<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW103910130 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-user-drag:none;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);clear:both;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);cursor:text;direction:ltr;font-family:&quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Web&quot;, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;overflow:visible;padding:0px;position:relative;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;user-select:text;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><h2>The Impact of Clusters on the Uptake of Advanced Technologies in Europe&nbsp;</h2>Regional Development Agency Oost NL was invited by the European Commission to partake in a panel discussion during the Hannover Messe. The focus of the panel was on the impact of clusters in the uptake of advanced technologies. Ingrid Meijer from Oost NL presented the Think East Netherlands approach and presented the example of the Smart Energy Hubs initiative.&nbsp;The panel was moderated by Carolina Pedrosa Ferreira, policy officer at the European Commission. She started the panel with describing the function of clusters and how these are structured, whereafter the panellists were introduced. All of the panellists were cluster representatives who gave practical examples of their activities in the uptake of technologies.&nbsp;As the Draghi report describes, clusters play a crucial role in enhancing the European Union's economic performance. As being both a cluster and RDA, Oost NL has a proven track-record on how to support companies in the uptake of technologies, with investing, internationalization and innovation support. Moreover, a bridge is built between East Netherlands and EU by connecting the needs of the regional ecosystem into European innovation opportunities, with European programmes such as Interreg, I3, ERDF and Horizon.&nbsp;To showcase how the region helps overcoming burning challenges, Ingrid presented the Smart Energy Hubs initiative of the East Netherlands region. These hubs are in line with the regional task concerning sustainability and solve bottlenecks such as (the threat of) grid congestion. This initiative is passed on the recognition of the challenge of companies, whose innovation developments is often halted by their energy challenges. SEHs are partnerships that bring together, store, convert and distribute various forms of renewable energy, such as solar and wind energy, to meet local energy needs. Through these hubs, we offer concrete solutions that contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and promoting sustainability. This initiative is herewith an example of how challenges are made into opportunities, through cluster collaboration.&nbsp;When asked for a final comment, Ingrid stated that companies should get in contact with their regional development agency or cluster for any challenge they might be facing. Companies might not know the road to their solution yet, but clusters are here to help and make a challenge into an opportunity.&nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW103910130 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-user-drag:none;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);clear:both;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);cursor:text;direction:ltr;font-family:&quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Web&quot;, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;overflow:visible;padding:0px;position:relative;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;user-select:text;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW103910130 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;-webkit-user-drag:none;background-color:transparent;color:windowtext;font-kerning:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;margin:0px 0px 10.6667px;overflow-wrap:break-word;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;user-select:text;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;" paraid="600238668" paraeid="{3efdd1b2-d938-44e5-aaf1-a02961070145}{135}"><span class="TextRun SCXW103910130 BCX8 NormalTextRun" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;-webkit-user-drag:none;font-variant-ligatures:none !important;line-height:18.3458px;margin:0px;padding:0px;user-select:text;" data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Learn more about the Smart Energy Hubs initiative&nbsp;<a class="Hyperlink SCXW103910130 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;-webkit-user-drag:none;color:inherit;cursor:text;margin:0px;padding:0px;text-decoration:none;user-select:text;" href="https://thinkeast.nl/en/projects/smart-energy-hubs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW103910130 BCX8 NormalTextRun" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;-webkit-user-drag:none;font-variant-ligatures:none !important;line-height:18.3458px;margin:0px;padding:0px;user-select:text;" data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN-GB" lang="EN-GB" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">here</a><span class="TextRun SCXW103910130 BCX8 NormalTextRun" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;-webkit-user-drag:none;font-variant-ligatures:none !important;line-height:18.3458px;margin:0px;padding:0px;user-select:text;" data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">.&nbsp;<p class="Paragraph SCXW103910130 BCX8" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;-webkit-user-drag:none;background-color:transparent;color:windowtext;font-kerning:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;margin:0px 0px 10.6667px;overflow-wrap:break-word;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;user-select:text;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;" paraid="600238668" paraeid="{3efdd1b2-d938-44e5-aaf1-a02961070145}{135}">&nbsp;Photo: from left to right: &nbsp;Lukas Nögel, Senior Consultant, VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbHIngrid Meijer, Business Developer &amp; member EU-programme, Oost NL - Regional Development Agency East NetherlandsDr.-Ing. Peter Grambow, Chief Operating Officer, Nanoinitiative Bayern GmbH (Cluster Nanotechnology)Sue Paish, CEO, DIGITAL, Canada's Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologiesCarolina Pedrosa Ferreira, Policy Officer, European Commission&nbsp;</div>

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Positioning Smart Energy East Netherlands in panel with European Commission

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