Clusters are individuals - VDI/VDE-IT

2.4.2 REGIONALT KLUSTERPROGRAM (REGIONAL CLUSTER PROGRAM) (SWEDEN)
Name of program
Country
Contact details
Internet
Regionalt klusterprogram (Regional Cluster Program)
Sweden
The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket)
Ewa Andersson
Box 4044
S-102 61 Stockholm
Tel.: +46 8 681 94 51
Email: ewa.andersson@tillvaxtverket.se
www.tillvaxtverket.se
2.4.2.1 Objectives and Rationale of the Program
The Regional Cluster Program is basically aiming at the
strengthening of regional systems of innovation through the
support of cluster initiatives that are looking to strengthen
their renewal capacity and competitiveness by means of
commercial collaboration, cluster expansion and networking
(overall objective). A successful cluster is considered
to be an important generator for regional and national economic
growth and a powerful tool to achieve international
competitiveness. In this regard the specific operational objectives
of the program include:
• The support of international competitiveness of cluster
initiatives and their participating companies in terms of
their exports, sales, number of international contacts,
acquisitions, establishments, cost-reducing exports, etc.
• The contribution to a strengthened knowledge and
method development of regional clusters in the sense of
an increased awareness in the cluster initiatives and their
regions of their potential for economic development.
The program is directed towards business driven cluster initiatives
that have their operative management in Sweden.
Participation of companies and their capacity for renewal
of products, services and/or applications are key criteria for
support. They are expected to collaborate with both local
and regional actors as well as universities in order to create a
platform for sustainable growth.
Since its inception the program has mainly supported matured
cluster initiatives that have already featured a welldeveloped
collaboration between the relevant stakeholders
which had a national reputation in their area of expertise
and were in the phase of internationalization and business
development. But support has also been provided to cluster
initiatives in an early stage of development if their efforts
were focused on creative links between different industry
sectors respectively areas of expertise. In the course of the
program lifetime focus of the program agency has shifted
towards linking mature clusters with one another and research
and knowledge actors to support the development
of new business opportunities and industry development.
2.4.2.2 Target Group of the Program
The target group of the program are business-driven cluster
initiatives with companies at the core that are supported by
educational institutions (e.g. universities) and public bodies.
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