Cluster Excellence in Life Sciences - Internationalisation of SMEs (CELIS)

Company description

CELIS is a project of BioRN Life Science Cluster Rhine-Neckar, Smart Hub Flemish Brabant, Tartu Biotechnology Park and the Danish Life Science Cluster.

These CELIS-clusters will set up a series of actions to exploit the SME innovation engine in several crucial fields, translate ideas into applications and reduce time to market. The project will offer SMEs access to emerging markets, leverage partnerships with companies, university hospitals and researchers from different sectors and regions, and increase visibility for the innovation potential of participating SMEs at European level. Simultaneously, the project will prepare, train and coach cluster staff.

Core Activities

• Twinning, networking, and joint collaboration activities to support SMEs (EventXchange) 
• Financial support for short-term exchanges within Europe (ClusterXchange pilot)
• Cluster management skill development to boost excellence in delivering SME support

The ClusterXchange program is a new pilot program facilitated by CELIS to support short-term exchanges to better connect Europe’s industrial ecosystems:

• Learn from actors in another cluster
• Explore growth opportunities in new markets
• Take up new technologies, digitalisation and green low-carbon solutions
• Invest in strategic interregional collaboration

Program specifics

• Participants (visitors and hosts): cluster organisations and business network organisations, scaling-up support organisations (such as tech centres, research institutes, (digital) innovation hubs, fab labs, creative hubs, resource-efficiency service providers, incubators, accelerators) and SMEs that are cluster members from countries participating in the COSME programme
• Contribution funding: lump sums available for visitors for travel and accommodation expenses
• Period of stay: exchanges can last from three working days up to one month
• How to apply: Cluster members can express their interest or questions to the European Cluster Collaboration Platform, hosting the ClusterXchange matching tool

You can apply for the financial contribution until the 31th of January 2022. As this Life-on-Chip Conference is a virtual event unfortunately no financial contribution can be given. It’s very likely though that after the summer holiday of 2021 our CELIS-partners BioRN Life Science Cluster Rhein-Neckar and the Danish Life Science Cluster will organize physical events, which will allow you to apply for this financial contribution. In the meantime you can register on the ClusterXchange matching tool to find potential cooperation partners.

Contact details*

Philip Dingemans

Smart Hub Manager Internationalization & Health

https://www.health-axis.eu/celis

Annalisa Zuccotti

https://www.health-axis.eu/celis