII FP and leaded by Veneto Innovazione Many well-established research centres in Europe are working in Research-Driven Clusters, aggregating researchers, competitive companies and public authorities to boost local economy KEEN-Regions has supported the establishment of stronger linkages in the specific are of Nanotechnology applied to New Materials

9. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it KEEN Regions Expected results – MAPPING and COLLECTING information about the mutual potentialities – Deepening the MUTUAL KNOWLEDGE – Boosting TRANSNATIONAL CO-OPERATION in areas of common interest – Developing a JOINT ACTION PLAN

10. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it Synergies… Clusters remain central in policy strategies while policy objectives of clusters are evolving Clusters are increasingly being used as vehicles to open-up innovation processes – to users, and to actors in different sectors and new – international geographies.

11. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it Synergies… This new scope of activities creates challenges For policy makers – building on existing areas of strength while also enabling new growth areas to emerge For cluster initiatives – to strengthen the various functions or activities

12. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it TACTICS-ECA useful tools DOCUMENTTARGETDATE Clusters winds report Policy makersSummer 2012 Clusters Branding and Marketing Policy makersSummer 2012 * Clusters internationalisation Policy makers and Clusters managers Summer 2012 * * draft versions soon available @ ECA Cluster Manifesto Consultation

13. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it DOCUMENTTARGETDATE Channeling RDI funding through Excellent Clusters Policy makersSummer 2012 User-Driven Excellent ClustersPolicy makers and Clusters managers Summer 2012 Evaluating Cluster ExcellencePolicy makers and Clusters managers Summer 2012 Using excellent clusters to address emerging industries Policy makers and Clusters managers Summer 2012 TACTICS-ECA useful tools

14. Ivan Boesso ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it Thank you for your attention! Ivan Boesso European Policies Department Veneto Innovazione S.p.A. ivan.boesso@venetoinnovazione.it