4. EXTENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF 6 REPRESENTATIVE ECOSYSTEMS

4.1 Brief introduction

After the description of the wide set of characteristics of the 15 ecosystems deemed, now we focus our attention on 6 of them, taken into specific consideration as case-studies to analyze from a deeper perspective. Four criteria have been used to accomplish this further specific selection. 

1. A preference for a variety of structures in terms of: type of mission; typology of the partners involved; prevalence of public or private aims and funding; types of governance process; different criticalities emerged. 

2. A preservation of the balanced proportions among the three thematic domains of the activities of the clusters, that is 2 case studiess for each domain (2 for Bio-based circular economy, 2 for Clean Renewable energy, 2 for Sustainable manufacturing).

3. The depth and quality of information obtained through the research carried out.

4. A coverage of a wide range of countries/regions. Only for one country, Italy, we will consider two case studies, due to the high level of information received and for the deep difference existing between the two cases in terms of structure and aims (that make particularly interesting a comparison).

4.2 Bio-economy Austria (Austria)

4.2.1 Introduction and general framework 

Bioeconomy Austria is a project born in the framework and as a result of the Austrian Bioeconomy Strategy defined in 2019. It is co-funded by the Austrian Forest Fund (Austrian Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management) and regional resources and implemented by regional innovation agencies, clusters and networks active in the field of bioeconomy.

A specificity of Bioeconomy Austria is that national and regional strategies and various policies work together. The strategic basis at national level, the Austrian  Bioeconomy Strategy, was developed in a broad participative process led by the then Federal Ministries for Sustainability & Tourism, for Innovation & Technology and for Education, Science & Research on an interdepartmental basis. The 5 regional hubs are backed by their respective regional Smart Specialization Strategies governed by the Economic Departments in the regional governments. 

The long-term goal of the bioeconomy strategy is to reduce fossil material and energy consumption substituting it with renewable raw materials. The strategy is based on European and international objectives and commitments such as the Paris Climate Agreement or the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) made binding in the 2030 Agenda. In the Austrian strategy, these goals were translated in guidelines, which thus form the framework for the further design of future bioeconomy measures.

Bioeconomy Austria has no legal identity yet. A strategy including establishment of a legal identity is currently under preparation.

4.2.2 Structure, partners and stakeholders of the ecosystem

The project Bioeconomy is structured around 5 regional hubs (made of regional innovation agencies and clusters) 

• Ecoplus :Business Agency of Lower Austria ltd. Its Platform for Green Transformation & Bioeconomy aims to make Lower Austria a European showcase region for bioeconomy, green transformation and circular economy in the long term. The platform functions as an information hub that disseminates acquired know-how and networks the many actors active in the Lower Austria Platform for Bioeconomy & Green Transition.
• Business Upper Austria ltd. (Cleantech-Cluster): Government’s business location agency of the province of Upper Austria. Innovation driver with active role in shaping economic and research policy
• Innovation Salzburg: Regional innovation and location agency for Salzburg. It develops Salzburg as a location for business, research, technology and innovation by networking and cooperating regionally, supraregionally and internationally. In the topic area of bioeconomy, Innovation Salzburg rely on its long-standing activities in the fields of alpine construction, construction materials from renewable or biogenic materials (smart materials), sustainable procurement, resource efficiency and circular economy.
• proHolz Tirol: It’s an industrial association operating in the wood sector. It supports the collaboration between companies for the purpose of product and market development, and promotes their links to research institutions. Within the framework of Bioeconomy Austria, proHolz Tirol is particularly dedicated to the topics of material flows, value-based processing and cascading use of wood.
• Holzcluster Styria : It’s a wood industry cluster that carries out regular market analysis and provides support for projects. It promotes innovative software products for the needs of the wood forestry sector. The focus is on the development of long-term competitiveness.

Other important partners of Bioeconomy Austria are public agencies and associations:

• Federal Environment Agency
• BioBASE
• Energy Agency
• University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna (BOKU)
• EcoSocialForum

The stakeholders involved in the ecosystem compose a network that currently consists of more than 180 organizations (companies, research institutions, policy and society representative) coming from the networks of the 5 regional hubs and additional stakeholders.

4.2.3 Main activities and definition of the strategic priorities 

The ecosystem is involved in a wide range of activities:
– Analysis of raw material extraction & material flows
– Trend mapping & Technology scouting
– Analysis of needs from a regional and national perspective, capacity building, training and education, research and innovation needs
– Development of suitable forms of knowledge processing and transfer to practice
– Implementation of regional and national networking and matchmaking events
– Initiation / development of collaborative & cross-regional projects

The Austrian Bioeconomy Strategy and the smart specialization strategies of the regions involved (work as the conceptual basis on which the overall strategy of the ecosystem is built.

The focus topics reflect the regional fields of strength:

• Building & land use according to bioeconomic principles, circular economy in production processes, upcycling (Salzburg)
• Engineered bio-based components: Design for disassembly, Digital Twin, LCA
• Life Management, from Value Chain to Value Network (Upper Austria),
• Innovative wood & bio-based application industries and value chains, wood in mobility, hybrid materials, resource-efficient wood-based products (Styria)
• Biobased feedstocks, applied biorefinery, residue upgrading, bio-aromatics, bio-polymers (Lower Austria)

4.2.4  The stakeholders mobilization and the governance process for R&D projects

All the regional hubs have an active network of both, private and public actors.
The public body directly involved in the ecosystem is the Environment Agency Austria The processes to involve and mobilize stakeholders around shared objectives unfolds through different passages:

1. Partner Forum: meeting of consortium partners (5 regional hubs, Federal Environment Agency, BioBASE, Energy Agency, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna (BOKU), EcoSocialForum) to define and coordinate topics and activities.
2. Co-creation workshops with participants from quadruple-helix (companies, researchers, ministries, representatives of civil society, chamber of  labor, Global 2000 environment NGO) to discuss and analyze innovation topics, legal framework conditions etc, and develop projects.
3. Annual Summit: networking and information event gathering all stakeholders (network of more than 180 organizations from quadruple helix).

The partners (regional hubs) chose specific focus topics reflecting their individual regional  fields of strength. Once the regional hubs identify relevant R&D project ideas, they inform the hubs in the other regions and ask them to search for project partners. The regional hubs help the consortia to find the right funding instrument.

4.2.5 Co-creation and co-production processes and connections with other ecosystems 

Bioeconomy Austria promotes the involvement of a wide range of actors, through intermediaries (e.g chambers, associations), in co-creation workshops. Education lab are promoted too such as “eLABoration wood” (a project with schools based on the dual education system). The ecosystem has a direct connection with the European ecosystem “European Bioregions Facility”.

4.2.7 Private and public dimensions 

Bioeconomy Austria operates for a complex system of public and private purposes. Nevertheless, the public dimension of its raison d’être tends to prevail. The partners at regional level form a group of regional agencies both private and public, with privately run agencies, business association and public territorial agencies. The partners acting at national level are, instead, of public nature. 

