LE2C brings the cluster model to the B20

Luca Donelli, President of the Lombardy Energy Cleantech Cluster, served as a co-chair of the Task Force dedicated to SME development at the Business 20, the G20 business forum organised this year by the Argentine presidency, representing the European Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs, which he led in 2016.

The B20 develops concrete policy proposals for submission to governments, with the aim of creating new and better jobs, growth, and development. The process is carried out by various Task Forces comprising approximately 100 business representatives from all G20 countries and invited nations. "The proposals addressed to the G20 heads of state and government” explains Luca Donelli, “focus on developing entrepreneurial culture, attracting talent, regulatory simplification, the digitalisation of businesses, and facilitating access to finance. Regarding the latter, the Elite programme of Borsa Italiana and the instruments supporting SMEs generated by initiatives such as PIRs (Individual Savings Plans) have attracted particular interest."

“Furthermore, the importance given to technology clusters in this international forum represents – according to Donelli –, a recognition of the European open innovation model, promoted by the European Commission towards the development of an ecosystem that views technology clusters, digital innovation hubs, and competence centres as integrated tools capable of improving the competitiveness and innovation of regions through increasing interaction between businesses, research centres, and universities. The commitment of European, national, and regional institutions to facilitating the acceleration of this process and valuing the results achieved is also significant. For this reason, regional initiatives such as “Lombardia è Ricerca”, with concrete measures, calls for proposals, and mechanisms to promote lasting collaborations between the research supply chain and the production sector, serve as an important launchpad”.

In the final recommendations for governments, presented to President Mauricio Macri, the role of Technology Clusters is highlighted as an exemplary method for facilitating open collaboration and knowledge transfer between businesses and research, as well as for building best practices.“For the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, the B20 encourages the development of clusters and innovative networks as an exemplary method of participatory knowledge management and the construction of best practices”.Among the solutions highlighted is the promotion of the Italian model of open innovation and collaboration between the business and research worlds, based on competence centres, technology clusters, and digital innovation hubs.