The WP1 work has been entirely completed within the first year of the project as planned. It included an extensive mapping exercise, gathering information on cluster-RIS3-KETs interaction (D1.1) a Benchmarking Guide (D1.2) that provided an overview of good practices examples that are transferable from one region and sector to another, and the D1.3 Analysis that provided an overview of commonalities observed in the mapping and benchmarks, setting up indicators on trends and providing a number of policy recommendations.This was the basis for the main subsequent project activities: the roadmap elaborated in Work Package 2 and validation of WP1 analysis findings through interaction with relevant stakeholders such as policy makers and clusters in validation workshops and through three pilot actions (Work Packages 3 and 4). Despite not being planned, small activity has taken place in WP1 in this second reporting period. Indeed, the D1.2 Benchmarking Guide had been entirely prepared and finalised with 10 benchmarking cases within the first reporting period, but an interesting suggestion came up during one of the WP3 validation workshops in RP2: the stakeholders gathered in the validation workshop organised in Prague, Czech Republic, in October 2018, suggested to add an additional benchmarking case of a relevant cluster-driven and KETs-related initiative in Czech Republic. On the basis of the very good exchanges during the workshop (and a visit to the infrastructure built up within the given initiative, organised back-to-back to the workshop), an additional benchmarking case was drafted and added to the D1.2 Benchmarking Guide. The updated document was re-submitted beginning of February 2019 by email and can be found on the ClusterNanoRoad website document repository.
The work developed within WP2 was related with the development of the contents of the Roadmap :
•Introduction
•Chapter 1 - Introduction to NMBP and KETs; this chapter is not intended as an extensive review – regions and clusters will already be aware of NMBP and KETs.
•Chapter 2 - Good practice in KETs uptake support; This chapter will start to focus on KETs more specifically, with the aim to help regions and clusters to create a map of internal and external assets that can support their own long term KETs delivery.
•Chapter 3 – Assessing your cluster capabilities for policy design. The aim of this chapter will be to enable regions and clusters to analyse their own ability and set targets that fit with resources available.
•Chapter 4 – Planning your innovation: Policy recommendations for cluster actions (further details on the roadmap contents available on the power point presentation). This chapter contains a series of policy recommendations to regions, clusters and those seeking to establish clusters.
The roadmap was developed and is now online tool on the project website, as interactive map where it can be grown, tested and refined.
Within WP3, eight validation workshops were delivered to present the findings of the ClusterNanoRoad project . The conclusions and recommendations developed within the ClusterNanoRoad project were validated through consultation with a representative sample of the project stakeholders (e.g. cluster Managers, SME representatives and regional authorities).
Within WP4 the ClusterNanoRoad project, implemented three pilot actions:
- Pilot 1: Focus on the relationship cluster organisation – cluster stakeholder in the process of delivering innovative solutions. Mix model: A multidisciplinary approach to grab the opportunities offered by MNBP technology and transform them into concrete and sustainable solutions answering a real societal or business (lead: DSP Valley).
- Pilot 2: Cluster & Regional policy maker working groups: improving knowledge sharing and collaboration between policy makers aiming at developing policy measures and instrument supporting innovation process (Lead INL).
- Pilot 3: Cluster to cluster collaboration: Joint technical, market and regulatory horizon scanning which will support the innovation process (Lead CEBR).
Within WP5, while the first half of the project served to set the scene develop the main dissemination tools of the project (Website, flyers, etc), the second half served mainly towards a targeted dissemination strategy to ensure the participation in the pilot actions; the web survey and the roadmap.Our main dissemination channels, apart from the website, were each partners’ web and normal communication channels such as the newsletters. We also often used the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP), as the main entry point for clusters in Europe.