Besides the ownership structure, nevertheless, the most relevant point has to do with the origin of the project. Bioeconomy Austria was born as a public project funded by the Austrian Forest Fund with the aim of developing and enabling the Austrian Bioeconomy Strategy strictly connected to European and international objectives and commitments in the wide and ambitious field of the environmental sustainability. In this sense it can be stressed that an overall public strategy prevails in defining the purposes of the Austrian ecosystem. 

4.2.8  Financial resources

Another significant hint of the predominantly public inspiration of Bioeconomy Austria is the system of funding. Bioeconomy Austria is funded by the Austrian Forest Fund (from the Austrian Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management) at 80%. The remaining 20% are covered at regional level (partly by public regional resources, partly by private resources such as membership fees, depending on the financial structure of the 5 regional hubs). 

4.2.9 Results evaluation 

Bioeconomy Austria performs evaluations of its activities through simple quantitative indicators: readers of newsletter and website, participants in events, participants in co-creation workshops, number of projects initiated. 

4.2.10 Criticalities 

Currently, the most relevant critical point stressed by the interviewed referents is that the legal form and governance of the ecosystem after the end of the project has not yet been finalized. The idea is to found an association. Some important issues such as the clarification of legal consequences for employment of staff, how to organize reimbursement of costs and other legal problems still need to be solved. There is a process ongoing for the solution of the problem.

4.3 CoLAB – Collaborative Laboratories – ForestWISE (Portugal)

4.3.1 Introduction and general framework

Co-Lab ForestWISE is a non profit association governed by private law born in 2018. It started operating in 2020 in the domain of the productive use of forest, notably the wood and paper industry and can be inscribed in the general domain of the Bio-based circular economy. It acts in a national dimension.

The ecosystem is formally identified as a Collaborative Laboratory, a specifically Portuguese typology of societal entity regulated by a national law approved in 2018. 

Collaborative Laboratories (CoLABs) are entities dedicated to the production, dissemination and transmission of knowledge through a wide research and innovation agendas. CoLABs aim at facilitating the access of companies to global markets as well as to support the attraction of foreign investment in technology-intensive areas. Colabs are clusters that connect private firms, universities, associations involving indirectly public, private, third sector actors and civil society as potential stakeholder under the conceptual framework of the quintuple helix model.  A CoLAB may be established as a company or private non-profit association and must include at least one company and one R&D unit evaluated and financed by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) or a State Laboratory.  In a recognition and evaluation process, it must be demonstrated that the CoLABs contribute to: stimulate the creation of qualified jobs generating economic and social value in the national territory; diversify, stimulate and coordinate activities based on scientific knowledge; promote technological change processes and research and innovation agendas; stimulate R&D activities throughout the national territory, including less densely populated areas; build collectives that are facilitators of new knowledge co-creation, stimulating creativity and production of new knowledge. In Portugal, there are 35 entities recognized as Collaborative Laboratories.

4.3.2 Structure, partners and mission of the ecosystem

The partners of Co-Lab Forest Wise are:  7 companies of the forest sector (80% of the companies of that domain), 6 public universities (according to the law the number of private partners must exceed the number of the public ones).

There are also public research centers involved: the Forest Research Centre (CEF) and the ICNF (Institute for the conservation of nature and forest).

Currently (2023), ForestWISE has sixteen associates.

. Business/Industry associates: Altri Florestal, Amorim Florestal, E-Redes, DS Smith Paper Viana, REN, Sonae Arauco, and The Navigator Company.

. Members of the Academy: INESC TEC, Instituto Superior de Agronomia – University of Lisboa, Universities of Aveiro, Coimbra, Évora and Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro. 

. Public entities: AGIF – Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires, INIAV – National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research and IPMA – Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere

30 people, in 2023, work for the cluster’s activity.

The stakeholders involved are private companies, public institutions (national and regional government) and communities and civil society. 

The mission of the cluster is promoting the integrated management of forest and fire, based on (co)research, development activities and transfer of knowledge and technologies among the actors involved. It operates as a unifying element between industry, academia and public administration with impacts on the forest and fire domains.

4.3.3 Main activities, definition of the strategic priorities and governance processes of R&D

The European Strategic Agenda for Research, Development and Innovation (R&D&I) is the basis of CoLAB’s activity. On the base of this agenda, the six main research topics on which ForestWISE works are defined: Forest and fire management; Risk management; Circular economy and value chains; Policy and system design; Cross-cutting Technologies; Key enabling technologies; People, fire and forest. These six themes are divided into 19 sub-themes, which together integrate 62 research topics. This agenda represents a management tool designed in 2019 during a participatory process involving various actors from the sectors, looking to correspond to associates’ needs, to national priorities and to support the definition of sectoral public policies in which ForestWISE will have an active voice. The agenda of Co-Lab Forest Wise defines the priorities with all the stakeholders with constant meetings to encourage a continuous update of the common strategies. The ecosystem implements processes of co-creation and co-production within varied projects. The main examples are:

1. Implementation of collaborative strategies for integrated forest and fire management. The project rePLANt was presented to the community in 2021 and is an unprecedented collaborative effort in Portugal, operationalised by ForestWISE. 
2. ForestWISE in collaboration with the CESEFOR Foundation (Centro de Servicios y Promocion Forestal y de su Industria de Castilla y Leon) is developing activities under the INBEC project – Circular Bioeconomy, promotion and development of a sustainable economy through innovation and business cooperation.
3. RN21 – innovation in the natural resin sector to strengthen the national bio-economy
4. TransForm Agenda aims to bring a structural transformation of the Portuguese forestry sector, acting in a concerted approach across the entire value chain. It is materialized in twenty-eight collaborative projects, which are organized into five work packages (WP) dedicated to the management of resilient forests (WP1), sustainable operations and logistics (WP2), circular and resilient industry (WP3), markets and consumers for forest products (WP4), capacity building (WP5). Cross-cutting the entire Agenda, there is also a WP6 dedicated to coordination, dissemination and exploitation of results. Eleven new products, processes and services (PPS) will result from the Agenda, supported by digital technologies, with a high degree of innovation, which will contribute to a more sustainable forest management, to the efficiency improvement of industrial processes, and to the competitiveness of the forest sector ensuring a greater connection to markets and consumers.

4.3.4 Connection with other ecosystems 

The ecosystems has national and international relations with other ecosystems. At national level it has connection with other Co-labs in Portugal operating in neighboring fields. It also has relationships with the other Mediterranean ecosystem especially in the environmental and textile sector. It participates at Copernicus program and European Space Agency.

4.3.5 Public and private dimension: entrepreneurial aims and social-collective aims

Co-Lab Forest Wise is an interesting example of a cluster in which a private dominant dimension is combined with a strong, but not prevalent, public dimension. The PA contributed in creating the Co-lab under the initiative of Portugal government, there are public agencies involved as partners, and the PA is a stakeholder and a referent for the activity of the ecosystem. 

