"Connecting, Match-making and Clustering: new strategies to foster entrepreneurship and to strengthen the competitiveness of European SMEs"

10 September, 2007

ClusterNet partners will involve SMEs in local training and match-making events. Then, the most dynamic and promising SMEs will be introduced to International Trade Fairs, encouraging strategic alliances and increasing their potentiality to reach new markets and new clients.

Logistical, service and financial support is available to SMEs joining the ClusterNet programme.

ClusterNet intends to provide SMEs with tools designed to help them obtain a competitive advantage, identify potential markets and develop new business opportunities they cannot find on their own.

The objective of ClusterNet is to help SMEs across Europe identify new opportunities in international markets and turn them into concrete business.

The project aims at promoting advanced business cooperation formulas such as Match-Making and Clustering as strategies to foster entrepreneurship and to strengthen the competitiveness of European SMEs.

To achieve this, ClusterNet will:

• facilitate the participation of SMEs in local events in order to raise awareness on the business support services available to them. The most promising and dynamic SMEs will, then, be invited to participate in International Trade Fairs where ClusterNet will be present.

In the Fairs, ClusterNet will provide the SMEs with services and logistical assistance such as stands and reserved business areas in order to give them the unique opportunity to have visibility, meet and share knowledge with other SMEs and meet new clients.

• ClusterNet also welcomes the participation of Business Support Organisations and aims at improving the business support services provided to European SMEs.

• ClusterNet also aims at fostering the development and internationalisation of existing clusters and identifying new cross-border cluster opportunities. In order to achieve this, ClusteNet partners will establish strategic contacts with cluster managers, local authorities and Chambers of Commerce and Industry and facilitate clustering and networking activities between clusters at cross-border / international level.

These activities will result in great opportunities for SMEs to establish new strategic alliances with other SMEs, obtain competitive advantage and develop new business opportunities.

For further information http://www.clusternet.org