Despite freezing temperatures outside, between 27 Feb – 1 Mar 2018 the CLUSTERIX 2.0 partners warmed up the atmosphere in Győr a major hub of automotive industry in Győr through intensive and energetic discussions on the 6 themes of joint interest identified for the upcoming development of their regional action plans: Innovation Services for SMEs, Digitalisation, Services for Cluster Management Organisations, Public-Private Innovation, 3D printing and – last but not least – Cluster Monitoring and Evaluation. For a brief overview of the rationale and In this article we introduce you two of these themes discussed:
Why Digitalisation?
Digitalisation is high on the agenda of smart specialisation strategies in the partner regions. Regions launch specific calls for companies, support training and capacity building, establish digital innovation hubs, among other actions.
After sharing information about their regional or national digitalization strategies, first experiences in their implementation and lessons learnt in the partner meeting in Györ/Hungary the CLUSTERIX 2.0 Working Group on Digitalization will look on selected best practice examples focussing on the role of clusters for digital transformation of SMEs education and training.
(Simone Hagenauer, Project Manager Clusters, Ecoplus. The Business Agengy of Lower Austria Ltd.).
Why Innovation Services for SMEs?
The discussions aimed to explore how Cluster/Ecosystems and regional development agencies can build up the innovation service Business Model Innovation based on a special methodology and how small and medium-sized enterprises can be attracted to make use of it.
Business model innovation as a strategy is not about inventing new products or making existing business models more efficient/better, but rather about reflecting on the existing business model and changing it. The business model innovation approach helps companies to differentiate themselves from competitors. But it can also be used to create ground-breaking innovation, because it makes possible to combine all the levers with product, process, marketing and sales innovations and is therefore difficult to imitate. Thus, business models have the potential to revolutionize an entire industry.
Following the discussions, IDM Südtirol/Alto Adige invites the interested partners to a workshop in June in South Tyrol , to experience first-hand the way the process is implemented in the region.
(Andreas Winkler, Head of Ecosystem Division Development, IDM Südtirol/Alto Adige)
Stay tuned! We will be back soon informing you about the outcome of the discussions in the other thematic groups.
