This document outlines an agenda for a cluster matchmaking event focused on building international collaborations. The event will include presentations from representatives of clusters in Germany and Catalonia about the competencies of firms within their clusters and opportunities for international connections with Ireland. There will also be a discussion of tools for collaboration such as business roaming agreements. The goal is to help firms identify potential partners and opportunities in other countries.

1. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
http://www.cit.ie
Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th of September 2015
Proudly Sponsored by:
Faculty of Business and Humanities & Cork County Council
As featured in:
Programme:
• Session 1: Cluster Analysis - Academia.
Monday 28th 2:30 to 4:30pm Venue: Seminar Room, CIT.
• Session 2: Building International Collaborations - Industry.
Monday 28th 6:00 to 7:30pm Venue: County Hall Council Chamber.
• Session 3: Building Economic Growth Through Clusters - Policy.
Tuesday 29th 10:00 to 12:00pm Venue: CIT Council Chambers.
• Session 4: Cluster Organisation Development.
Tuesday 29th 2:30 to 4:30pm Venue: Seminar Room, CIT.

2. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
www.be-wiser.eu
Cluster Matchmaking
Building International Collaborations
County Hall, Cork, 28/09/2015

3. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
www.be-wiser.eu
Building International Collaboration - Presenters
Joan Martí Estévez
Director of Cluster Development
ACCIÓ (Catalan Agency for Competitiveness)
jomarti@gencat.cat @JMartiClusters
Tamara Högler
Head of Innovations and International Affairs
CyberForum e.V., Karlsruhe, Germany.
hoegler@cyberforum.de @CyberForum
Dr John Hobbs
Department of Management & Enterprise
Cork Institute of Technology
john.hobbs@cit.ie

4. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
http://www.cit.ie
Running order for Session 2: Building International Collaborations
Thursday 10th of September 2015 13:00 – 14:00
www.cit.ie/vlinc
Monday 28th 6:00 to 7:30pm Venue: County Hall Council Chamber
Opening of Seminar by Minister Sean Sherlock, Department of Foreign Affairs.
• Tamara Högler (CyberForum) and Joan Martí Estévez (ACCIÓ): Discuss the competencies of firms
within their clusters in Germany and Catalonia, with a view to develop international connections
with Ireland.
• Tamara Högler (CyberForum): The Business Roaming Agreement
• Joan Martí Estévez (ACCIÓ): Firm’s collaboration with traditional sectors for mutual growth.
• John Hobbs (CIT): Be Wiser Connect
Q&A

5. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
Session 2
Competencies of firms at CyberForum
Tamara Högler, Head of Innovations and International Affairs,
CyberForum e.V.
Cork, 28.09.2015

6. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
www.be-wiser.eu
Overview
• Introduction
– Have you ever heard about… Karlsruhe?
– CyberForum – An IT and Hightech Business Network
• Our companies

7. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
www.be-wiser.eu
Karlsruhe – A Medium-Sized City with
Huge Opportunities
• Karlsruhe is a European ICT Hub (4th place among > 1,000 regions, only Munich, London and Paris
ahead)
• Karlsruhe is a German ICT stronghold and participant of the German Software-Cluster
• 99% SMEs, but also large companies (SAP, Siemens, Bosch, United Internet, …)
• Many Hidden Champions (e.g. security, logistics, traffic management)
• Many companies and research facilities are involved in the top cluster „Electric Mobility South-
West“
• Outstanding research facilities
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (largest German research facility)
• FZI Research Centre for Information Technologies
• 3 Fraunhofer institutes
• Many citizens are tech- and media-savvy
• 13 of 100 citizens possess an own domain (2nd place in Germany after Munich)
• 12 of 100 citizens use cloud applications (top position in Germany)
• Largest regional German ICT cluster => CyberForum

8. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
www.be-wiser.eu
Cyberforum
… Who we are & what we do
1997
Inception
1000
IT Start Ups
4000
New
Employees
>1000
Members
23.000
Staff
600
Trainees
33
Employees
2015
Today
Multiple
Certifications* as one
of the best IT-
clusters in Europe!
1

9. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
www.be-wiser.eu
Our services –
A short overview…
Founders´
guidance
Mentoring
Business
Angels
Venture
Capital
Innovation-
Transfer
Internationali-
sation
Networking: InfoMarket, CyberCongress, RoundTables…
Idea Foundation
Early
Growth
Growth Maturity
Catch-the-Job
CyberStarter

10. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
www.be-wiser.eu
Our companies
• CyberForum is a network that connects more than
1.000 companies
• Core competencies are
– IT (e.g. telecommunications, all kinds of IT services, CRM,
IT security, all kinds of (mobile) apps, gamification….)
– HighTech (e.g. quadcopter, robotics

11. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
IT COMPANIES IN THE
TECHNOLOGY REGION KARLSRUHE
• TechnologyRegion Karlsruhe is
ranked 2nd among German and 25th
among a total of 214 Western
European regions!!
• over 4.000 IT Companies with staff
of 30.000+
• > € 5bn turnover
• 2x more IT staff per capita vs. total
Germany
• #2 in IT Start-Ups per capita
• 5.600 IT Students and Trainees
11
05/10/2015

12. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
www.be-wiser.eu
How to find appropriate partners?
• www.cyberforum.de
• Core competencies are
– IT (e.g. telecommunications, all kinds of IT services, CRM,
IT security, all kinds of (mobile) apps, gamification….)
– HighTech (e.g. quadcopter, robotics, ….)

13. This project has received funding from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no.
319907
Tamara Högler
Head of Innovations and International Affairs
Email: hoegler@cyberforum.de
Thank you for your attention!

14. Building international collaborations
Catalonia clusters
Cork, Ireland, 28th September 2015

15. Population: 7,539,618
16% of the Spanish population, similar to the population of
Switzerland
Area: 32,106 km2
GDP: € 208 bn
similar to countries like Israel or Finland
GDP per capita (ppp 2012): € 27,442
Catalonia: 117.2
Spain: 99.4
EU-27: 100
1% of world’s science production, bigger than Austria
Sources: INE , Eurostat , Idescat
Introduction
A Snapshot on Catalonia

16. Catalonia: A Holistic Cluster Ecosystem
1.200 active companies
in 30 clusters
Pro-clusters
Government since 1993
Business Schools
(IESE,ESADE)
training
Cluster Professionals
TCI Headquarters
Some world-leading
Cluster Consultants

17. Our vision. World-Class Clusters
 Critical Mass
 Cross-sectorial
 Internationally connected
 Professionalized management

18. Strategic Change
Process
Month 0 Month 4
Competitive analysis
Strategic Analysis
Definition main
characteristics of the sector
Strategic analysis
(competitive strengths)
Environment analysis
Business tendencies at
global level
Suggested actions for
companies
Suggested actions for
Government
Cluster monitoring
Publicpresentation
Action plan
Companies’ Strategic change
Technological change
Executive training
Internationalization
Benchmarking
Strategic Dive
Tailored actions
Cluster Methodology
Month 16
1
Understanding
the business
2
Changing the strategy in
the right direction
Set up
cluster
association
3
Stablishing
governance
Hiring
Cluster
manager
4
Guarantying
sustainability
Governance
Month 20
Analysis Udate
after 4 years

19. Raw materials Technology Products Strategy Final market
Productive process
CROSS-SECTORIAL
MULTIPRODUCT
Water treatment
Kids cluster
Habitat
Beauty
Fashion
Railway
Fish Farming
Biotech
ICT
Optics and photonics
Agricultural machinery
Motorcycle
Gourmet food
GROUPING FACTOR
+
-
TRADITIONAL CLUSTER
INITIATIVES
EMERGING CLUSTERS
INITIATIVES
“NEW GENERATION “
CLUSTER INITIATIVES
Innovating in cluster policies: the case of Catalonia
Pork meat

20. 45 members
More than 3.000 high skills
professionals.
More than 250 researchers working
in R&D
Companies with presence in more
than 40 countries and products
distributed to more than 170
countries.
Joint Turnover of more than
2.000M€.
Cluster manager: Mr. Xavier Amores
Xavier.amores@cwp.cat
Tel. 00 34 664 648 209
R&D
Technological Knowledge
Intensive Business serrvices
Sustainable Water
Solutions
Products and solutions
for water cycle
management
CWP is focused on water treatment business and
sustainable use of water (treatment of drinking
water, desalination of seawater, purification,
wastewater treatment plant, process water and
the waste water for recycling, sewage plants, …)
Clusters: 1st focused, 2n wide

21. Clusters: be proud of what you are
Cluster manager: Mr. Enric Pedrós
femac@femac.org
Tel. 00 34 666 469 230

22. Transformational projects
Market intelligence
Valuable networking
Value
propositio
n
Quality of the competitive
environment
Why clusters?

