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Bringing biotech to classical industry sectors

 
Assessed through the ABCEurope Project Cluster Management Special Interest Group - Heidelberg May 2011 'Building value for cluster actors'
The service
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SynPro is an economic development programme that links biotechnology to classical industry sectors, delivered by BioPro Baden-Wurttemberg.
The programme has the mission to strengthen economic delivery of all sectors - biotechnology in delivering partnerships and technologies, and classical industry sectors through solutions to problems and enhanced competitiveness.
The sectors targeted include plastics, textiles, machine building, medical technology, environmental technology, pharma, chemistry, energy and food.
The programme has key steps:
  • Identification of challenges in classical sectors
  • BioPro team investigates potential technologies that would meet this challenge
  • Creation of potential partner framework
  • Creation of moderated partnerships
Following this stage the partners create private contracts for further partnership.
Significant companies have taken part in this programme, Bosch, Daimler etc. and the programme yields a 50% success rate in the transfer of partner searches to private contracts for research partnership.  There is a highly skilled team behind BioPro, strongly managed within a long term programme.
Assessment of service

Criteria

Evaluation

Value to cluster actors

High: For biotechnology companies and researchers in building wider industry partnerships.

Value to cluster as a whole

High: This is a very strong tool in creating a cohesive cross-sector cluster

Impact on quality of services in cluster

Not applicable

Cost

High: There is a dedicated, highly skilled scientific and business development team

Ease of implementation

Low: Significant resource must be committed

Size of cluster

Large

Suitable for...

A large cross-sectoral cluster

Skills required

Very high: The team must have the highest scientific and business management capability to interact at a highly technical level with industry and senior researchers

Value for cluster management

High: Trusted partnerships across all organisation types and creation of a strong central skills hub within the cluster

Value in wider networking

High: Greater benefit would be gained by networking with similar programmes in other clusters

Barrier to entry

Long term investment and commitment from public finance plus an absolute need for the best skills if the programme is to deliver the economic return for companies.