Clusters are individuals - VDI/VDE-IT

• The business clusters selected are exemplary in the
quality of their interactions with other actors in their region,
the services they provide to their member businesses, their
market objectives and proposed strategy and finally the efficiency
of their governance structures.
• Over half of the business clusters selected has already
developed partnerships with competitiveness clusters.
2.8.1.2 Target Group of the Program
Target group of the program are groups of companies, research
and innovation actors, training institutions and other actors
that want to collaborate in a business cluster. The governance
structure of the cluster must be independent from public authorities
and professional/consular organizations and chaired
by an entrepreneur. Clusters that already receive support from
the Pôles de compétitivité program are not eligible.
2.8.1.3 Term of the Program, Financial Aspects
and Application Procedure
Term of the program
Budget
Type of funding
Does the program have a specific technology
focus
Are there calls for proposals
2009, no date of termination
EUR 24 million
Grant funding
No
There were calls for proposals at the beginning of the program.
Is there a dialogue with applicants about the improvement
of their application prior to the final
submission of the application
Yes
Maximum funding period for a project
Is there a maximum amount of funding an applicant
can apply for
Financing structure of projects
Most important evaluation criteria for project
proposals
36 months
EUR 500,000
Up to 25 % grant funding from the program
Impact on industry sector and companies
2.8.1.4 Instruments
The program awards grant funding for tangible and intangible
investments, staff and general operating costs with regard
to coordination and management activities of the cluster
and collaborative projects carried out by cluster members.
Projects have to be indicated in the action plan of the
project proposals.
2.8.1.5 Results and Impact of the Program
The program is very young (it started in 2009), so that results
and impacts cannot be measured until now.
2.8.1.6 Monitoring and evaluation system
The program management agency is currently working on an
indicator system to measure the performance of the program.
2.8.1.7 Context of the program
According to program officials the program is a very important
program in the overall national policy context as it
complements the Pôles de compétitivité program in terms
of supporting in particular SME.
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