Frontrunners in innovation and sustainable growth: cluster organisations in European

regions - The Case of DenmarkAnders Hoffmann, Ph.D.

Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy

Higher cluster concentration higher wages – all clusters in the Baltic Region

2

Clusters create higher income in locale industry

3

SO WHAT?

New tasks for the Danish regions (Cluster based regional development strategies)

Limited knowledge sharing between the regions on cluster Need for international good practice on cluster development Need for promoting regional and international collaboration

between clusters Need to bring knowledge to clusters companies on new

drivers of innovation (open innovation and joint business development)

Need for the Danish cluster organisations to work more strategically with supporting innovation and growth in clusters

REG X – THE DANISH CLUSTER ACADEMY- Background

REG X - A national platform for competence building, knowledge sharing and networking for Danish cluster actors.

CLUSTER FACILITATORS

REG X shall develop tailor-made training activities to Danish and foreign cluster facilitators. The training activities will focus on the challenges and needs that cluster facilitators face in their daily work. At the same time REG X will offer knowledgesharing- and networking activities for Danish cluster actors to promote collaboration, knowledgesharing and internationalization across Danish and foreign clusters.

COMPANIES

REG X shall develop tailor-made training activities for company facilitators, Masterclasses on open innovation, and other knowledgebuilding activities for the Danish cluster companies. Focus shall be on new innovation trends, business creation, collaborative innovation projects and on promoting the advantages for companies in working in clusters, in global networks and with open innovation.

PUBLIC AUTHORITIES

REG X shall develop the world most innovative training program in regional economic development. The program shall focus on how regions can support the development of strong and competitive clusters. The training program shall be developed in collaboration with foreign and Danish experts and universities in order to create an attractive offering to regional authorities in both Denmark and abroad.

Examples of actives of REG X

CLUSTER FACILITATOR TRAINING:- creating strategic innovation facilitators in cluster organisations to support innovation and growth

Cluster organizations – a new model?

1.Cluster organizations should strengthen firms within the cluster,

2. initiate and facilitate innovation cooperation aimed at radical innovation and be

3.evaluated on its ability to improve firm performance (return on assents).

An example – Danish environmental cluster

All Danish environmental firms were asked about their plan for radical innovation and whether they needed partners.

It was examined whether the innovation were possible within the current innovation system or new initiatives were needed

Five areas were selected for innovation partnerships

For example, A partnership for fuel cells was facilitated by the Danish Federation of Industries

Thank you!

ah@ebst.dk