By Frédéric Miribel, presented during the 8th TCI Latin American Cluster Conference, Medellin, Colombia, 16-19 June 2015

1. Smart Specialization Strategy:
Frédéric Miribel, PhD
June 18th, 2015 – Medellin, Colombia

2. Origin & Definition
In 2006, Knowledge for Growth (K4G) asks
why USAmore competitive than EU?
=> Need to focus investment more effectively
• Smart specialisation is a new innovation policy
concept designed to promote the efficient and effective
use of public investment in research.
• Its goal is to boost regional innovation in order
to achieve economic growth and prosperity,
by enabling regions to focus on their strengths.

3. How does it work?:
Case Study of Rhône-Alpes, France
• 100 Surveys
• Data analysis
• 6 challenges
• 6 benchmarks
Jan-Apr
2013
• 13 seminars
with experts
• 1 web site
Local platform
www.innovation.rhonalpes.fr
May- Jun
2013
• 70 contributions
• Governance
• Monitoring &
evaluation tools
Jui-Sep
2013
Analyse Choose Act

4. How does it work?
• Based on Porter’s competitive advantage but
at the regional level:
1. ANALYSE what is unique, original, historic?
2. Define and share a VISION for your region
3. PRIORITIZE and make CHOICE
4. Find the best policy mix to IMPLEMENT
5. Select INDICATORS to refer to
6. Set up GOVERNANCE
7. Evaluate, ADJUST and Control regularly
Focus on what works, support it, make it visible!

5. How Smart Specialization Strenghtens
Regional Competitiveness?
• All local actors
looking for market
growth
• Stratups
looking for
financial
support
• Human
resource
looking for
the best
training
• Companies
looking for
the best
location
Adress
specific
location
criteria
Focus
Education
and R&D
Adress
new
market
potential
Dedicated
Financial
support

6. Clusters & Smart Specialization
SMART SPECIALIZATION CLUSTERS
Both oriented towards Growth
Clusters facilitate the smart specialization process
Clusters are the premisses of territorial specialization
A new innovation policy Not a policy
Clusters exist without policy
Change a territory Strenghen what already exist
New markets Existing sectors
Prioritization Listing

7. Elements that facilitate SS
• Existence of clusters
• A territory where “working together” is easy
• Natural governance controlling the process
• Not too big a territory (45min drive rule in EU?)
• Link with Financial community: they decide!
• Being a recognize natural global leader
• Culture of cross-fertilization

8. • RESULTS: 7 Strategic specializations
• Personnalized health & infectious diseases
• Industrial process and eco-friendly factory
• Energy networks and storage
• Smart buildings HQE
• Digital technologies and benevolent systems
• Smart mobility systems, technologies and usage
• Sports, tourism and mountain industries
• Cross-cluster collaboration is now happening
• Specific products/places are coming out
Case Study: Rhône-Alpes, France

9. Lessons Learnt
• Do not try to imitate, be UNIQUE!
• Choose a specialization
• not too broad => No specialization!
• Not too narrow => risky business if market failure
• Don’t start it as just another program but
more as a countiuous natural process
• Stay in line with future markets
• Keep focus on the results you are expecting!
• Be as flexible as companies are

10. THANK YOU!
Frédéric Miribel, PhD
Global Markets Director
INVEST IN LYON – ADERLY
miribel@investinlyon.com
www.investinlyon.com