More than 50 B2B meetings and five cluster exchanges facilitated at the European Advanced Process Control and Manufacturing (apc|m) Conference and the Smart Systems Integration Conference & Exhibition (SSI) in Bruges - in the up-and-coming region of Flanders.

Meeting the advanced process control and smart systems community in Bruges

For the first time, apc|m and SSI were co-organized in the same location giving participants access to both communities from 28 – 30 March 2023. More than 300 international guests attended the event and used it to get up to date on the latest solutions, products, and research results in the field of advanced process control, manufacturing effectiveness, smart systems integration & system solutions. Furthermore, the double tech conference provided multiple networking opportunities, closely linked conference areas, an exhibition space, scheduled B2B matchmaking sessions as well as networking & evening events.

Three-day conference programme with focus on networking and scheduled B2B meetings

Next to the top-notch tech talks, participants had enough time to meet and talk to prospective partners or clients. A special highlight this year was the B2match platform on which participants could pre-arrange their B2B meetings. That way, more than 50 meetings were scheduled through the system next to numerous spontaneous meetings and exchanges. Especially the participants of the EXCITE cluster exchanges used the system to make the most of their trip to Bruges, Belgium. To connect with the Belgian ecosystem, selected guests were invited to a special networking dinner with Flanders semiconductors as well as other local initiatives and companies.

Thank you to Silicon Saxony for the organisation and Bruges for the warm welcome!

Five organisations participated in the ClusterXchange mission to Bruges, Belgium: Intelligent Fluids, Hahn-Schickard, Deaxo, Convanit & ESPAT - consulting

About EXCITE

EXCITE aims to strengthen cluster management and facilitate exchange and strategic partnership between cluster staff and cluster members by using the ClusterXchange system. ClusterXchange is a new pilot project to promote short-term exchanges to better connect industrial ecosystems in Europe. The project will focus on skills, processes and services related to digital transformation - both in terms of the cluster organisation itself and its members, to be able to support them in successfully accessing global markets.

Your advantage as company, cluster or scale-up organisation:As a participant in the organised business delegations, you will not only get to know innovative regions, take part in renowned events and individual B2B meetings free of charge, but also receive financial support to offset your travel costs.

Project Duration: 01.02.2022 – 31.01.2024

Project partners:

• Silicon Saxony (Project Coordinator)
• Cluster for Digital Transformation and Innovations
• Business Hive Vilnius Cluster
• GAIA.-Association of Knowledge and Applied Technologies industries in the Basque Country
• Mazovia Cluster ICT

Pôle SCS