Description
Exploring the Innovation Ecosystem: Clusters as Catalysts for Regional Competitiveness
The Clusters Meet Regions event in Rzeszów, Poland, took place on 3-4 June 2025, hosted by the Local Government of the Podkarpackie Region in collaboration with the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) on behalf of the European Commission. This event is part of the broader Clusters Meet Regions series, which aims to strengthen the role of clusters in regional economic development by fostering collaboration between clusters, policymakers, businesses, and research institutions.
With a strong industrial base, the Podkarpackie Region has positioned itself as one of the leaders in aerospace and advanced manufacturing, with clusters playing a crucial role in these sectors. The event provided participants a unique opportunity to explore the innovation ecosystem in the Podkarpackie Region and highlight the role of clusters in boosting regional competitiveness, supporting smart specialisation, and advancing green and digital transitions. It also offers an excellent opportunity to discuss security and dual-use technology and developments in the drone industry.
🗓️ Final Agenda
Presented materials in the frame of the event:
Setting the Scene: Presentation of the ECCP input paper on Podkarpackie
- Dr. Jan-Philipp Kramer, Head of EU Services, Prognos - download presentation
Pitching session:
- East Automotive Alliance, Aleksander Grabski - download presentation
- Oy Merinova Ab/EnergyVaasa Cluster, Johan Wasberg - download presentation
- Arctic Cluster Team – ACT, Monica Paulsen - download presentation
- Aviation Valley, Claudia Sidor - download presentation
- Polish Automotive Group, Bartosz Mielecki - download presentation
- Organic-Food cluster POLSKA EKOLOGIA, Ireneusz Drzewiecki - download presentation
HOST REGION AND CONTEXT
The Local Government of the Podkarpackie Region is the leading entity responsible for designing and implementing the region’s economic development and innovation policies. As a key facilitator of the regional innovation ecosystem, it ensures strong cooperation among stakeholders from business, academia, administration, and society. While Podkarpackie does not have a dedicated cluster policy, its Regional Innovation Strategy for 2021-2030 (RSI WP) integrates clusters as key enablers of economic transformation.
The RSI WP identifies four strategic objectives to enhance the region’s innovation capacity:
Strengthening the innovation ecosystem
Increasing the competitiveness of enterprises
Developing human capital to meet labour market needs
Promoting the internationalisation of the regional economy
Clusters play a vital role in the entrepreneurial discovery process, the industrial transition, and sustainability efforts, which was a core theme of the event.
EVENT OBJECTIVES
The Clusters Meet Regions event in Rzeszów aimed to:
Demonstrate the impact of clusters in the regional innovation ecosystem and their role in achieving the goals of the Regional Innovation Strategy.
Facilitate cross-border cooperation between clusters, businesses, and research institutions to enhance innovation and internationalisation.
Provide a platform for policy dialogue, allowing regional and European stakeholders to exchange best practices on cluster-driven economic development.
Explore the integration of clusters into European value chains and their role in the green and digital transitions.
Offer networking opportunities to promote new business collaborations, investment opportunities, and R&D partnerships.
EVENT FORMAT AND KEY ACTIVITIES
The programme was designed to complement the EU Industry Days 2025 event, scheduled immediately after the Clusters Meet Regions on 5-6 June 2025 to ensure a high-impact week of activities for regional and international participants.
The two-day programme featured high-level discussions and hands-on engagement opportunities. Participants took part in panel sessions such as:
- "Dual-Use Technologies and Defence Readiness" – exploring synergies between civilian and defence applications.
- "Circular Economy and Decarbonisation" – examining how clusters are driving sustainable industrial practices.
- "Unmanned and Autonomous Systems" – showcasing regional strengths and future collaboration opportunities.
The event also featured pitching sessions from regional startups and clusters, as well as site visits to leading innovation centres in the Podkarpackie Region, including the Podkarpackie Science and Technology Park and the Technology Park and the Podkarpackie Innovation Centre.
Participants gained insights into the region’s smart specialisation priorities and discover practical opportunities for European cooperation and innovation.
Day 1, 3 June 2025
The first day featured an opening session with representatives from the European Commission, the Local Government of Podkarpackie, and key cluster stakeholders.
The discussion sessions covered topics related to the innovation ecosystem and industrial transformation. The event provided clusters with a platform to showcase their activities through interactive pitching sessions. The first day concluded with a networking opportunity for participants to establish new connections and explore potential joint projects.
Day 2, 4 June 2025
The second day of the event focused on dual-use technologies and their application in enhancing security and fostering innovation, the development of drone applications across different economic sectors, and the contribution of European funds to regional economic growth.
The event provided startups with the opportunity to showcase their innovative solutions, business models, and potential collaboration opportunities during the pitching session.
Site visits combined with Industry Days included:
Podkarpackie Innovation Center – a key institution supporting R&D and technology transfer in the region.
Technology Incubator of the Podkarpackie Science and Technology Park – fostering high-tech entrepreneurship and industrial innovation.
The event was held in English and Polish, with simultaneous translation available.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The Clusters Meet Regions event in Rzeszów, Poland brought together both regional and European stakeholders together to explore how clusters can foster industrial transformation, resilience, and cross-sectoral innovation. brought together 142 participants, including:
Cluster organisations from Poland and across Europe
Regional and national policymakers
SMEs, startups, and industry leaders
Research and academic institutions
Business support organisations and development agencies
VENUE AND LOGISTICS
The event took place at the Podkarpackie Science and Technology Park in Jasionka, which offers state-of-the-art conference facilities and is conveniently located nearby:
Rzeszów-Jasionka International Airport, offering direct connections to major European cities.
Hotels and public transport, providing easy access to the city centre.
Zen.com Arena Exhibition and Convention Center, the venye of the Industry Days 2025 event.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The Clusters Meet Regions event in Rzeszów sought to deliver the following outcomes:
Stronger collaboration between clusters and innovation stakeholders in Podkarpackie and across Europe.
New cooperation agreements between businesses, research institutions, and regional authorities.
Greater visibility for regional clusters, positioning them within European and international value chains.
Policy recommendations on how clusters can contribute to regional innovation strategies and economic development.
As one of the key international events in the Podkarpackie Region for 2025, Clusters Meet Regions in Rzeszów served as a strategic platform for fostering regional and European collaboration, strengthening cluster-driven innovation, and shaping the future of smart specialisation and industrial transformation in Poland and beyond.
AGENDA
The Agenda can be found here.