Inovação na U.E. - projectos bem sucedidos CLOE (I)

CLOE – Clusters Linked Over Europe

A European Network of Excellence for Cluster Management, Matching and Promotion

FACTS SHEET

What is a cluster?

Clusters are group of inter-related industries and organisations whose links with each other improve their overall competitiveness. They can be each other's customers, suppliers, researchers, partners or competitors. They are clustered in certain geographical region. Most prominent industry clusters in Europe are in the areas of automotive, wood, nanotechnology, plastic, ICT, food and energy industry.

What is CLOE?

CLOE is cooperation project among 7 regions of Europe that is established with an aim to exchange experience, establish close cooperation and learn from each other in the areas of management of clusters.

What are the main goals?

The objectives of CLOE are to enable these regions with common interest in cluster building techniques and in the fostering of clusters relationships to (1) meet and jointly develop process and methodologies for the set up and management of clusters and networks, and (2) to develop business opportunities for companies within and between the clusters.

What kind of activities?

CLOE is oriented equally to regional authorities and managers of clusters; to companies in the clusters as well as to other clusters and international investors inside as well as beyond the borders of Europe.

For regional authorities and cluster managers, partners of CLOE will develop through the series of joint workshops and best practice exchange exercise the Cluster Management Guide. The Guide will include identified good practices, methods, tools and processes in setting up and managing clusters in regions.

For companies within the participating regions and clusters, CLOE will organise 3 partnering events and workshops. The first CLOE workshop on automotive industry will take place in October 4-6, 2005 in Karlsruhe, Germany.

With an aim to attract more international attention to clusters and regions of CLOE partners, a Joint Cluster Marketing and Communication Strategy will be prepared and implemented. Marketing of CLOE clusters as well as companies within the clusters will be targeted at European as well as international audience (China, Russia, USA, Japan, and India).

www.clusterforum.org serves as a competence platform that gives access to the information on competences of cluster companies and participating regions as well as main information source concerning all CLOE activities.

Which regions participate?

www.clusterforum.org

CLOE is the cooperation of 7 regions in Europe: Karlsruhe (Germany), Lyon (France), Värmland (Sweden), Upper Austria (Austria), Tartu (Estonia), Timisoara (Romania) and Kaliningrad (Russia).

CLOE project was mainly initiated by the City of Karlsruhe, which has developed competitive clusters on the regional level. Other bigger European regions such as Lyon, Upper Austria and Värmland have all developed clusters in different industry areas. The regions of Tartu, Kaliningrad and Timisoara joined the project to learn from the experience of more advanced clusters in those regions. All partners are convinced that the fostering of clusters is an extremely suitable ambition for regional development.