The overall objective of the Photonics4Industry Partnership is to strengthen cluster management excellence, create exchange opportunities and build a sustainable pan-European strategic partnership of 5 photonics clusters in order to accelerate industrial modernisation, particularly enhancing the competitiveness of member small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The objective will be achieved by developing a joint partnership strategy, improving cluster excellence, developing new services for cluster members, promoting peer learning with ClusterXchange mobility scheme, while implementing joint business to business (B2B) and cluster to cluster (C2C) activities, including outreach to non-photonics Industry clusters, linking to EU and regional policies, including smart specialization, and increasing awareness of the new ecosystem and it’s digital platform.

The expected results are:

1. Development of necessary skills and initiatives to explore and take up new inter-regional SME value chains and solutions related to industrial modernisation, increase competitiveness and global market access for photonics SMEs
2. Increased cluster managers capabilities to support SMEs during industrial transformation and clusters impact for industrial transformation
3. Joint service portfolio and cluster excellence building by cooperation of photonics clusters extended to outreach Industry clusters and other stakeholders

Photonics4Industry will deliver at least 100 cluster exchanges via ClusterXchange scheme in at least 5 European countries. At least 12 consortia staff members will enhance cluster management skills and at least 250 SMEs will benefit from at least 20 new individual and joint services developed during the project. Cooperation agreements will be signed with at least 2 external non-photonics Industry clusters and with at least 5 established innovation networks. 1000 SMEs will be reached by project communication