By Hans Henrik, Emily Wise, Merete D. Nielsen, presented at the 19th TCI Global Conference, Eindhoven, 2016.

1. Titel presentatie
[Naam, organisatienaam]
Working Day - Track: Modern cluster policy
Clusters strengthening macro-regional collaboration
Hans Henrik Lomholt, Merete Nielsen, Emily Wise
Clusters strengthening
macro-regional collaboration
in the Baltic Sea Region

2. Clusters strengthening
macro-regional collaboration
TCI Conference 2016, Eindhoven
INTRO AND DISCUSSION

3. Clusters and macro regions
• As a policy tool, clusters aim at ”bridging gaps”
and building collaborative strength within and
between (regional) innovation systems
• Macro regions are...
• areas including territory from a number of different
countries or regions associated with one or more
common features or challenges
• a new cooperative framework to address shared
challenges – aimed both at strengthening
international competitiveness and achieving
territorial cohesion
• How can clusters strengthen collaboration in
macro regions?
Source: Lindqvist, Ketels and Sölvell (2013), The
Cluster Initiative Greenbook 2.0
Clusters address seven ”innovation gaps”

4. A tale of two macro regions
• Baltic Sea Region
• Great Lakes Region
Listen and consider
- the overall aims (why and what)
- ”ownership” and coordination (who)
- approach to operationalisation

5. Discussion

6. Clusters strengthening macro-regional innovation collaboration...
comparing approaches
1)
Target
and
motivation
for the
strategy
• Create clear
targets based on
(regional) needs
• Let the targets
be the driver for
the strategy
2)
Ownership
and
engagement
• Engage top
management
• Create
ownership with
all partners
• Check with/
engage
stakeholders
3)
Analysis of
drivers and
barriers
• Identify drivers
and motivators
• (What are
barriers for
companies?)
• Identify
ambassadors
4)
Develop-
ment of
ideas and
initiatives
• Integrate actors
already in
operation
• Use inspiration
from other
regions, cities,
nations, etc.
5)
Financing
and
implemen-
tation
• Think long term
when it comes to
financing
• Let the
developers be
part of the
implementation

7. Approach
• Two groups – one for each case; each group led by a mix of BSR
and Great Lakes representatives
• 15 minutes to discuss each case using framework on previous
slide
• What are the policy foundations and goals?
• Who/which organizations are driving the process? How are
clusters and other stakeholders involved?
• What are the analytical and operational tools/approaches that are
used? What funding and organisational models?
• What are strengths/weaknesses and improvement areas?
• 10 minutes to share key perspectives/recommendations (5
minutes for each case)
• 5 minutes overall lessons regarding ”clusters strengthening
macro regional collaboration”

8. Clusters strengthening macro-regional
collaboration in the Baltic Sea Region
TCI Conference 2016, Eindhoven
Hans Henrik Lomholt, DASTI
Merete Nielsen, Cluster Excellence Denmark
Emily Wise, Lund University

9. Basic Facts about the Baltic Sea Region (BSR)
• Geographically located at the ”top of
Europe”
• Includes the Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden), the
Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and
Lithuania), and parts of Germany, Poland,
and the Russian Federation
• 60 million inhabitants; 28 million employees
• Annual GDP of around €1.4 trillion ($2.1
trillion) in 2014, with annual growth of 4.5%
per capita
• Long history of intensive economic, political,
and cultural linkages (Hanseatic League)
• Following years of separation, reconnected in
the early 90s with establishment of many
multilateral institutions (e.g. CBSS, BSSSC,
BDF, etc.) and different phases of regional
economic integration
• First EU Strategy for a macro region endorsed
by European Council as part of Swedish EU
presidency (Oct 2009)

10. • First macro-regional strategy
launched in 2009;
• 8 EU Member States (MSs);
• based on long history of
cooperation;
• addresses common
challenges of the Region;
• explicitly asks for
collaboration and
coordination among the
Baltic Sea States (MSs and
non-EU MSs);
• needs continuous political
support, commitment and
ownership;
• fully aligned with the Europe
2020 Strategy.
The EU Strategy for the BSR (EUSBSR)

11. Policy Area Innovation – focus areas and targets

12. Inclusive policy strategy development
Setting the
frame for
the strategic
process
Workshop
on
formulating
new goals
and
actions
• Handpicked group of
representatives from 9
countries in the region.
• Nordic Councils of
Ministers, DG Regio,
Baltic Development Forum
• Survey to cover level of
expectations, experiences
and new ideas for the
strategic action plan
• Take off baseline:
• Key messages from
survey.
• Key economic
performance indicators
from BDF report
• Development and
selection of new ideas
for the strategic
direction and new
action areas.
Summing
up –
creating
the input
for the PA
INNO
strategy
• Draft of the strategic
action plan formulated
based on the
workshop.
• Draft send to
participants.
• New inputs were
welcome.
• Final draft integrated in
other track work.

