Lombardy's Technology Clusters for Competitiveness and Innovation

(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Unity is strength. In a world that is facing new challenges and a dual transition, digital and ecological, research and innovation are key factors for remaining competitive. Within this framework, it is crucial to have the skills and capabilities to drive the new processes. In an economic and industrial fabric such as the one in Italy, and also in Lombardy, characterised by so many SMEs, companies could find themselves disoriented and, to avoid this, the Lombard Technological Clusters (CTL) can play a fundamental role. The fruit of a journey that began more than 10 years ago, the CTLs were set up from the outset with the aim of "encouraging the widest possible participation of the territory in regional, national and community strategies and initiatives, to ensure that they produce concrete and positive impacts on the competitiveness and wellbeing of communities".

Since 2014, the Lombardy Region has recognised and financially supported the development of 9 technology clusters at regional level, for the start-up and consolidation phase, with the aim of involving the entire innovation ecosystem by facilitating the activation of collaborations and synergies between the various players. The 9 Lombardy Technology Clusters recognised by the Lombardy Region bring together more than 750 subjects (more than 550 companies together with Research Centres, Universities, public and private institutions and other organisations of the Lombardy innovation ecosystem) variously distributed throughout the provincial territories and focused on a specific technological and application field. The Clusters are focused on specific themes: Aerospace, Agrofood, Green Chemistry, Energy & Environment, Advanced Manufacturing, Mobility, Life Sciences, Smart Cities & Communities, Technologies for Living Environments. They aim to contribute to supporting research, innovation and competitiveness of the relevant economic system, at local, national and international level. To do so, they provide diversified services to their members, facilitating collaboration between Lombardy's industrial, scientific and technology transfer actors through the various thematic/transversal working groups created within them; they act as authoritative consultation bodies for the governing body; they map the competences of their members to increase collaboration and partnership opportunities within and outside the cluster; they participate in European projects and networks to strengthen their competences and increase the competitiveness of their members; they offer training seminars and information services specific to their field of competence. Their added value lies in the fact that they are a network of scientific and industrial actors capable of achieving sufficient critical mass to address the main challenges of a given sector. In addition to facilitating collaboration between enterprises, universities, research and technology transfer centres, they represent an authoritative intermediate governance body, recognised by the Lombardy Region, capable of: facilitating the inclusiveness also of small realities (SMEs and start-ups); enhancing the results of R&R actions on the territory; promoting the excellences of the territory in the creation of new value chains (including European ones); supporting the Lombardy Region in the process of defining and updating the strategy in the field of research and innovation; representing the priorities of the Lombardy Region at regional, national and EU tables.

Clusters will be the focus of the 'Clusters meet Regions' event to be held on 26 and 27 March 2024 in the Sala Biagi of Palazzo Lombardia. This is an international event organised by the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (Eccp) on behalf of the European Commission. The event aims to bring together in Milan over 200 representatives of European clusters and companies, national and regional public authorities, business support organisations from Italy and other European regions, investors and other industrial innovation players. An extraordinary opportunity for reflection and analysis on the strategies adopted and their impact at local level, for sharing best practices and for creating and strengthening networks and joint projects.

Associazione Fabbrica Intelligente Lombardia, focuses on advanced manufacturing. It has 143 members, of which 113 companies, 17 research organisations and 13 other entities.

Cluster Alta Tecnologia Agrifood Lombardia, active in nutrition. It has 14 members, including 4 companies, 4 research organisations and 6 other entities.