However the national or regional governments do not interfere in the administration and in the management of the cluster, nor it defines its strategic priorities. The PA had a Planning role at the beginning, but not in the successive development.

Nevertheless, the PA has tasked Colab-Forestwise with some forest structural project e.g., ÁGIL.TERFORUS (Pilot on analysis products, using LiDAR, for land management, forestry and rural fires); Collaboration with FCT: monitoring projects under the mobilization programme for preventing and fighting forest fires; Evaluation of the Forest Firefighters Programme 2011-2021.
After all, the cluster activity reveals a clear collective dimension as it operates in a crucial sector for the preservation and protection of the environment, territory and landscape and intensely contributes in preventing a serious problem that constantly affect, notably in the dry periods, the national territory: the risk of fire; at the same time a wise use of the forests for the wood industry allows the effective operation of a bio-based circular economy. 

4.3.6 Financial resources

The achievement of financial resources should be theoretically based on the following scheme: 1/3 of resources coming from the National government, one third from European projects, one third from the private partners. However currently 60% of money come from competitive European or national projects.

4.3.7 Results evaluation, sustainability 

According to the cluster’s management interviewed most of the objectives established have been reached in the last years. There are different procedures of evaluation that depend on the type of project. When a company asks the cluster for a specific service, there is a standardized evaluation process under a coordinator. For the big project there is a project manager and a senior research charged with a deliverable that is assessed.

The financial sustainability of the cluster’s activities is guaranteed by constant calls for new competitive projects. 

4.3.8 Criticalities

However, there are critical areas that are emphasized. Notably from a financial perspective the main risk is not being able to reach the one third one third one third scheme of funding. For what concerns the public funding the problem is to be exposed to the changing political scenario that risk challenging the stability of the funds. 

Other criticalities are the small dimensions of the companies in Portugal, and the small dimension of the country itself. This does not help in guaranteeing of constant flow of resources and opportunities.

4.4 ECOSISTER (Italy – Emilia Romagna)

4.4.1 Introduction and general framework

ECOSISTER is a regional Foundation managing an Industrial Research Programme and a Technology Transfer and Innovation Programme supported by the NRRP (National Resilience and Recovery Plan), involving a PPP of 23 participants supporting ecological transition in Emilia-Romagna. The foundation was born in 2022 as a result of the initiative taken by 10 founding members: 

• University of Bologna
• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
• University of Parma 
• University of Ferrara 
• Polytechnic of Milan 
• Catholic University “Sacro Cuore” 
• Research National Council (CNR)
• ENEA – Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development
• National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN)
• ART-ER Attractiveness Research Territory

ECOSISTER Foundation is the subject that acts as the Hub of the project “Ecosystem for Sustainable Transition in Emilia-Romagna” begun in October 2022 on the basis of a three years term. The Ecosystem for Sustainable Transition in Emilia-Romagna gathers key actors at regional level that want to cooperate to reach a common vision: enhance Emilia-Romagna’s global leadership in applied research and guarantee an effective ability to support sustainable, resilient and people-centred industrial development of the regional manufacturing and services system, through the implementation of green and digital transitions, in coherence with regional, national, and European strategies.

The ecosystem operates at a regional level and its main domains are the Clean Renewable energy, the Green Manufacturing, Materials,  Bio-Based Circular Economy.

4.4.2 Partners and stakeholders 

The partners involved in Fondazione ECOSISTER are the following:
as founding members, the above mentioned entities, namely

Public and private universities:
University of Bologna

University of Modena and Reggio  Emilia

University of Parma 

University of Ferrara 

Polytechnic of Milan 

Catholic University “Sacro Cuore” 

Research centers:
Research National Council (CNR)

National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN)

National and Regional agencies
ENEA – Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

ART-ER Attractiveness Research Territory

Then there are 6 Spokes and affiliate partners that support each spoke:
The SPOKE leaders are: 

. Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna,
. Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia,
. Università degli Studi di Parma
. Università degli Studi di Ferrara
. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche

The Affiliates partners are universities, research centers, consortium companies, limited State owned companies, private/public companies, foundations.

. Politecnico di Milano
. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
. ENEA
. CINECA Consorzio Interuniversitario
. BI-REX
. Centro Ceramico Consorzio Universitario
. CertiMaC S.cons. a r.l.
. CRPA Spa
. LEAP S. Cons. a r.l.
. MISTER Smart Innovation
. Consorzio MUSP
. Consorzio PROAMBIENTE
. Fondazione REI
. Romagna Tech
. Consorzio T3LAB
. Fondazione Democenter-Sipe
. ALMACUBE S.r.l.

ECOSISTER gathers all the regional universities and public research centres, the most relevant laboratories and innovation centres of the regional High Technology Network and some local partners that have very strong links with the main partners and have compatible research focus and complementary competences. However, the involvement of external stakeholders is a key for the success of the proposal, in line with the vision of the call.

Stakeholders’ engagement includes: private entities – large companies, SMEs, start-ups, etc – both as project partners and as testers of new prototypes, PoC, services and products local public authorities, Emilia-Romagna regional authority, general public, including citizens and non-profit organizations.

In particular, thanks to the involvement of ART-ER, all project results will be shared with the members of the Regional Innovation Ecosystem and through them to all regional public and private actors. The project will be able to count on the innovation and dissemination activities of the 10 regional TECHNOPOLES and on the animation and strategic guidance actions carried out by the regional CLUST-ER system.

4.4.3 Management rules and activities

ECOSISTER is composed of six thematic Spokes which carry out the activities foreseen by the program and namely research, innovation and technology transfer. The architecture of the Technology Transfer Innovation Program (TTIP) of the Ecosystem foresees that each spoke from 1 to 5 has the responsibility to coordinate one macro action and to contribute to the implementation of all the other activities, favouring the inclusion and integration between all the regional ecosystem players.

The 6 Spokes represent 6 innovation domains that respond to the key components that support an economy and a territory in their sustainable transition, giving special value to digitalization as one of the key enabling technologies. Specifically, each Spoke transposes the general and specific goals of the project into operational objectives related to its thematic area and the partners expertise.

The activities performed by the 6 spokes are:
Spoke 1- Materials for sustainability and ecological transition. TTIP activity: Acceleration
Spoke 2 – Clean energy production, storage and saving. TTIP activity: Training
Spoke 3 – Green manufacturing for a sustainable economy. TTIP activity: Incubation
Spoke 4 – Smart mobility, housing and energy solutions for a carbon-neutral society. TTIP activity: Technology transfer
Spoke 5 – Circular economy and blue economy. TTIP activity: Public Engagement
Spoke 6 – Ecological transition based on HPC and Data Technology

4.4.4 Strategic priorities 

ECOSISTER insists transversally on all the intervention areas of the National Research Program 2021-2027, primarily “climate, energy, sustainable mobility”. Furthermore, the objectives of sustainable transition are strongly connected with digital transformation and the human centred approach.

