Germany boosts funding for leading clusters
Germany is set to invest EUR 600 million in the development of top level clusters, Research Minister Annette Schavan announced in Berlin on 28 August. 'We want to strengthen the innovation capacity of the best clusters from science and industry and support them on their path to international excellence,' commented Ms Schavan. 'They should become more competitive and attractive for talents and investors.' The Excellence Cluster Call for Proposals is the flagship of Germany's high-tech strategy. The funding will help clusters convert ideas into new products, processes and services faster, thereby generating jobs and growth and increasing Germany's attractiveness as place to carry out research and innovation. To obtain funding, clusters will have to develop a common strategy which builds on the strengths of the participants and addresses the entire innovation chain, from the idea through to commercialisation. Strategies will be selected on the basis of development potential as well as the creativity and innovativeness of the approach. There are no thematic requirements for the call; the winners will be the applicants with the best strategies for future markets in their sector. There will be three rounds of funding under the new programme. In each one, a high-level, independent jury will pick out up to five top level clusters that will receive up to €200 million to spend over a maximum of five years. Dr Arend Oetker, President of the Foundation for German Science, welcomed the initiative, saying: 'Research and development are increasingly driven by networked and transdisciplinary knowledge, and companies are increasingly realising that they cannot do this alone, but need to form long-term, strategic partnerships.' 'We are looking forward to creative and innovative applications,' said Minister Schavan. 'Germany needs lively clusters, which can stand up to international competition in innovation.'
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