23. INTERNATIONALIZATION OF THE
INDUSTRY
· 45 shared trade delegations all over the
world
· International Exhibitions
· Trade missions
· Sourcing center in China
DEVELOPING AN INDUSTRY BASED
ON TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
· Working groups
· Technical trainings
· R+D+I Support
· Open Innovation Marketplace Platform
· Technological Surveillance Newsletter
EUROPEAN PROJECTS
· MED SOLAR
· INARA
· SHAAMS
· FosterInMed
SOCIAL AWARENESS
· Self consumption Kits against energetic
poverty
· Energy Self consumption Campaign
· School dissemination workshops
· Technological and good practices transfer
to developing countries.
N E T W O R K I N G
Cluster manager: Mr. Pablo Valderrama
pvalderrama@secartys.org
Tel. 00 34 93 182 88 00

24. Technologies
in Education
 33 members
 Overall turnover: 1.948 M€
 Overall number of employees 16.540
 Created in 2013
 Publishing houses, ICT infrastructure, SW
developers, e-learning platforms, consulting
Edutech Cluster is an association of Educational ICT and edtech
companies that create products and offer technology-based services to
enhance the teaching-learning process at non-university stages.
The Cluster aims to design and implement initiatives to reinforce the
competitiveness of its member companies, promote demand scenarios of
quality technological products and services and disseminate the
importance of ICT in Education.
48
5.189€5.189€Vendes 2012
n/an/aCAGR 05-12
22Empleats
n/an/aRàtio d’exportació
n/an/aROE 2012
d l’ /
d ó d l’
Serveis/productes: Plataforma cultural i educativa on-
line, que ofereix la major base de dades de llibres
i f til f ilit l t b l ill llib i
Creada l’any 12/2011
Breu descripció de l’empresa
boolino és la major comunitat de pares de nens d’entre 0 i 12 anys,
on ajudem als pares a trobar els llibres més adeqüats pels seus
infantils, per facilitar als pares trobar els millos llibres, i
a les empreses del sector, un nou canal de promoció.
Categoria: (podeu marcar més d’una)
fills, ja que això és bàsic per augmentar el nivell lector (i de
comprensió) i d’aquesta manera millorar els resultats escolars per
un major desenvolupament cognitiu. Hem creat un model de
i ió ti l llib i f til l lt l ó
Categoria: (podeu marcar més d una)
Continguts educatius i aplicacions (apps)
Clients potencials: pares de nens de 0-12 anys, editorial,
suscripció per convertir el llibre infantil en un regal molt valuós,
per el material amb que l’acompanyem.
Camps d’interès:
Clients potencials: pares de nens de 0 12 anys, editorial,
I empreses amb el mateix públic objectiu
Tecnologia utilitzada: base dades que permet a partir
de perfils de usuari recomanar els llibres més adeqüats
Foment de la lectura infantil I difusió de tot tipus d’iniciatives de
LIJ. Posar en valor la LIJ I donar-li un ressó que avui no té.
de perfils de usuari, recomanar els llibres més adeqüats.
URL/LLOC WEB: www.boolino.com
www.mylittlebookbox.com
....€....€Vendes 2012
....%....%CAGR 05-12
i / d d d l
xxxxEmpleats
....%....%Ràtio d’exportació
....%....%ROE 2012
d l’
d ó d l’
Serveis/productes: Continguts educatius digitals per a
les etapes d’Educació Infantil, Primària i Secundària:
llibres digitals, recursos per a PDI i activitats interactives.
Creada l’any 1980
Breu descripció de l’empresa
Fundada l’any 1980 amb l'objectiu d'elaborar materials didàctics de
renovació pedagògica en llengua catalana. Ha centrat la seva
activitat en l'edició de llibres de text i en la literatura infantil i
Categoria:
Infraestructura de hardware i software
X S ft d tió dè i juvenil. En els darrers anys ha afegit a la seva oferta les versions
digitals dels llibres editats i projectes educatius estrictament
digitals.
X Software de gestió acadèmica
X Plataformes d’e-learning
X Continguts educatius i aplicacions (apps)g p ( pp )
Consultoria i recerca
Clients potencials:Clients potencials:
Centres escolars públics, privats I concertats de l’àmbit
lingüístic català
Tecnologia utilitzada: Flash, XML, HTML5Tecnologia utilitzada: Flash, XML, HTML5
URL/LLOC WEB: www.barcanova.cat I
www.barcanovadigital.cat
Promote internationalization
identifying priority markets
and participate in
international projects or
consortiums
Establish a framework of
stable relationships with
industry players,
governments, institutions and
associations
Organize and participate
actively in all main ICT
education events
Monitor ICT Education data,
conduct research and analysis
in this sector and give to
know best practices
Generate new business
opportunities and innovative
collaborative projects
between companies in the
cluster
Internationalization
Dissemination
Collaborative Projects
MAIN STRATEGIC WORKING AREAS
 ITworldEdu congress: main anual event in
the educational technological sector
(660 delegates, 49 speakers, 27 sponsorships)
 Economic impact study of ICT Education
 Guide of implementing ICT at schools
 Workshops with educational sector
 Dialogue Table with Administration
 International activities (missions, exhibitions,
etc.)
Cluster manager: Mrs. Patricia Remiro
patrica.remiro@edutec.cat
Tel 00 34 647 804 585

