ClusterXchange is a new pilot scheme to support short-term exchanges to better connect Europe’s industrial ecosystems.

It facilitates transnational cooperation, peer learning, networking and innovation uptake between actors of different industrial clusters. It is implemented with support from cluster organisations that have teamed up in the European Cluster Partnerships | Excellence, which are transnational cluster partnerships selected under the European Cluster Excellence Programme as part of the European Commission’s COSME programme  Medic Nest is a transnational cluster partnership / a consortium of 4 clusters (Imago-Mol Cluster, Medvia, Hellenic BioCluster, Biotecyl), which has been selected under the ECEP in 2022.

An exchange in ClusterXchange (CXC) is a trip abroad by a visiting organization to a host organization to explore collaboration and opportunities.

Exchanges can be used to:

Learn from actors in another cluster

Explore growth opportunities in new markets

Adopt new technologies, digitalisation and green low-carbon solutions

Invest in strategic interregional collaboration

Activities during an exchange

The nature of each exchange exercise may follow different specific objectives within a broader approach aiming at the consolidation and/or the creation of new value chains across Europe.

The types of activities visiting and host organisations may carry out during an exchange are:

Individual or grouped capacity building

Sharing of knowledge, experience and information in specific areas

Project development, innovation and research and development

Market research

Networking, identifying new partners and creating business opportunities

Registration in the CXC tool (with our assistance @clusters within the Medic Nest consortium)

Travel time is a minimum of 3 days (excluding the day of arrival and departure) and a maximum of 1 month

Travel expenses are reimbursed in the form of a lump sum (which differs depending on the country of destination and in full only if the duration of the visit is 5 days, otherwise the amount is reduced by half)

An organization can be a one-time visitor (one person)

Travel must take place within the EU or COSME associated countries

The visitor/host organization must be a member of a cluster

A CXC may include: training / learning activities, market prospecting, exchange of knowledge and experience, activities for the development of joint projects, business mission, participation in fairs and exhibitions.

More general information on WHO can participate and what are the BENEFITS, as well as HOW can you participate (what are the steps you should follow) and WHERE to seek SUPPORT, you can find on the European Cluster Collaboration Platform website.