In particular, Spoke 1- Materials for sustainability and ecological transition- is tightly linked to the regional specialisation priority area on “Innovation on materials” and targets key topics related to environmental sustainability and energy efficiency, responding to the needs for innovative and smart materials. Among the research and productive vocations on the Emilia-Romagna region, that of materials constitutes one of the most transversal, with the strongest impact towards green innovation.

As for Spoke 2 – Clean energy production, storage and saving – the regional policies identify the energy among the priority fields on which to invest for stimulating the use of clean and renewable energy sources, the optimisation of their use and self-generation. Among the different industrial sectors, many of them are able to organise in value chains capable of developing the work plans identified in the spoke. The issues of the research lines have a decade-long and well-established experience of collaboration with companies in the region. They also have a high scientific level, as demonstrated by the scientific literature presented, and have participated in competitive projects.

The main vocation of the Spoke 3 – Green manufacturing for a sustainable economy – is to develop research activities aimed at implementing and consolidating a green manufacturing environment oriented towards a sustainable and circular economy. The technological and scientific focus of the proposal is the strengthening of the current leadership role of the Emilia Romagna Region and of its enterprise system in this sector, embracing the ambitious technological challenges of the ecological transition and promoting sustainability-driven innovation.

The Spoke 4 – Smart mobility, housing and energy solutions for a carbon-neutral society- places at the centre the relational and productive values of the territory of the Emilia-Romagna Region in which mobility, housing models and solutions aimed at climate neutrality are intended to develop a healthy and active city. Soft mobility is expressed in several forms according to research aiming at the complete accessibility to safe and inclusive infrastructures, the improvement of the collective passenger transport, the use of vehicles and systems that reduce pollution and noise. It supports the transition towards a smart and sustainable city with urban regeneration strategies.

The main objective of the Spoke 5 – Circular economy & Blue Economy – is to consolidate and foster a network of innovators to enhance the transformation of economic activities towards Circular Economy with emphasis on blue growth, tourism, and agriculture sectors. The activities of Spoke 5 are meant to help companies to become more competitive regarding their business/production processes, products or services through sustainable use of resources, reduction of waste, and conversion of waste into secondary raw materials.

Spoke 6 – Ecological transition based on HPC and Data Technology – aims at strengthening the synergies among the leading HPC and HTC regional infrastructures with its universities and research institutions and to enhance the ability of the Region to attract and retain the best talents mastering modelling, simulation, data analysis and their use in “digital twins”, thus contributing to a sustained growth of innovation through foundational scientific research in this domain.

The strategy works as a framework for all European, national and regional policies and programs, promoting a systemic and integrated vision to face the complexity of the challenges, overcoming the conflict between development and the environment and enhancing the opportunities that this change offers to the territory and to the new generations. The ECOSISTER also acts in synergy with the indications outlined in the European strategy for biodiversity, in the action plan for the circular economy and in the strategy on sustainable and intelligent mobility.

4.4.5 The mobilization of the stakeholders

ECOSISTER’s strategic supply chain embraces the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Agenda 2030 that the Emilia-Romagna Region included in the Patto per il Lavoro e per il Clima, signed in December 2020. The document reflects the intentions shared by the Region and all the stakeholders of the territory: relaunching and fostering the development of the region based on environmental, economic and social sustainability.

Through its ambitious goals for Emilia-Romagna, i.e. the achievement of carbon neutrality before 2050 and the switch to 100% clean and renewable energy by 2035, it combines productivity, equity and sustainability and generating new quality work. 

The industrial research activities proposed as the main driver for sustainable economic development will be transferred through the activities of TTIP (Technology Transfer Innovation Program), which will proactively involve all the players in ECOSISTER: university students and doctoral, researchers, innovative start-ups and research spin-offs, SMEs, big companies, organisations of society and citizens, Public Administration. TTIP, is focused on a regional and system impact approach, it will affect all the spokes and affiliates. It is organised in the following five macro-actions:

TTIP: Training activities

New professionalising career-oriented degree programmes and extra-curricular courses will explore technological drivers, skills and careers related to the ecological transition, raising awareness on the opportunities related to both innovation management and business creation. The match with SMEs’ skills needs will be boosted also with the creation of innovative challenge-based business activities for students and PhDs launched by companies and civil society applying design thinking methodologies. In addition, the Programme will set up post-doc fellowships, curricular and extracurricular internships on the ecological transition themes and will involve companies human resources to orient on the green skills required by companies. Finally, community and networking activities will be promoted to further create matches between companies, students and PhDs on green topics both within dedicated Career Days and through the animation of the community on the most important existing digital platforms such as “EROI ( Emilia Romagna Open Innovation)” or EmiliaRomagnaStartup.

TTIP: Incubation Programme

The incubation activities will work in the business idea generation stage, starting from university students. Permanent scouting in the university departments and research institutes activities will intercept those innovative and deep tech ideas to support with training, consultancies and coaching in order to validate idea feasibility. The Incubation Programme will be sustained by a regional community made of teachers and researchers sensitive to the themes of entrepreneurship, green transition and by the organisation of opportunities for sharing ideas and knowledge also with international subjects. Matching with investors, SMEs and corporates will enrich the feasibility plan path.

TTIP: Acceleration Program

The Acceleration Programme will support business set up for knowledge-based spinoffs and startups based in Emilia-Romagna, through a network of actors and initiatives, offering consultancies, mentorship, training and internationalisation services. There will be the creation of pathways with an offer of different services such as team completion, product/service development, production engineering, PoC with companies, validation and market access, fundraising and support to open foreign markets. Vertical acceleration paths, venture capital funds or specialised ecosystems will eventually lead towards an opening of national and international contacts. In addition, accompaniment to European support programs (for instance the EIC Accelerator), forms of networking with investors (Green Investor Day), and realisation of other Open Innovation initiatives involving the ART-ER Mentorboard and other companies (Matching Green Day) will be provided.

TTIP: Technology transfer

These actions will foster science-industry relations between regional businesses and public research organisations and universities, increasing awareness on the key strength points of the ecosystem, working with research organisations to respond to businesses’ technological needs. Among the activities foreseen to produce efficient technology transfer, it is worth mentioning the Open Innovation Scouting and the International Open Innovation Programme. The first is a Programme dedicated to companies in the Emilia-Romagna region that provides for scouting of innovative solutions and technologies coming from the regional research system. The second is dedicated to companies searching for innovative solutions proposed by spin offs/startups/scale ups, researchers and other actors of the research ecosystem at regional, national and international level. Strategic project for the implementation of Proof of Concept between SMEs and researchers will complete the foreseen activities.

TTIP: Public engagement

The activities will focus on the engagement of citizens, civil society organisations and Public Administration in co-designing and monitoring research priorities and projects through the lenses of Responsible Research and Innovation, co-creation of research and innovation projects and transformative and anticipatory innovation methodologies.