25. Biotech cluster
Agricultural machinery
cluster
Solar Cluster
Energy efficiency
Cluster
Edutech
Cluster
Water cluster
Intercluster approach
30 clusters, 1.200
companies
Digital cluster

27. To Connect with our Members Contact:
Gemma Batlle - Cluster Manager
T: 0034 93 553 45
E: gemma.batlle@eurecat.org
Digital Cluster
Key mission statement:
EURECAT Cluster Digital is an Association of
Innovative Enterprises (AIE) created as a meeting
and networking place for start-ups, small and
medium companies and other entities with the
aim of boosting the competitiveness of Catalan
ICT sector and promoting a new corporate culture
based on collaboration and open innovation.
Expertise within the cluster, 60
members:
SME, 17,
48%
MNC &
Large Firms,
17, 49%
Start-Ups,
1, 3%
Cluster companies ICT
SME
large
companies
start-ups

30. Go raibh maith agat!
Joan Martí Estévez
Director Cluster Development Division
jomarti@gencat.cat
Twitter:@JMartiClusters
LinkedIN: http://es.linkedin.com/pub/joan-martí-
estévez/10/433/34b

32. WHAT IS BE WISER CONNECT?
Be Wiser Connect is an online match making tool which showcases 70 ICT firms across
Europe (Cyprus, France, Germany, Ireland, Slovenia, Spain and Northern Ireland) who
participated in a V-LINC analysis as part of the BeWiser project. The purpose of this tool
is to facilitate introductions and connections between firms within these regions, in order
to promote collaboration and create additional linkages between European clusters.
www.bewiserconnect.cit.ie

33. As part of the Be Wiser project V-LINC has interviewed over 70 firms across Ireland, Northern
Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Slovenia and Cyprus.
BE WISER CONNECT FIRMS

34. CLUSTER MAPPING
The ‘Mapping’ section presents a summary of the V-LINC analysis undertaken by SMEs
and MNCs in Cyprus, France, Germany, Ireland, Slovenia, Spain and Northern Ireland as
part of the BeWiser project. To view the highlights of the analysis in each Be Wiser
cluster, click on the cluster organisations logos below:
www.bewiserconnect.cit.ie

35. BUSINESS ROAMING AGREEMENT
CyberForum’s Business Roaming Agreement (BRA) www.clusterize.org is a tool for cluster
organisations to support their small & medium sized enterprises (SME) in the course of
their international expansion plans.
The BRA provides a soft landing platform for firms who wish to establish trade and/or
research collaborations within member regions, via physical access to foreign clusters (
there are currently 51 International Cluster members from 29 countries).Visiting firms are
facilitated with workspace, broadband, and meeting rooms offered by BRA partner
clusters along with facilitated introductions to their members.
To view the 51 International Clusters from 29 countries who are currently signed up to
the BRA and their locations click here.