New EU4Digital activity supports Eastern Partnership innovation clusters
Date: 08/04/24
EU4Digital Facility has launched a new framework for activities to support innovation clusters in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region. These coalitions of start-ups, small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), research and knowledge dissemination organisations, not-for-profits and other related economic actors stimulate innovation, share knowledge and support collaboration, contributing to technological and economic development. EU4Digital’s new innovation cluster activities are part of the ICT Innovation thematic area, which connects EaP and EU start-up ecosystems in line with the Facility’s wider goals to harmonise the regions’ digital markets.
The activity was officially launched during a kick-off event with the ICT Innovation expert network in January 2024. The new framework was elaborated after a review of best practices among innovation clusters in European Union (EU) countries. This helps to identify the current needs and capacity of existing and potential cluster management organisations to support digital innovations and potentially evolve into Digital Innovation Hubs in Eastern partner countries — Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
The ICT Innovation stream has launched a call for EaP innovation clusters to participate in a survey to assess their capacities to support their members’ innovation and digitalisation needs as well as inviting them to register for free-of-charge online training.
The assessment survey is available until 23 May 2024. The training workshop will be held online on 18 April 2024. The deadline for registering for the training is 17 April.
The ultimate goal of the new framework is to determine the status, development, challenges and support priorities of the EaP cluster organisations, focusing on their capacity to support innovation and digitalisation among their members.
The activity also aims to increase awareness among EaP cluster organisations about EU cluster management best practices and service propositions, help them pre-assess their maturity to engage in the leading European qualification and labelling procedures, and inspire them to develop strategic and operational plans to increase their competitiveness.
The framework draws inspiration from the ‘European Cluster Excellence Initiative (ECEI): The Quality Label for Cluster Organisations (Cluster Management Excellence Label GOLD – Proven for Cluster Excellence): Criteria, Processes, Framework of Implementation’, which provided inputs for questions in the current survey.
What happens next?
Results of the survey will immediately be usable by participating clusters for strategy adjustment. Assessment results will also be summarised across Eastern partner countries and will be introduced to the participating cluster organisations, relevant governmental authorities, innovation support actors and potential international donors during an online event in autumn 2024.
Based on the revealed challenges and development priorities, recommendations and indicative action plans for the most active stakeholders will be elaborated and introduced to relevant policymakers and potential donors.
EaP cluster organisations that submit a completed assessment form may be selected by EU4Digital to receive assistance with costs and organisation of activities that help them achieve the “Cluster Management Excellence Label BRONZE – Striving for Cluster Excellence” level of recognition. (Note: participation in the survey does not automatically confer qualification under the ECEI or any associated labels. Cluster organisations interested in pursuing such recognition must adhere to the official application process with ESCA, EUCLES, or other relevant authorities following this preliminary assessment.)
EU4Digital will also highlight the most compelling success stories of EaP clusters and identify the practices that work best in their context. The EU4Digital Facility will further promote EaP clusters and their achievements internationally and through a targeted event, so raising their visibility among policymakers and potential donors.
EU4Digital welcomes discussions with current and potential donors in EaP countries regarding possible synergies and cooperation.
Further information
The EU4Digital ICT Innovation stream aims to connect the EaP and EU innovation and start-up ecosystems, promoting networking, sharing EU best practices and tools with EaP innovation stakeholders, supporting development of the EaP digital start-up ecosystem, and developing a framework and recommendations for innovation clusters in Eastern partner countries.
To find out more about EU4Digital ICT Innovation and Start-up Ecosystem activities, visit our ‘Explainers’ web content and view our short video ‘This is ICT Innovation’, available in our ‘Library’.
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