The third EU4Digital ICT Innovation networking event will be held on 14 December. The topic of the virtual session is ‘Networking of the ICT innovation clusters in the EU and EaP countries to support cluster organisations’ development and regional cooperation’.

The event aims to foster better visibility of EaP clusters and cluster-like organisations, and facilitate registration to the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP). The event will also be dedicated to gaining practical understanding and knowledge of the organisation and development of clusters, and enhancing regional cooperation between them. 

The event will target the needs of existing innovative business clusters and business cluster-like networks that are formed around business and professional associations, incubators, accelerators, high-tech and techno parks, as well as ministries and public agencies that are engaged in cluster policy and aim to define the innovative clusters and instruments to support their development and networking in the countries.

The event will start with a review of the main pillars of cluster policy in the context of internationalisation from the European Commission viewpoint. Next, the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) will introduce how the platform helps clusters to get international visibility and facilitate networking and collaboration with EU clusters. The ECCP will also present its exclusive service package for clusters, and share insights on eligibility criteria for registration. Finally, EU and EaP clusters that have received ECCP support will share their experience and operational expertise of ICT cluster organisation, development and internationalisation.

The sessions moderated by Anna Pobol, EU4Digital ICT Innovation Lead, will combine presentations and Q&A sessions with distinguished speakers from the EU and the EaP region, including:

• Christophe Guichard, Policy Officer at the European Commission (European Commission, DG GROW);
• Jan Maarten de Vet, Project manager and Lucia Seel, Profile Validation Manager at ECCP;
• Andrei Kelemen, CEO at ClujIT Cluster (Romania);
• Lyudmyla Shyyko, Managing Director at Precarpathian Eco-Energy Cluster;
• Aleksandre Yurchak, General Director at Association of Industrial Automation of Ukraine;
• Olga Shapoval, Executive Director at Kharkiv IT Cluster (Ukraine).

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ICT Innovation Networking events

The ICT Innovation networking events aim to facilitate the establishment of EaP communities in selected ICT Innovation policy areas. In addition to creating networks in the region, they strive for the establishment of bilateral and multilateral bridges between Eastern partner organisations and EU stakeholders to enable further sustainable joint activities and projects. These efforts aim for overall deeper knowledge and understanding of the relevant EU best practices by stakeholders in the EaP region. Therefore, the series of event target a wide audience, including ministerial level representatives and agencies, associations and networks of relevant policy areas, ICT Infrastructure organisations, as well as other ICT Innovation ecosystem actors.

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