Scaling-Up Cooperation for Regional Innovation: Emerging Experience from the Basque CountryJames Wilson, Orkestra & TCI Network

• Quarter of a century of Basque cluster policy • New challenges prompted by RIS3

Basque economy

Mapping to identify

competitive clusters

New framework

with stronger focus on strategic planning

Open Call to extend Cluster Policy to other

domains

2009 2010 201220082004 20051993 1995 1996 1997 19981992

1992 2000 2008 20112013

Need for cross-sector

collaboration & deepening in

RIS3 priorities

• A ‘living’ RIS3 must scale-up & widen innovation cooperation• Quadruple helix of agents• Move to distributed leadership both within & beyond government

Basque RIS3 Governance ‘House’

Within

Beyond

• Creating the spaces to foster distributed leadership: a steering group model

• How is it working? • Some questions on the horizon ...

1. To what extent are other actors stepping forwards as government steps back?

2. How to manage the systemic tension between political & commercial needs?

3. Are clusters representative enough of business? 4. How to encourage greater SME involvement?5. Where is the fourth ‘civil society’ helix?

Thank You