The DSP Valley cluster in Flanders, Belgium aims to stimulate innovation through partnerships. Its mission is to offer a platform for potential partners to meet, exchange ideas, and help one another by exploiting technological complementarities. The cluster focuses on design of embedded signal processing systems, offering synergies across competencies. It has established partnerships with other European clusters specializing in embedded systems and semiconductor technologies. The cluster also contributes to Flanders' smart specialization strategy for nanotechnologies in health by linking domains like wireless imaging and sound processing to health applications, and connecting design partners with nanotechnology and life sciences platforms.

1. Internationalization and Smart Specialization
@ DSP Valley (Flanders, Belgium)
Dr.ir. Peter Simkens
Managing Director
peter.simkens@dspvalley.com

2. DSP Valley‘s Networking Mission
• Mission
– To stimulate new innovative partnerships, by offering a platform where
potential partners can meet and match
– To create a (technology) community, with mutual trust, where people are
prepared to exchange ideas and to help each other, by exploiting technological
complementarities
– To facilitate interregional matchmaking and partnering
• You can never know enough about your potential partners
• You can never work together with somebody you don’t know!
• Technology Network and Managed Cluster
– focused on Design of Embedded Signal Processing Systems
– offering synergy and complementarity in competencies
– cooperative network for stimulation of innovation, supported by Institute for
the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT)
– Network founded as private initiative in 1996 by “Godfathers”: K.U.Leuven,
IMEC and Philips Leuven
– Where all participants have contractual relationships
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 2

3. Complementarity & Proximity
in the DSP Valley cluster
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 3

4. Cooperation and partnering example
in the DSP Valley cluster
Design of digital functions for Design of analog functions for Algorithm development:
use in sound processors implants and sound processors noise suppression & multi-
Theses microphone sound acquisition
Design of analog
ICs used in
TETRA project
implants.
(Wireless Sensor Networks)
µsystems & packaging
IC prototyping & small volume Electronic prototyping
production (Europractice) and special devices
EC-project: “Healthy Aims”
ULP Hardware architecture:CHAMP Embedded Software
Coolflux ULP speech processor (2009): design & manuf. development
ULP Magnetic Induction Wireless (2009): design & manuf.
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 4

5. Internationalization:
European network of cluster partners
• Cluster partners for embedded systems:
– System@tic (FR)
– BICC-Net (DE)
– ETN (UK)
– Regina (DE)
– Infopole (BE)
• Cluster partners for semiconductor technology:
– Silicon Saxony (DE)
– Minalogic (FR)
– Arcsis (FR)
– NMI (UK)
– Silicon Southwest (UK)
– Business Cluster Semiconductors (NL)
• New partners under development:
– In ES, DK, DE, PL
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 5

6. Smart Specialization for Flanders:
Nanotechnologies for Health
Cluster Governance for NfH
DSP Valley NanoTechnologies Flanders BIO
for Health
Essenscia
Smart Health Systems
Bio-silicon & BAN & Remote Medical Imaging Bio-instrumen- Biomaterials Biotech Biopharma
Medical Devices Monitoring tation
Fabless Semiconductor & Embedded Systems
Design & Development Community
Nano-electronics Technology Platforms Life Sciences Technology Platforms
imec R&D Platforms VIB
NERF
Clinical Testing & Translational Research
UZ GHB
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 6

7. How DSP Valley fits to
Smart Specialization for NfH
Application
Health Systems
Smart Buildings
Smart Home &
domains New:
technology
Mobility
valorization via
Smart
Smart
applications
...
Enabling
Embedded
Processing
embedded Wireless vision
DSP
Imaging
technologies
Design
Valley
Sound
Tools
design 1.0
Nanotechnology NanoMaterials New:
platform Equipment Suppliers linking with
Fabs & MEMS production
capability
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 7