A territorial innovation accelerator (JUST Transformation Accelerator for Innovation) will be created to: connect the production of research and innovation with the needs of territories using challenge-based methodologies; activate and coordinate network of agents for territorial transformation and territorial Mission Boards (with the participation of the various territorial actors) to support the launch of the challenges; structure a system of Territorial Science Offices to share strategies of public engagement and science education and to create Annual territorial Forums on the themes of the ecosystem; shape and activate paths oriented to sustainability and social impact of research and innovation; define the guidelines and create a dashboard of the monitoring and evaluation system of the social and environmental impact of the projects developed within the ecosystem; design and implement civic crowdfunding paths for the support of research projects, (also in match-funding mode with other public or private resources). Furthermore, a regional Third Mission and Public Engagement portal with information on projects and activities of the entire ecosystem will be created to integrate the information with what is already present in the region and in the individual universities. The portal will have to be structured through a co-design process with the Third Mission and Public Engagement offices of the regional universities.

4.4.6 Co-creation and co-production processes 

The incubation programs and training activities are examples of co-creation between the productive context and the research environment. More in general every form of collaboration with the stakeholders – explained in the paragraph 4.4.4) during the design and development of goods and services represents somehow a form of co-creation. 

4.4.7 Connection with other ecosystems 

Many of the HUB partners (as well as several associates) are members of groups and partnerships at different levels such as: the KICs EIT Manufacturing and EIT Raw Material; Climate; Food; A.SPIRE; the Italian Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ICESP); Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU); the “#PlasticFreER” regional strategy working group.

At a regional scale, ECOSISTER will operate in synergy with the Regional Energy Plan, that intends to contribute to the objectives set for 2030 also in the Integrated National Plan for Energy and Climate, as regards the improvement of energy efficiency, the increase in the coverage share, the use of renewable sources and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and with the Regional Integrated Air Plan. The Regional Strategic Document is also included in the strategic supply chain for the Ecosystem project, aimed at integrating the opportunities offered by the regional, national and European resources available and promoting a synergistic, effective and efficient vision of regional planning, at the centre the territorial component. Furthermore, the RER-based HPC/HTC infrastructure plays a key role toward innovative and competitive developments in a cascade of enabling technologies and research fields for the ecological transition, such as natural resource monitoring and management, smart materials, low power consumption micro-nano electronic and photonic devices and components, all mentioned by the S3 declaration of the Emilia-Romagna Region.

4.4.8 Public and private dimensions, financial resources

ECOSISTER is undoubtedly, among all the ecosystems deemed, the closest one to a clearly defined and dominant public direction, but this does not mean that the ecosystem loses its constitutive autonomy. Essentially five reasons explain the proximity of ECOSISTER to a prevalent public-oriented strategy: 

1. the genesis itself of the project born under the initiative of public universities, public research centers and public national and regional agencies; 
2. the typologies of partners involved, that are either totally public actors or, among the affiliates partners, mixed private-public consortium or companies. So that, the dimension of the typical market oriented enterprises is missing or very nuanced; 
3. the strategy is strongly oriented to direct environmental objectives consistent with an overall national and above all European agenda;
4. the aim of developing, on a sustainable  basis, a regional territory has a clear and explicit priority and it is not bound by specific private economic needs. 
5. the financial resources are 100% public and derived from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan a financial, instrument bound to the Next Generation Europe funds.
   The prevalence of pursuit of collective objectives does not prevent private actors, partners or stakeholders from receiving directly or indirectly the benefits deriving from the activity of the cluster. The Programme’s economic impact emerges from the connection between the developed innovations and the regional business community which can grasp innovation applications for the national and international markets. Market deployment of innovative solutions has a positive effect on growth (thanks to new products and innovative processes), economic activities (in terms of increasing the transactions and new innovative enterprises), investments in R&D, investments’ attraction, but also in terms of jobs quality and internalization.

4.4.9 Results evaluation 

The Program of ECOSISTER includes activities for the diffusion of knowledge (academic and non-academic dissemination activities) and talent attraction. The indicators encompass, but are not limited to, scientific and technical publications, patents in sustainable transition areas, European projects, scientific and technical conferences/conferences, pilots for innovative product/process, PoC, degree/training courses on sustainability transition, graduates in these courses, attraction capacity of foreign scholars on sustainability transition research areas, attraction of foreign students in these courses .

The consolidation of an “Ecosystem for Sustainable Transition” is a prerequisite for Emilia-Romagna competitiveness and national and international reputation. The indicators relate to manufacturing, agri-food, construction, aerospace, mobility, sport, and cultural heritage sectors and include, but are not limited to growth (sales, employment, assets, market shares, and profits); patents in sustainable transition areas, R&D investments, new enterprises (spin-off/start-up), internationalisation (e.g., foreign investments attraction, export, partnership); process/product innovations adoption.

The Programme’s societal and cultural impact relates to the uptake of innovative solutions in terms of new products, processes and services in the society providing local responses to address the sustainability transition. Societal impacts of R&I relate also to the development, support and implementation of current policies and regulations, e.g., from strengthening the Emilia-Romagna welfare system to supporting the policy makers in facing the regulatory frameworks required by the transition. Other social impacts involve the strengthening of values and rights and fostering social justice and inclusion, thus avoiding unfair exclusion of specific groups not only from participation in the research process and/or access to research results but also in benefit from the innovation and being part of the sustainable transition. Program’s impact relates also to the cultural dimension in the form of supporting and promoting the cultural heritage and the arts and creative organisations. Moreover, the inclusion of principles and actions for women empowerment and gender equality will ensure gender equality both in academic and business careers and in the research/innovation content. However, to fully appreciate and evaluate the social impact of the Programme “Ecosystem for Sustainable Transition” an ad hoc social impact evaluation is required. The social impact measurement is a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the effects on the community in the short, medium and long term and should be developed according to specific methodologies such as the theory of change and considering stakeholders’ involvement (included citizens) in the identification of key indicators. The Program will account for this.

The Program’s environmental impact relates to new knowledge and technologies that support an efficient use of resources (process efficiency improvement) and of renewable sources of energy, an improvement in the management of chemicals and waste (circular economy), actions towards environmental risks mitigation and the protection of terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity.

Impact dimensions and indicators will be further finalised in the first stage of the Program’s implementation.

4.4.10 Critical areas 

Among the critical areas the referents stress a risk of a delay in the recruitment of Technical and R&D personnel, including PhD, Researchers (RTDA, RTDB) and research fellow highly specialised in sustainable transition issues and with research competences in line with Regional Innovation Ecosystem objectives and target. Another risk is delay in buying technical and scientific equipments, due to the complexity of administrative procedures 

All the project activities have been planned to ensure the alignment with general objectives and with specific actions that will be carried out by each Spoke. At this stage, a possible risk of double funding on equal tasks is not identified. In case of funding overlap risk, Hub and partners will be responsible to bring together similar activities, fully exploiting the economies of scale on common initiatives and allocating the remaining funds, for examples, to: carry out further activities, add new releases of the expected deliverables and achieve more significant targets than those foreseen.

