Ontario Government Launches Fund to Develop Cluster Initiatives
Through a partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the government of Ontario is launching the Cluster Development Seed Fund, offering grants of up to $100,000 to support cluster initiatives. The funds are part of the Partnerships for Jobs and Growth Act, passed in 2014 by the Ontario government.
The Water Council Announces Partnerships to Advance U.S. Water Entrepreneurship
Veolia, The Water Council, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation have reached an agreement to launch the emPowering Opportunities in Water (POW!) program – a two-year national competition to support entrepreneurship and economic development while fostering sustainability efforts in the field of water.
Indian Government Developing Billion Dollar Innovation Fund
After its first year of work, India's National Innovation Council has released a report on development of a long-term innovation roadmap. The keystone of this strategy is a Rs 5000 crores ($968,615,000 U.S.) India Inclusive Innovation Fund to support small businesses, paired with an Industry Innovation Cluster Initiative. The report provides background on other Indian initiatives, such as the pilot University Innovation Cluster at the University of Delhi, the country's twenty Design Innovation Centres and the new State Innovation Councils.
Canadian government announces winners of C$950 supercluster initiative
While the United States grapples with yet another proposed budget that drastically reduces investments in innovation, Canada’s federal government has announced that five industry-led organizations will share up to C$950 million as part of the country’s supercluster initiative.
While the United States grapples with yet another proposed budget that drastically reduces investments in innovation, Canada’s federal government has announced that five industry-led organizations will share up to C$950 million as part of the country’s supercluster initiative. The superclusters program, a part of the Trudeau government’s innovation and skills agenda announced last year, seeks to encourage leaders from business, research institutions, and the public sector to support the growth of targeted industry sectors. Other elements of the strategy include investments in venture capital, entrepreneurship, and collaborative R&D projects. Although there were originally nine semi-finalists for the superclusters awards, many of the losing bids ended up joining forces with the five winning initiatives:
Cluster opportunity to establish international link
U.S. clusters looking to collaborate with European clusters are invited to an event taking place in Washington, D.C., during the TechConnect World Innovation Conference, on May 16, 2017. The seminar and matchmaking event is being organized by the European Cluster Collaboration Platform and BILAT USA 4.0. BILAT USA 4.0 seeks to support transatlantic cluster cooperation for strategic business partnerships and enhance, support and further develop the research and innovation cooperation between the European Union and the U.S.