Main objective – Innovation and adoption of new processes and advanced technologies for strategic autonomy, to build capacity in the most critical areas of their ecosystems, and to reinforce transformation into a greener, more digital, and resilient economy.

• Innovation for strategic autonomy

The aim is to reduce the dependency of companies in the ecosystem on critical inputs and critical technologies through the development of novel ideas, substitutes, innovative products, or services.

Innovation is central to cope with disruptions in supply and to accelerate the uptake of green and digital technologies. Euroclusters shall identify innovation potential in theirvalue chains. They shall undertake innovation activities, such as any developmental, financial, and commercial activities undertaken by a company that are intended to result in an innovation for the company.

Euroclusters shall support companies, in particular SMEs, in a business innovation, i.e., introducing on the market or bringing into use by the companies a new or improved product or business process (or combination thereof) that differs significantly from the company’s previous products or business processes and that contributes to the strategic autonomy of the EU industrial ecosystems as well as that of supported companies. Euroclusters should look to cooperate effectively with local and other actors which design or implement projects under the Horizon Europe programme or the national and regional smart specialisation strategies under the Cohesion policy funding.

• Adoption of new-to-firm processes and advanced technologies

The aim is to support companies and SMEs in adopting processes and technologies that improve the value chains’ efficiency, e.g., related to the use of resources, and uptake of green technologies and digital solutions.

To accelerate the green transition, Euroclusters need to improve resource efficiency, support green entrepreneurship and facilitate market access for SMEs offering green products and services.

To succeed in the digital transition, Euroclusters need to support their members in the uptake of digital solutions, adopting digital instruments and developing a digital component in their business models.

The objective of the Euroclusters will also be to prepare and help businesses to adopt advanced technologies, e.g., Internet of Things (IoT), photonics, nanotechnologies, artificial intelligence. Euroclusters should foster the establishment of strategic collaboration between tech-savvy companies and traditional businesses, with particular attention to SMEs, focusing on the benefits of adopting advanced technologies. In particular, the Euroclusters should help build a portfolio of projects among traditional and tech-savvy companies to promote companies’ collaboration and technology adoption within and across specific industrial ecosystems. This objective is aiming to raise awareness on existing solutions and help accelerate their uptake.

In these areas, it will be essential that Euroclusters cooperate effectively with other support providers and networks and avoid unnecessary duplication.

Secondary supporting objectives – The secondary objectives of this call for proposals aim at reinforcing the main objective (i.e., the “Innovation and adoption of new processes and advanced technologies for strategic autonomy”).

• Establish networks and strategic partnerships to improve the resilience of the EU industrial ecosystems by developing and strengthening value chains in the EU Single Market.

The specific aim is to strengthen value chains through the integration of different actors, competences, and solutions.
Euroclusters can contribute to building resilience by mobilising different actors who have complementary assets and talents.

• Provide training to foster upskilling and reskilling of the workforce and attracting talents.

Partners of Euroclusters can share their experience in analysing, designing and delivering a common strategy and/or on implementing a roadmap on green and digital skills for the clusters. Euroclusters can jointly develop a portfolio of services and implement collaborative actions to build up their training infrastructures, knowledge, and capacities. They could facilitate the upskilling and reskilling of the cluster members’ workforce, enhance the skills-related services that clusters could provide to their members, engage in regional skills ecosystems and in European and national level initiatives, and cooperate with vocational training organisations.

It would be important that Euroclusters cooperate effectively with other actors and support networks on this objective.

• Go international to boost access to global supply and value chains.

The aim is to reach collaboration agreements with entities in third countries leading to market access for EU companies, and to lead international cluster cooperation in fields of strategic interest.

Euroclusters can develop and implement a joint internationalisation strategy, support SME internationalisation towards third countries beyond Europe, and sign collaboration agreements with entities in third countries.
They can develop a joint ‘European’ strategic vision with a global perspective and common goals towards specific third markets and explore ways of rebuilding and reconnecting international supply and value chains, reshaping their global possibilities to a new reality and taking rational positions in risk exposure.

Euroclusters should strive to successfully support the internationalisation of their SME members towards specific third countries, and/or strengthen their resilience in global value chains that they are already active in, and/or attracting strategic foreign direct investment and cooperation partners and/or securing critical imports, knowledge and technologies with a view to support growth, jobs and investment in Europe. In addition, the Euroclusters could demonstrate swift adaptability to future developments in international trade and coherence of their priorities with EU strategies, notably as regards trade policy.

In order to achieve this objective, Euroclusters can take advantage of matchmaking events and activities organised by the ECCP – when possible and when in line with the objectives of the SMEs that they are assisting.

For further details please visit p. 7 – 21 of the call document.

Financial support to third parties (SMEs):
At least 75% of the grant must be directed by the Eurocluster as financial support to third parties, the SMEs, via cascade funding by means of open calls fulfilling the conditions described in p. 17 – 18 of the call document.