4.5 RENERGY – Renewable Energy Cluster (Norway)

4.5.1 Introduction and framework

The Renewable Energy Cluster (RENERGY) is a non profit association base in Trondheim, Norway created in 2017. It works to develop energy systems, value chains and business opportunities by uniting participants with complementary roles for cooperation based development. It operates in the domain of the Clean Renewable Energy.

RENERGY represents the complete value chain in the field of renewable energy: energy companies, technology suppliers, expertise communities and end-users.

The cluster aims to stimulate sustainable value creation and low carbon transition by promoting innovation, increased production and efficient use of renewable energy and associated technologies. As a not-for-profit membership-based association RENERGY is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by a general assembly.

The cluster’s geographical point of gravity is the university city of Trondheim, the technology capital of Norway. The cluster is built upon international recognized principles for cluster initiatives, and certified as Cluster Management Excellence Label BRONZE under the European Cluster Excellence Initiative. RENERGY was in 2019–2021 a participant in the Norwegian Innovation Clusters program. 

4.5.2 Partners and Stakeholders

The Cluster is constituted by above 100 companies, research centers, public universities, municipalities and public regional institutions (county of Trondheim).  The main stakeholders involved are: Industry; Government, regional authorities, NGO from energy sector, civil society.

4.5.3 Main activities 

The most relevant specific domains where the Cluster operates are: 

Hydrogen: Hydrogen will be an important and necessary energy carrier to reduce climate gas emissions. Hydrogen is especially relevant as fuel for ships and heavy transport. By providing places to collaborate and share knowledge, innovation, technology and solutions, RENERGY contributes to the development of infrastructure and new value chains.

Maritime mobility: Cargo and passenger transport is the sector facing the biggest change in reducing climate gas emissions. The most important step is the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. RENERGY is engaged in the development of renewable energy as fuel for mobility purposes. This includes exploring topics such as energy storage, infrastructure, and new value chains for delivering high-effect energy to new areas.

Energy production: RENERGY is concerned with new production technology, the interaction between different production methods in energy systems, local energy systems, as well as economic yield in large-scale development projects.  

Energy systems: RENERGY brings together different key players to exchange trends and identify needs and opportunities for energy systems.

The cluster is involved in these specific activities:
.  Facilitator in finding partners and financial solution for innovation projects
.  Building cooperation-based innovation projects with the partners
.  Organizing training and specific courses
.  Fostering and planning innovation project based on cooperation
.  Enabling the transfer of knowledge
.  Participating in many international projects
.  Working as a point of contact between authorities, NGO and Business on behalf of the industry.

4.5.4 Definition of the strategic priorities and mobilization of the stakeholders 

The companies of the Cluster are directly involved in the Cluster strategic discussion. There are relatively few large conferences throughout the year, but frequent and constant workshop-based activity. The strategy can be modified continuously according to the societal needs with a regular update.  Meetings are held with small portions of the partners with small exclusive groups to resolve specific problems.  There are also two large annual meetings to align the general interests of all the members of the Cluster as well as four smaller thematic meetings of discussion of specific topic connected to the core activity of the group. There’s also a constant contact with the public authorities that is constantly involved as a key stakeholder (see paragraph 4.5.7)

The main way the private and public stakeholders are mobilized is working towards deep systemic changes in the domain of energy. The Cluster aims, effectively, to create new overall systems of production, distribution and use of energy and not only one or some technological specific solutions for limited aspects. Recalling continuously deep systemic change the Cluster manages to work as a point of attraction both for private business and public institutions making private and collective needs as consistent as possible with each other.

4.5.5 Governance process for R&D investments 

The ecosystem management pick up ideas and areas of interest through dialogue with the industry, meetings with partners and the network. The cluster continues by setting up consortium representing the relevant value chain, facilitating the process from the early stage where the participants explore gains and risks, to the complete setup of a partnership operating together in the development of innovative solutions. The ecosystems acts as a facilitator, neutral representative, negotiator/broker, and project manager. In some projects the cluster plays a larger role, in other projects, a smaller one. The cluster connects the companies/industry with research institutions and centers/programs and public authorities.

4.5.6 Co-creation and co-production processes and interconnections 

The way the Cluster constructs consortium with the industry and research centers is a form of co-creation in itself. There are also agreement of cooperation with the universities and specific program for students of both school and university. The Cluster is in connection with other Norwegian and European Clusters, notably in Northern countries and Baltic countries: maritime clusters from Sweden, from Denmark, Finland and Iceland, Hamburg energy cluster in Germany. Cooperation based project exist with Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and France clusters and organizations. There are direct relationships with the Chamber of commerce of Lithuania and Germany 

4.5.7 Private and public dimensions, sustainability

RENERGY Cluster essentially operates for the development, growth and competitiveness of the business companies operating in the energy domain in Norway. 

Although there are public territorial institutions as members of the Cluster, the Public Administration plays a minor role and can be reasonably considered as a key stakeholder. One the purposes of the Cluster is to create a constant connection between the PA and the companies. The public administrators are constantly involved in workshops and conferences and see the Cluster as a point of contact to strengthen the dialogue with the business fabric in the energy domain. Undoubtedly the private interest of the companies members as well as the development of the business sector as a whole are the prevalent objectives that guides the action of the Cluster. The ecosystems, effectively, was born as a private initiative of the companies of the sector.

However, the positive impact on the territorial and Norwegian economy (in terms of employment) as well as the evident implications on the environmental sustainability make the Clusters’ activities strongly connected to the public interest.

4.5.8 Financial sources 

In line with the environmental and social fallout of the activities of the Cluster the public actor provides to finance the group with a relevant share of its overall revenues. 50% of the resources are public, half of which as direct funds from regional government and the other half deriving from competitive projects. The other 50% derives from fees paid by the partners.

4.5.9 Results evaluation

The cluster is evaluated continually through direct contact with the members. The results are also evaluated in each project, as a typical project evaluation process. The basic cluster activities are evaluated by the board throughout the year, and by annual one-to-one meetings with members. 

4.5.10 Criticalities

The main criticality is the public regulation. According to the referents interviewed the public authorities have troubles of keeping up with the pace of the energy transition. The industry has responded, and are moving fast, but the PA must act fast, adjust the support schemes, adjust regulations, and give clear messages to the public. When the PA fails, or hesitates, the industry that already takes big market- and technological risks, gets a load of extra risk on their already heavy risk-exposed projects. 

4.6 IMAST – Italian technological district for the engineering of polymeric and composite materials and structures (Italy)

4.6.1 Introduction and framework

IMAST is an Italian district born in 2004 as an initiative by the Campania Region and Italian government. It aims to facilitate a stable cooperative system between the Italian research institutions and the most important industrial companies for the development and dissemination of advanced technologies. 

