Delegation from French Clusters Visit Israel to Explore Partnerships

As a part of the  ”Rencontres Franco Israéliennes pour l’Innovation et la Coopération” (Franco-Israeli meetings to promote innovation and cooperation) initiative, the Fondation Sophia Antipolis organized a delegation early December 2009 to Israel with the objective to promote the various companies and clusters in the Côte d’Azur (French Riviera) region to Israeli companies, academic institutions and R&D organizations.

The Israeli activities were organized by the Israeli Institue of Technology which is the Fondation Sophia Antipolis counterpart in the Rencontres Franco Israéliennes pour l’Innovation et la Coopération initiative. The overall objectives with the initiative are:

• Promote and expand bilateral activities with the goal of helping companies expand their businesses internationally
• Promote the French clusters
• Develop training programs (mentorship program, etc.)
• Further improve relations to help set-up projects, collaboration, share information on tenders/calls for projects etc.
• Support the project of a new incubator in Sophia based on an Israeli model and which should be set-up in Sophia Antipolis in 2010

We are excited to see international collaborations, and look forward to see how the synergies play out.

F2C Innovation: French agri-food “super cluster”

A French partnership among three agri-food clusters is an interesting model for how to further utilize the synergies and dynamics created within a cluster. First announced  during IFT earlier this year, Vitagora,  Valorial and AgriMip have joined forces under the brand F2C: Field to Consumer.

By doing so, the three clusters will allow its collective members of 370 companies, 130 public and private R&D organizations and 35 academic institutes collaborate, share information and build intra-cluster partnerships.

This is yet another example of how clusters realize the opportunity of creating brands to further advance its position and recognition globally. Branding of clusters is a practice that seems to have gotten most traction in Europe (we are aware of 11 branded food related clusters in Europe alone – but I am sure there are more). There are certain regions in North America as well that have either established a brand (e.g. Montréal InVivo), or in the process of doing so. Our organization is currently working with two North America metropolitan regions, in two different industry sectors that are in the process of developing a “branded” Cluster Initiative similar to those mentioned above.

Cluster Ambassador Program

Clusters are increasingly acknowledging the importance of alliances with other clusters and regions to help fuel innovation and growth. The Scandinavian life science cluster Medicon Valley has taken a unique approach by establishing a Cluster Ambassador program.

The program was launched in 2008, with the objective to improve collaboration and information exchange with leading life science clusters in the world.

The Life Science Ambassador Program is based on the idea of exchanging representatives (Ambassadors) between Medicon Valley and other leading life science clusters around the world.

Midicon Valley will send an Ambassador to a participating cluster, and that cluster will in return send one to Medicon Valley. The exchange will  last for a period of 2-3 years and the Ambassador will be integrated into the day-to-day operations at the clusters.

The Ambassadors will work together to develop new relations by scouting for science and business opportunities and by promoting networking between the participating clusters.

When the program is fully implemented, Medicon Valley expects to be home to representatives from 12 of the world’s leading life science clusters. The Ambassadors will work daily in the same environment to form productive win-win alliances between cluster organizations and clusters stakeholders.

The concept in short:

• Build a strategic network of contacts and active collaborations with 10 of the leading and emerging life science clusters in the world.
• Representatives from the these leading and emerging regional clusters will call Medicon Valley “home” for a period of 2-3 years
• Foreign Ambassadors will be embedded into day to day operations at Medicon Valley Alliance
• Medicon Valley’s representatives will be embedded into the host organizations abroad.
• Creation of a global life science “Hub” in Medicon Valley where ”The world meets for life science.”

The program strives to achieve the following goals:

• Increased business-to-business interactions
• University/hospital collaborations with the purpose of defining and executing complementary research programs
• Cross-sector initiatives combining the skills and competences of the private life science sector, the universities and health care sectors
• Cross-exploitation of accumulated knowledge between the regional organizations of the bio clusters
• Actively promote opportunities for private Venture Capital investments in either regions.

Three Ambassador Programs/exchanges have been signed as of today. These are with Kobe-Kansai cluster in Japan, Life Science British Columbia, Seoul Life Science Cluster in Korea.

Clusterpreneur.com founders publish article on cluster alliances

Increasingly clusters are forming alliances, domestically as well as internationally. This is often done as a strategic effort to better meet the goals of the cluster and its stakeholders. There are different approaches for developing such alliances. Some clusters have a very structured and deliberate approach, other reach out in a less structured and even a serendipitous manner.

Despite the approach, establishing alliances is increasingly critical to the successful growth of the cluster, and depending on the maturity stage of the cluster, can become a major driver for economic development and the cluster’s growth.

The article is available in the Life Science Clusters journal.