Ralf Eichhorn

Economic Development Karlsruhe

Clusters linked over Europe: Management Guide for Development, Matching and Internationalisation of Clusters

CLUSTERS LINKED OVER EUROPE:From the Management Guide for Development, Matching and Internationalisation of Clusters to

Excellence

Ralf EichhornEconomic Development Karlsruhe, Germany



…Where I come from: Karlsruhe – a city with a tradition of innovation…

The first bike The first Automobile Electromagnetic Waves The first Email (1871) (1885) (1886) (1984)

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology German Software Cluster of Excellence



Clusters linked over Europe started off as an EU-Project… …CLOE Development 2004-2008 and beyond:

CLOE Network of Excellence

CLOE Fast Track

CLOE European Network- associated Partner Nottingham

CLOE Project



…Becoming a network: An Interreg lllc Project

Lyon Timisoara

Linz

Tartu

Wermland

Kaliningrad

City of Karlsruhe

Nottingham


Clusters linked over Europe: Management Guide for Development Matching and Internationalisation of Clusters

…Becoming a network:

First Fast Track 2007:

18 Partners15 Regions14 Countries

…including expertise from DGs Regional Policy, Enterprise, Research and Information Society


Clusters linked over Europe: Management Guide for Development Matching and Internationalisation of Clusters

Objectives of the CLOE network’s operations:

Identification of best practice methods, tools and processes by exchanging experiences

Fostering co-operation between small and medium-sized enterprises within the European clusters

Becoming visible not only within the partner regions but also outside Europe



Campaigns of the CLOE network:

set-up of the Internet based platform www.clusterforum.eu

workshops with participation of industry

world-wide marketing campaign



The CLOE alliance has elaborated a Cluster Management Guide to efficiently build up the cluster

foster networking

strengthen a cluster‘s

position in the inter-

national market

Download available on www.clusterforum.eu



The Cluster Management Guide provides guidelines along and beyond the famous 5 fields of action

Work with the Cluster Management Guide helps to cover these 5 fields of action and to even increase a cluster‘s activity to 7 fields of action

Example: Karlsruhe‘s most successful cluster: CyberForum – Cluster of Excellence



Famous 5 fields of action Major initiatives

1. Information and Communication

- Improve and intensify existing activities

2. Training and Qualification

- Use best practises of most successful cluster companies of HR Development throught the iRegion (...compete for talent...)

3. Cooperations - Proactive Stimulation and Coaching of Cooperation Projects with Cluster Organisations

4. Marketing and PR - Develop a strong basis for company/project financing (VCs, Banks, etc.)

5. Internationalisation - Proactive Stimulation and Coaching of Internationalisation



…Significant advances into proactive Cluster Management with 7 fields of action…Extended fields of action Major initiatives

Field #6: Interactive iRegion Platform with leading-edge internet approaches

- Web 2.0, Blogging, Social / Entrepreneurial Networking-BusinessMatching- Virtual Elements to make Structures understandable for Individual Citizens, Businesses etc.

Field #7: Ecosystem for HighTech Entrepreneurial Development

-repeating patterns in successful HighTech company Development-Availability of research work and empirical, experience-based work and Know-How- Willing and contributing members ready to show commitment - Clear need to access and use proven business Know-How



Pioneer- Growth Maturity Turnaround

Stage Stage Stage Stage

Company Value

With these 7 fields of action, it is our challenge to provide Tools to cope with the challenges of managing a fast-growing Hightech-Company



CyberForum Karlsruhe: example of rapid growth and improvement after the implementation of the

Cluster Management Guide:

Anzahl Mitglieder

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009



Impacts of the “virus networking and effective management“ exemplified by Karlsruhe‘s Cluster of

Excellence CyberForum:Founded in 1997: “Network of Founders” <100

members



2004: Affiliate Program starts >500 members



From “Network of Founders” to “Network of HighTech Companies”

>600 memers



2010: “Network of HighTech Companies” and “Cluster of Excellence” Sep.2010: 863

members

Knowledge-Transfer, Networks, Moderated Platform

Germany’sCluster of Excellence

“Embedded Software”

New integrated initiative



Be aware: The “networking virus” is highly contagious!

Information Technology Automotive Energy Nanotechnology

Special Interest Groups:

French-German-Swiss IT-Network IT2Rhine

…

New Initiative: Creative Industries...Lab…Games…Design…Media



…So why do companies co-operate??

… to receive public financial support … because the OEM wants them to co-operate

… because the co-operation brings concrete benefits

for the company



“Nobody is as clever as everybody“

Our Partners:

Ralf Eichhorn

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