Innovation Clusters

An example of cluster policy measures focusing on value chain development to foster green transition processes can be found in Saxony, Germany. In 2017 the regional government of Saxony launched a competition for the forming of Innovation Clusters with the aim of developing and implementing new value chains in Saxony. The competing consortia of existing clusters, companies or research organisations had to set out their plan to establish a new value chain in Saxony and set out how this new value chain would support the green transition. Many of the winning consortia had therefore a very strong focus on technologies that are important for those transitions. Good examples of this approach can be seen in the innovation clusters on hydrogen propulsion (http://hzwo.eu/), the innovation cluster on lightweight construction (https://www.leichtbau-sachsen.de/innovationscluster-in-der-provinz/) or the innovation cluster on sensors (https://www.sensorik-sachsen.de/). With the competitive approach the regional authority of Saxony would like to identify the most innovative and market-ready value chains to foster.