Flanders Cluster Program - Cluster pacts
Published on 31 March 2018
Belgium
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
The Flanders Cluster programme provides support on 2 levels:
- The “Spearhead Clusters” connect to important strategical domains in Flanders and are large-scale triple helix initiatives that receive financing for up to ten years to develop and implement their competitiveness programme.
- The “Innovative Business Networks” are usually smaller, bottom-up initiatives, receiving support for a period of three years to organise a collaboration dynamic in a specific domain that could lead to the increased competitiveness of companies.
A specific tool for Spearhead Clusters is the “Cluster Pact”, a yearly updated partnership agreement between government, cluster (companies) and knowledge and research institutes.
Cluster Pacts include:
- Commitment from government for earmarked project resources
- Identification of restrictive regulations or other barriers for realization of economic added value
- Additional Non-financial commitment from government
- Commitment from companies to participate in cluster-activities
- Commitment from knowledge institutes to align research agendas
- Front-office role for Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Contribution and collaboration in transition priorities of Flemish Government (Smart Specialization)
- Aligning with other policy domains
The Flanders Cluster Programme and Cluster Pacts were chosen by CLUSTERIX 2.0 partners as good practice governance model for implementing smart specialization through clusters.
- The “Spearhead Clusters” connect to important strategical domains in Flanders and are large-scale triple helix initiatives that receive financing for up to ten years to develop and implement their competitiveness programme.
- The “Innovative Business Networks” are usually smaller, bottom-up initiatives, receiving support for a period of three years to organise a collaboration dynamic in a specific domain that could lead to the increased competitiveness of companies.
A specific tool for Spearhead Clusters is the “Cluster Pact”, a yearly updated partnership agreement between government, cluster (companies) and knowledge and research institutes.
Cluster Pacts include:
- Commitment from government for earmarked project resources
- Identification of restrictive regulations or other barriers for realization of economic added value
- Additional Non-financial commitment from government
- Commitment from companies to participate in cluster-activities
- Commitment from knowledge institutes to align research agendas
- Front-office role for Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Contribution and collaboration in transition priorities of Flemish Government (Smart Specialization)
- Aligning with other policy domains
The Flanders Cluster Programme and Cluster Pacts were chosen by CLUSTERIX 2.0 partners as good practice governance model for implementing smart specialization through clusters.
Resources needed
- Earmarked budget to individual spearhead clusters (max. funding of 500 k€/y for a period of max. 10years; 50% of funding contributed by members/companies).
- Account management by government: typ. 0.5 to 1 FTE
- Additional budget for cross cluster projects (2 calls in 2017): € 7.5 Mio €
- Account management by government: typ. 0.5 to 1 FTE
- Additional budget for cross cluster projects (2 calls in 2017): € 7.5 Mio €
Evidence of success
All six spearhead clusters developed a clear, ambitious long-term strategy and competitiveness programme for the Flanders strategic domain, in collaboration with companies, knowledge centres and the government (triple helix).
For more info, please see descriptions and projects of the spearhead clusters: https://www.vlaio.be/nl/andere-doelgroepen/flanders-innovation-entrepreneurship/innovation-clusters-flanders/spearhead
For more info, please see descriptions and projects of the spearhead clusters: https://www.vlaio.be/nl/andere-doelgroepen/flanders-innovation-entrepreneurship/innovation-clusters-flanders/spearhead
Potential for learning or transfer
The cluster pact could be interesting for all regions where e.g. the government supports clusters (financial or otherwise) and/or would like to have a clear written agreement about the competitivity plan/strategy of the cluster and potential collaboration partners.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Belgium
Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/ Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest
Contact
project manager clusters