Public Consultation: The future of the Competitiveness Clusters Policy

Régions de France is launching an online public consultation on the future of the competitiveness cluster policy. All stakeholders will be given the opportunity to define the post-2022 contours of the policy and to reflect on the changes needed to meet the transition and new needs of cluster "users. This is the purpose of this public consultation, which is open until March 7.

 

Indeed, since 2020 and the decision of regionalization taken by the State, the Regions are in charge of the piloting of the policy of competitiveness clusters. In 2022, the "phase 4" of this policy will come to an end. The consultation will examine the evolution of the clusters' missions (collaborative R&D, support for companies, support for transformations, etc.), their economic model for the future (public and/or private financing methods, funding opportunities and methods), the relationship between the different levels of management (regional, interregional, national) and access to national and European funding.

 

The objective is to develop concrete solutions to meet the challenges of decarbonization and climate change in particular, as well as the new needs of the clusters' "users" (companies, industries, territories, etc.).

A quick look back: in 2018, 54 clusters (including Plastipolis and Elastopole, which will become the Polymeris cluster in 2021), involving nearly 18,000 companies of all sizes and 2,000 public-sector players (universities, research laboratories, training providers, etc.), received the competitiveness cluster "label," giving them increased visibility and dedicated public funding.

 

Launched in 2004, the competitiveness cluster policy is an important lever in French innovation policy. For nearly two decades, it has embodied a unique concept of innovation policies and the conditions for their implementation: the need to create dynamic ecosystems for innovation, anchored in the regions, driven by close and intense public-private cooperation and partnerships, uniting their strengths and energies to serve innovation and competitiveness.