What is a cluster?

Clusters are a key tool in the overall Danish innovation and business promotion system. They ensure the opportunities and challenges of the future through new collaborations and business models while at the same time helping to solve societal and industry-driven challenges. Clusters emerge from local, regional, or national business and/or technological strengths with a global market potential – and they function as facilitating collaboration platforms, where there is an active participation of companies, knowledge institutions, industry organisations, public and financial actors and others involved both in Denmark and abroad.

The purpose of the clusters in Denmark is to address opportunities and challenges that, for example, a single company, municipality, industry organisation or university cannot solve on their own. Likewise, the clusters promote innovation, development, and value for a business group within a business or technology area.

Clusters and innovation networks are useful!

Through participation in clusters and networks, companies gain direct access to knowledge, skills, and funding. This elevates products, processes, and projects in the companies to innovative and competitive solutions for the global market – and growth and jobs are created throughout Danish society.

What can Danish clusters do for their members?

In Denmark, we have a number of clusters and networks, which on an annual basis help more than 18,000 companies across the country to develop their business.

Through participation in clusters and networks, companies gain direct access to knowledge, skills, and funding. This elevates products, processes, and projects in the companies to innovative and competitive solutions for the global market – and growth and jobs are created throughout Danish society. You can also read more about our membership benefits right here.

Companies increase their innovation power fourfold and productivity growth by 3.6 percentage points when participating in cluster and innovation network activities.

The value of clusters in figures

– 6,868 companies, of which 4,843 have fewer than 50 employees, were given new competencies and tools that significantly improve their ability to innovate.

– 5,296 companies, of which 3,941 have with fewer than 50 employees, developed new ideas which can later be translated into new products, services or processes.

– 2,689 companies, of which 1,998 have with fewer than 50 employees, developed new products, services or processes as a result of their participation in a cluster.

 

Source: Cluster Excellence Danmark, December 2020.