Innovation through international networking

Successful and internationally visible innovation regions have been established in Germany in recent years. However, it is clear in this day and age that research questions and the needs of the population can no longer be addressed exclusively at the national or regional level. Complex technological developments require international cooperation on an equal footing to meet the demands of global challenges. Only those actors who share their expertise and grow it by integrating international know-how will remain competitive and innovative. In this context, clusters and similar networks offer the ideal conditions for establishing a framework for long-term cooperation with international partners, based on cluster strategies and technology roadmaps.

The BMBF aims to further strengthen international cooperation among clusters. Outstanding national clusters and networks are to develop solutions to current challenges by establishing strategy-driven collaborations with other innovation regions worldwide. Innovations are generated through complementary cooperation that offers direct benefit to society. By networking across regional and national boundaries, clusters and networks benefit from sustainable and stable partnerships among equals. Ultimately, these cluster collaborations promote the development of a culture of open innovation, which opens up new opportunities to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in particular.

Bringing together success stories: internationalization of clusters and networks

German research institutions, universities, companies and other actors have already successfully joined forces in clusters and networks. Promising new technologies, products and solutions develop through cooperation across different industries and technologies. In many cases, first contacts have already been established to other leading regions of the world providing complementary skills.

The funding measure of the BMBF supports German clusters and networks in building bridges to complementary players in the world. During a concept development phase and an implementation phase successful applicants expand existing contacts to international collaborations and implement joint research projects to achieve advances in innovation. In this way both sides become more innovative and are better able to compete internationally.

32 international collaborations

Whether in Belgium, Singapore or in tropical Brazil, the selected clusters and networks have forged partnerships among equals virtually everywhere in the world. The clusters and networks of 32 international collaborations are working on joint research, development and innovation projects in the implementation phase to further expand their competitiveness. The Leading-Edge Cluster Hamburg Aviation, for example, conducts research on modern cabin technology in partnership with the aviation location Québec/Montreal (Canada), and the Organic Electronics Saxony network is working with Japanese partners on new applications for flexible, transparent solar film. On the other side of the world, in Australia, the ARENA2036 research campus is working with researchers at Swinburne University in Melbourne to advance 3D printing with carbon fibre composites to industrial scale.

These are a few examples of how German clusters and networks have been developing strategic collaborations with partners around the globe.

Funding measure: key information

Objectives

• Integration of outstanding clusters and networks and their stakeholders into international innovation and knowledge processes
• Establishment and expansion of sustainable international cooperation on equal footing
• Development of sustainable added value for Germany as a business location
• Improvement of innovation competence and strengthening of competitiveness

Funding: Who, how, what is funded?

Who receives funding?

Funding is provided to select leading-edge clusters, forward-looking projects and comparable networks from various regions in Germany. The focus of research is diverse and ranges from intelligent technical systems, sports/health research, automotive, aerospace, organic electronics, medical technology and bioeconomy to lightweight construction. The selected clusters and networks have found equal partners on all continents, including top regions in Asia, USA, Canada and Europe - in particular France, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic.

What is funded?

In addition to specific research and innovation projects, funding is also provided for measures or accompanying activities that help build up management skills for international research and innovation collaborations. This is intended to create mutual trust, increase international competitiveness, cover an entire value chain through cross-industry and cross-disciplinary cooperation, and open up new markets.

How is funding provided?

Funding is provided in two stages: In an initial two-year concept development phase, professional cluster/network management develops an internationalization scheme supported by the stakeholders. In the following implementation phase, R&D&I collaborative projects are funded in cooperation with international partners.

Total expenditure and costs have amounted to around €122 million since the start of the funding measure. Federal funds including a project allowance of about €80 million have been allocated from this sum.

Accompanying research

Funding for the internationalization of leading-edge clusters and comparable networks is accompanied by intensive scientific research. The aim of this accompanying research is to examine various aspects of cooperation between clusters and networks and thus create the basis for a learning funding measure for the internationalization of clusters and networks. Another aim is to identify possible starting points for future funding initiatives. Various accompanying research projects have supported the clusters and networks throughout each competition round during the concept development and implementation phases.

The different aspects of the accompanying research projects were classified into the following thematic areas:

The central support project "InterSpiN+" ran parallel to the clusters and networks in the context of their internationalization starting December 2015. The goal was to gain and develop knowledge about the international cooperation of clusters and networks and to create a basis for analysing the impact of funding.

The accompanying research project "MeNeC" conducted a multi-level analysis of cluster network structures. MeNeC described the cooperative relationships at the formal and informal levels of cluster members and cluster organizations.

Another accompanying research project dealt with the topic "The Virtual Cluster Academy", which developed a concept for the training and further education of science, innovation and cluster management on the basis of a sharing economy approach.

The accompanying research project "PubliSta" examined the topic area "Standardization in general and in the context of publishing and patenting: Inventory and Potential Analysis for Actors in Clusters and Networks".