First Accredited Innovation Cluster Titles Awarded11 September 2008
Nine Hungarian clusters with serious innovation and export potentials were awarded the preferential title "Accredited Innovation Cluster” on 10 September. President of the Pole Accreditation Committee Dr Géza László and President of NDA Dr Márton Vágó handed over the certificates to the representatives of clusters awarded this title.
Altogether 11 clusters have so far applied for accreditation from 6 regions, which exceeds expectations.
Self-organising enterprise groups building from the bottom up and exploiting advantages ensuing from the way they unite their knowledge and skills during the course of cooperation are eligible to receive funding within the framework of the Pole Programme.
The aim of accreditation is to acknowledge developing Hungarian clusters that have demonstrated how they have managed to cooperate efficiently for over one year and have institutionalised this professional cooperation by entering into an agreement. The 7-member Pole Accreditation Committee selects the nominees of the Accreditation Innovation Cluster title pursuant to the request of the Minister for National Development and Economy Mr Gordon Bajnai.
Clusters awarded Accreditation Innovation Cluster titles do not directly receive any financial assistance. Accredited clusters and their members are eligible to submit applications in response to calls announced by the National Development Agency specifically and exclusively targeted at clusters or cluster members; in addition, they are eligible to receive extra points during the tender evaluation procedure in the case of specific calls not exclusively targeted at accredited clusters.
First Accredited Innovation Cluster title holders:
|
Cluster |
No. of members (No.) | No. of SMEs (No.) |
Founded |
Annual net turnover, total revenue (HUF), 2007 |
|
PHARMAPOLIS Quality of Life Cluster |
14 |
11 |
2007 |
2 716 658 000 |
| Pécs Health Industry Innovation Cluster |
16 |
16 |
2007 |
4 062 514 670 |
|
Omnipack First Hungarian Packaging Technology Cluster |
16 |
13 |
2003 |
5 357 928 000 |
| PharmacoFood Cluster | 22 | 15 | 2007 | 145 877 039 368 |
|
Mobilitás (Mobility) Multimedia Cluster |
40 |
23 |
2007 |
661 889 373 521 |
|
Medical Biotechnology Innovation Cluster |
38 |
33 |
2005 | 3 488 064 209 |
|
Hungarian Medical Manufacturers and Services Cluster |
21 |
21 |
2006 |
7 477 237 000 |
|
Pannon R+D+I+E Cluster |
17 |
10 |
2006 |
26 310 473 000 |
|
Goodwill Biotechnology Cluster |
23 |
18 |
2007 |
37 820 327 000 |
|
207 |
160 |
894 999 614 768 |
Accredited clusters have a total of 160 small- and medium-size enterprise members, which represents 77% of the overall membership; moreover, nearly the entire technological natural sciences higher education and academic research network is either directly or indirectly connected to some form of cooperation.
Up to 2010, accredited clusters are anticipated to launch approximately 100 product, service or technological developments representing high added value in the field of biotechnology, the pharmaceutical industry, functional food industry, IT and conventional industry and suitable for ensuring entry into the international market.
Accreditation is currently open for Hungarian clusters, since this procedure can be initiated on an ongoing basis. The Accreditation Committee will award the title one more time in 2008 and will announce the nominees selected from among the candidates that submitted applications up to 30 September at the end of year in December.