Acting as an intermediate organization in innovation processes and fostering links between scientific research and national small, medium, and large enterprises, IMAST designs and develops the connections between the two worlds, emphasizing its mission of territorial animation, fostering partnerships, providing resources and skills, with the aim of orienting and qualifying the trajectory of technological development.

The district operates in the field of engineering of polymeric and composite materials and structures framed within Sustainable Manufacturing. 

In line with the national and European strategies for the development of innovation, the growing of competitiveness, the valorization of excellence and talents, the activities of IMAST are concentrated along three strategic axes:

• strengthening international excellence in research, by facilitating the academy-company relationship, fostering the knowledge base and reducing fragmentation, through the development of a critical mass of interdisciplinary and innovative skills;
• attracting and train talents through shared paths with the most innovative and dynamic companies, in order to enhance and reward talent and make it a driver for innovation;
• accelerating the technological innovation of industry with the aim of promoting agglomeration processes, dimensional growth, qualitative and competitive raising of productions, organizations, skills, as well as their positioning in international markets, intercepting and attracting private investments in order to promote new entrepreneurship from emerging scientific and technological knowledge.

The transmission of know how is the core of the cluster’s mission. The strongest point of  IMAST is  the transfer of competences among the private companies operating in different sectors not in competition among them (e.g. the transfer of Know How from aeronautical sectors to other sectors or from electronics to automotive etc).

The intense development of the R&D activities innovation oriented is confirmed by the high number of researchers involved. Every year IMAST and its partners involve 240 researchers for their projects. 

4.6.2 Partners and stakeholders 

The members of the ecosystem are Companies, Institution and Research Centers, Universities and Bank Institutions.

Companies

Avio, Fiat Research Center, Cetena, Cytec – Solvay Group, Adler Plastic, Dompé, FCA, Leonardo Spa, MBDA, STMicroelectronics and Boeing Company as an associate member.

Institutions and Research Centers:

CNR, ENEA and Cira.

Universities

Polytechnic of Turin, Polytechnic of Bari, Federico II University, University of Salerno, Second University of Naples.

Bank Institutions

Istituto Banco di Napoli Foundation.

Even if the general reference sector of the district is engineering of polymeric and composite materials and structures, the companies members operate across other sectors indirectly linked to former one, such as: 

Sustainable  Mobility; Automotive; Nautical;  Aeronautics; Defense; Pharmaceutics.

4.6.3 Main activities and short history of the projects carried out

IMAST is  essentially an integrator of competences and technological and infrastructural knowhow. Other activities carried out: business plan competition, selection of entrepreneurial projects; promotion of technological initiatives and investments; networking.

The companies directly involved are all large business with high capacity of developing  innovation and research (Leonardo, Avio, Centro Ricerca Fita, Cetena, Citech, Adler Plastici, Dompé farmaceutici,  Fiat Grup Automobile, Mbdpa, ST Microelectronics).

The SME are not directly involved in the cluster as members, but, in some extent, they are  involved in some of the projects carried out and most of the results obtained by the District have a clear fallout to the SME of the Italian entrepreneurial fabric. Since the foundation IMAST performed projects directly oriented to the SME such as technological training and courses about intellectual copyright.

Other important specific project launched by the ecosystem along the time were:

•  In 2006-7 the first business plan competition lasting for 4 years was carried out. 
• Between 2012 – 2016 the project Full bright best: an initiative led by US Embassy for selecting entrepreneurial ideas with a permanence in the Sylicon Valley for 6 months.
• In 2018 the initiative Bust your tech was launched. Process of cooperative development among innovators, big firms, and investment funds.

4.6.4 Strategic priorities and mobilization of the stakeholders

IMAST members operate in diversified sectors, and they are not in competition with each other. The identification of the members’ priorities follow this path: first the industrial needs of the business members are collected in constant meetings and workshops; then from the set of needs collected the common topics and priorities are identified; thirdly the common priorities are matched with the varied competences expressed by the research centers members of the group; fourthly the projects started to be performed.

The private stakeholders are mobilized through the definition of the strategic priorities around shared aims of technological and knowledge transfer.

4.6.5 Co-creation and co-production process

The collection of the members’ needs in itself is a form of co-production. 

IMAST, furthermore, is engaged in educational projects with the direct participants of the students (e.g. Project OneZone IMAST Educational Lab that promoted the “understanding by design” connecting art and science.

4.6.6 Internationalization and connection with other clusters and organizations

IMAST supports and participates in many international projects. Here below a list of international projects promoted by the district:

. 2008-2011 SMART project: support to the SME with partners in 4 European countries

.2009: Memorandum of Understanding with technological south-Corean and Japanese consortia ; 

. 2010 participation in the Global Research Centers Networking for composites in aerospace.

. 2015-2020 participation at Clean Sky e JTI European programme about aeronautical research 

. 2019- onoing Rightweight: collaboration with con European partners to support the development of competitive solutions and innovation capacity of the SME 

. 2020-ongoing: collaboration with 13 European Clusters to promote the diffusion of light advanced materials

Project INOSUP and participation to numerous research projects with multi-sectorial

4.6.7 Public/Private dimensions 

IMAST was created under a public initiative led by Campania Region and Italian Government in 2004. Private companies, public centers of research and universities were gathered under the direction of the regional and national public administration giving rise to a district oriented to a strategy of the territorial development of a region that had and has structural macroeconomic criticalities. 

However IMAST was structured as a totally independent entity and the Public Administration did not participate as a partner in the district. Even if IMAST works essentially as a private entity aimed at protecting the overall interests of the companies that participate in it promoting the development and the opportunities of the members as the business community, at the same time, it is undeniable that the group works in strategic domains whose development has a relevant fallout in the Italian economic systems in terms of growth, employment and technological innovation.

Furthermore in the recent years the research on the innovative materials has been increasingly oriented towards the environmental sustainability and improvement of the quality of the human life. 

4.6.8 Financial sources

The complete autonomy of IMAST is also given by the absence of direct public funding. After a first public financial support when the ecosystem was constituted, from that moment on the revenue of the group only derives from: 1. competitive European or national projects; 2. fees guaranteed by the companies of the cluster. The ecosystem has never resorted to bank loans, and this is one the reasons of its financial stability and sustainability.

4.6.9 Results evaluation 

There is a constant monitoring of the clusters’ activity through different parameters of efficiency and effectiveness 
The main parameters used are:
. Widening of the network over time. 
. Creation of qualified and skilled employment generated indirectly and directly by IMAST
. Results in terms of quantity and quality of the research activities performed by the public research centers members of the cluster
. Staff direct recruitment by IMAST and then absorbed later by other companies of the sector
. Financial conditions and monitoring of the balance sheet

4.6.10 Criticalities 

The two most important critical elements stressed are:

• Fragmentation and lack of continuity in the public policies at regional and national level. Every government changes the lines of development and the definitions of the priorities of industrial policy thwarting or weakening any attempt of encouraging a synergic effort towards the innovation carried out by the public and private actors operating in the country at all levels including the activities within the district. This affects the success, in the long run, many initiatives promoted by IMAST. 
•  Chronicle lack of competences and specific abilities in the high-level management.