13. Using clusters to strengthen macro-regional collaboration
Proposed Action Areas
• Supporting SME
internationalization
• Capacity building in cluster
organizations
• Alignment of international
innovation support infrastructure
• Alignment of policy and funding
instruments

14. Operational example: BSR Stars Innovation Express
• Aim: leveraging clusters to support SME internationalization
• More SMEs engaged in transnational innovation activities
• Strengthened capacity of cluster organizations
• Better alignment of policies and funding
• Elements of the approach:
• A coordinated call
• A cluster matchmaking event
• Capacity building/learning activities
• Funding:
• National/regional funding agencies (for ”their” participants in
transnational projects)
• Nordic Council of Ministers (for matchmaking event, learning
activities and coordination)

15. Overview of Innovation Express activities 2013-2016
2013 2014 2015 2016
# Funding
partners/
countries
6 partners
6 countries
(DK, FI, IS, LT, NO,
SE)
8 partners
6 countries
(DK, FI, IS, LT, NO,
SE)
6 partners
6 countries
(DK, IS, LT, NO, SE +
ES)
8 partners
7 countries
(DE,IS,LT,NO,SE +
DE/Brand.,ES/Cat.)
Total budget
(EUR)
1.210.000 1.526.500 1.355.000 1.835.000
# appl.
recd/appvd
47/40 84/54 58/40
MMkg Event Copenhagen, DK
9-10 April
Berlin, DE
18-19 September
Copenhagen, DK
17-18 September
Warsaw, PL
19-20 September
#part./
countries
165 participants
70 clusters
15 countries
300 participants
150 clusters
24 countries
285 participants
151 clusters
32 countries
250 participants
150 clusters
30 countries
Other
learning
activities:
Experience
exchange workshop
(CPH, Sept ‘15)
Workshop on
strategic
internationalization
(Riga, June ’16)

16. The Innovation Express Call
• Common approach for supporting
internationalisation needs/opportunities of
SMEs – through cluster initiatives
• Joint call, coordinated by DASTI, as part of
the BSR Stars flagship
• Cluster/network organisation applies to
’home’ funding agency (explaining target
geography(ies) and activity(ies))…driven by
needs of SMEs
• Amount of financing from regional/ national
programmes dependent on schemes applied
(expected to be between 10-60.000 EUR per
project grant/country)
• In first three calls (2013-2015), more than 4
MEUR has been invested in 134
collaborative innovation projects, involving
240 clusters and more than 3300 SMEs

17. Policy-level partners from eleven countries
Funding/cooperation and
extended partners
Associated partners

18. CLUSTER MATCHMAKING CONFERENCES
Why:
• Creating meeting places for cluster organisations for building up
their international network.
• Combining the conference with possibilities for funding
(Innovation Express, EU funding) and further development of
partnerships with other partners (Enterprise Europe Network)
• Creating a setting for mutual learning, sharing of knowledge and
best practice on internationalisation of clusters.
What:
• Over 1000 participants (some all four times)
• 260 unique clusters from around 30 countries
• 1725 cluster-to-cluster meetings
• Workshops and Clusters Labs
Results
• Over 120 cluster collaboration projects
• 14 larger partnerships (longer term collaboration
• A lot of bilateral follow ups
• Over 3300 SMEs have engaged in international activities
• “I have learned so much that I want to implement in my cluster”

19. More focus on learning:
Sharing of tools and experiences
Development of tools:
• Matchmaking tool - methods for bridge building
and facilitation
• Selfie-film on experiences with Innovation Express
projects
• Self assessment tools for strategic
internationalisation + boosters and blockers for
internationalisation
• Tool on strategic internationalisation
Workshops for sharing experiences:
• Workshop 2015 for cluster managers and policy
makers on experiences with IE (25 participants)
• Workshop 2016 for cluster managers, Enterprise
Europe Network and policy makers on how to
work with cluster internationalisation (63
participants)

20. Learning from evaluation – needs and results for SMEs
Source: Evaluation of BSR Stars Innovation Express 2014
“In daily production, we do not have the time and
opportunities to seek new partners and
internationalization. This project has given us the
possibility to get new inspiration – and has been a source
of education and teambuilding for my company.”
Tapperiet, SME within FoodNetwork, DK
SME respondents viewed knowledge sharing and
opportunity identification, and access to new partners
and broadened networks as the main results. Even
though Innovation Express projects are quite short, nearly
20% indicated that projects also resulted in the initiation of
longer-term research and innovation collaboration or
commercial contracts.

21. Lessons learned
• The strategy and common policy objective is quite important for
establishing legitimacy and setting targets – but it is the bottom-up
process and interests that determine the level of success.
• A simple and pragmatic/flexible approach to “operationalization”,
combined with an informal and collegial atmosphere are key.
• Transnational collaboration initiatives don’t happen “automatically”;
inclusive and collaborative leadership is needed to guide action.
• Personal commitment is so important. Commitment might lead to a
change in the role of being of public employee… Give room (change
regulations…) for this.
• Take time to understand the different stakeholders and their interest
in collaboration. See things from their perspective.
• Transnational collaboration takes time – between different actors,
sectors and over borders. The extra effort must generate extra
benefit. Identify targets and ways to evidence the benefit.
• It is not enough just to hand out money. Be active. Be there.

22. Challenges going forward
• Achieving even better alignment between policy partners (e.g.
Financing rules, levels and timing of funding), while maintaining simplicity
• Broadening the base of policy partners (even outside BSR)
• Connecting to regional- and European-level smart specialisation
platforms and investments
• Developing long-term commitment to transnational efforts
(despite organisational and political shifts), and a stable, longer-
term framework for implementation