1. Internationalisation, Cross-Fertilization,
Smart Specialisation
Moderator: Jean-Noël Durvy, Sophia Antipolis Foundation
Speakers:
Rene Tonisson, Baltic Innovation Agency
Peter Simkens, DSP Valley
Vedat Kunt, VEGO Consulting Ltd.Izmir
Patrick Vuillermoz, French Cluster Plastipolis
Ivan Boesso, Veneto Innovazione
Peter Hahn, VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH

2. Accelerating globalisation (1/2)
• According to Global Europe 2050, globalisation
will increase in the next decades
• EU represents today around 30% of the world
GDP, it would only represent between 15 and
17% of world GDP in 2050
• Fast growing markets are in other parts of the
world. Therefore, internationalisation is key for
European enterprises and EU economic growth
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 2

3. Accelerating globalisation (2/2)
• A few reasons for SMEs to become
international:
– Technology watch, economic intelligence,
benchmarking its competitiveness and positioning
on the market
– Exporting on fast growing markets, building
technology and commercial partnerships
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 3

4. Internationalisation is not easy for
SMEs
• You can never know enough about your potential
partner
• You can never work together with somebody you
don’t know
• It takes time to build mutual trust, specially in
multi-cultural environment
• SMEs lack time and intermediary structures (like
cluster management team) can play a key role to
help them becoming international
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 4

5. Some suggestions
• A favorable environment for innovation, creativity and
entrepreneurship
• Cluster organisations with a critical size or
interclustering
• Interclustering requires consensus: common
geographical and thematic targets
• Platforms where potential partners can meet and
match
• Matchmaking events with an appropriate and robust
technology
European Commission
Enterprise and Industry 26.04.2012 5