4.7 Packaging cluster (Spain, Catalonia)

4.7.1 Introduction and general framework

Packaging Cluster is a non-profit organization established in 2012 by Catalan companies. It represents the entire value chain of the packaging sector. The main objective of the entity is to help the competitive improvement of the companies that integrate it, with the purpose of solving the challenges of the current context, the promotion of innovation and the generation of new business opportunities. The cluster can be inscribed in the domain of the Sustainable manufacturing as one the objectives explicitly pursued is the development and transformation of the packaging sector under the constraint of a growing sustainability and reduction of the environmental impact of the packaging. 

4.7.2 Partners, Stakeholders and mission

The Cluster today gather more than 140 active members including companies (130), research and knowledge centers and institutional entities.  Among 130 companies, 87 are SME members (of which 20 are start-ups) and 17 are large companies. There are 9 research centers. The total amount of employee of the cluster is around 35000-50000 units.

The mission of the cluster is to improve the competitiveness (social, environmental, and economic) of the container and packaging ecosystem, through the promotion of market intelligence, networking and impact projects for the sector. The stakeholders of the cluster are the territorial productive fabric of Catalonia as well as the Public Administration.

4.7.3 Kind of activities carried out

As the highest representative of the container and packaging sector in Catalonia, the Packaging Cluster is developed under 5 strategic axes, which are: the generation of innovation projects and new businesses, market strategy and intelligence, the promotion of international connections, training and attracting talent, and networking and business cooperation. 

The main activities carried out by the Cluster are: RD Projects, Services for the companies, Training programs, Networking, Lectures and presentation, Thematic workshops, Market viewpoints.

4.7.4 Strategic priorities and mobilization of the stakeholders

In the general strategy of the cluster a key role is played by ACCIO, public agency for the competitiveness of Catalan enterprise attached to the Ministry of Business and Labour of the Generalitat (Government) of Catalonia.

ACCIÓ, as a public agency that supports the business, aims to promote the competitiveness and growth of the Catalan business fabric by fostering innovation, internationalization and attracting investment. ACCIÓ assists enterprise in the process of competitive differentiation and in the continuous search for new business opportunities. The agency promotes and encourages the constitution of cluster in Catalonia. So far it has established 27 clusters that already include more than 2,700 companies and partners, and have a turnover of over 70,000 million euros. In the relations with Packaging Cluster, ACCIO identifies goals and challenges for the sector and promotes a constant update of the strategy of the cluster.  Packaging Cluster defines a Business Plan with concrete objectives as much as possible consistent with the strategy planned with ACCIO.

4.7.5 Governance of R&D project

The cluster generates R&D&I projects at national and international level, synergies and consortia creation with complementary companies and knowledge centers to improve the business of the companies. Attending the specialized knowledge in the field of packaging, that range from suppliers of raw materials to the final brands, integral management of the entire project is performed with the aim of passing on improving competitiveness and value to the participating entities.

4.7.6 Connections with other clusters and co-production/co-creation processes

Packaging Cluster is in connection with the following clusters within the national and regional territory and in other European countries through the European Cluster collaboration Platform:

National-regional connections: Catalan Water Partnership (Catalonia, Spain); Beauty Cluster (Catalonia, Spain); Associacio Cluster Foodservice of Catalonia; Cluster Food+I (La Rioja, Spain);

European connections: Wagralim agri-food innovation cluster of Wallonia (Belgium), Nanoprogress z.s. (Czech Republic); Food Valley (Netherlands); Flanders food (Belgium); Valorial (France)

Furthermore Packaging Cluster participates in these national and international projects: Safe Smart Food (Spain); Global Foodture (Denmark); European Strategic Cluster Partnership for Advanced Smart Packaging (Czech Republic)

Intercluster activities as well as Networking, Thematic Workshops and Training programs are organized on a co-production basis with a direct participation of the stakeholders involved.

4.7.7 Private and public dimensions, financial sources 

Packaging Cluster works essentially as a facilitator and point of contact of their members: companies of the packaging sector participating in the cluster. Similarly to RENERGY, IMAST and to other clusters analyzed in the group of 15, the main aim of Packaging Cluster is the development of the sector and the competitive growth of the companies that operate there. After all, the initiative that brought to the birth of the cluster came from the companies themselves. So it can be said that the private interests are predominant in the general purpose of the ecosystem without denying that the fallout of the positive results concerns evidently a collective dimension in terms of employment, growth, technological development, sustainability. This last dimension does not seem to be at the core of clusters activity but remains important especially since the domain of the packaging is very sensitive to a process of technological evolution towards a growing use of sustainable and biodegradable materials. 

The prevalence of private aims seems consistent with the type of funds received by the cluster. The financial resources are divided as follows: 40% membership fees of the partners; 40% from competitive project regional, national and UE project; 20% services sold. There are no public direct funds.

4.7.8 Results evaluation 

In the Business Plan the Cluster defines KPIs for the next 4 years. Aligned to it, every year we define an Action Plan with 10 key points. In every Board of Directors (4 meetings per year) these key points are considered. 

4.7.9 Criticalities

Three critical areas have been pointed out:
1) Fragmentation and dispersion of the overall cluster system in Catalonia region;
2) Problem of services from the micro-business that need advices often as a free service;
3) For the small companies it’s difficult sometimes to participate actively in the cluster and the membership fees are quite heavy. 

4.8 Short final considerations about the 6 case-studies

The 6 ecosystems deemed in this further analysis clearly reveal the wide variety of experiences that an ecosystem can mean. Besides the fact that they represent the three domains considered (Bio-Based Circular Economy, Clean Renewable Energy and Sustainable Manufacturing), other important differences can be shortly mentioned here and then discussed more in depth in the next chapter within a general classification of the different typologies of ecosystems along significant dimensions.

ECOSISTER and Bioeconomy Austria are perfect examples of initiatives carried out following public objectives inspired by a wide regional-national and European general strategy based on explicit systemic change purposes. 

RENERGY and Packaging Cluster, on the opposite side, work as groups essentially focused on the development of the entrepreneurial fabric based of their sector through strategies of dynamic technological innovation (RENERGY shows a specific propensity towards systemic changes). 

Lastly IMAST and Forest Wise seem to be intermediate experiences. They both derive form public initiatives, but they also have a complete autonomy of action and pursue clear entrepreneurial objectives. At the same time they are focused on wider objectives: economic development and employment also beyond the regional territory (notably IMAST) and solutions of environmental and territorial problems (CoLAB ForestWISE). 

In the next chapter a further general classification will be proposed for a conclusive analysis of the 15 diverse experiences analyzed and we will return to these typological distinctions.