Green Synergy kicked-off with the EUropean Water-Smart initiative for fostering International Sustainable Development – euWater4i-SD
The general objective of EUropean Water-smart initiative for fostering International Sustainable Development (euWater4i-SD) is to set an European Strategic Cluster Partnership–Going International (ESCP-4i) to enable Water-Smart solutions entering the Sustainable Territorial Development market in emerging countries.
The project will support the establishment of 5 new value chains related with Sustainable Territorial Development along with the water industry, geared towards international markets, based on inputs and needs from SMEs.
A Joint Internationalisation Strategy (JIS) will be designed and validated through the implementation of an Internationalisation Programme reaching 1,000 SMEs to access new non-EU markets, in particular in up to 4 targeted countries.
The cooperation among (5) cluster organisations and its members with/in this ESCP-4i and also other ESCP-4i networks will be fostered.
A governance system and a financial scheme for the ESCP-4i will be developed to ensure active and sustainable collaboration among the different stakeholders.
The visibility of euWater4i-SD will be promoted as a metacluster representing the whole value-chain on water smart solutions in order to gather other European clusters, interested even though not partners of this project at the beginning.
Results expected:
- 5 partners covering the value chains generated by the Water-Smart solutions set-up an ESCP-4i, named euWater4i-SD, to jointly exploit international opportunities in third markets, agreeing on a joint governance structure
- 5 new trans-national and cross-sectoral value chains, are unveiled as a result of the interaction with the different target sectors: Water-Smart construction, Water-Smart energy, Water-Smart agriculture, Water-Smart industries and Water-Smart management.
- Up to 1,300 stakeholders (SMEs, large companies, technological centres, laboratories, public authorities, other cluster managers, etc.) benefit of the different actions; of them, around 77% are SMEs.
- Trade Opportunities in 4 third countries (2 in Eastern Africa and 2 in Latin-America) are analysed
- 1 Joint Internationalisation Strategy including at least 4 internationalisation tools are agreed and ready to be implemented towards up to 4 target markets (up to 2 in Eastern Africa and 2 in Latin-America)
- At least 1,000 SMEs from 5 EU countries get market intelligence concerning 4 target countries and public procurement opportunities.
- At least 200 SMEs from 5 EU countries are trained, advised and/or coached in internationalisation topics, 16 of them through a “coaching voucher” scheme.
- More than 500 EU and non-EU SMEs share their business offer and needs on an e-market place.
- 21 EU SMEs take part in 3 matchmaking events in EU, 14 of them benefiting from a “financial support for third-parties” scheme.
- 84 EU SMEs take part on 6 business missions to 4 target markets (in Eastern Africa and Latin-America), 56 of them benefiting from a “financial support for third-parties” mechanism.
- 11 EU SMEs take part on 1 Investment Forum in EU, benefiting from a “financial support for third-parties” scheme.
- At least 15 EU clusters are identified as Strategic Partners
- 5 cluster managers acquire new skills and internationalisation management techniques. Other cluster staff also benefits of these new capacities.
- At least 10 Business Agreements are concluded between SMEs from EU & 4 target markets.
- At least 14 Cooperation Agreements (MoU) are signed between euWater4i-SD and strategic partners to support the Joint Internationalisation Strategy.
- At least 8 Cooperation Projects are agreed between euWater4i-SD and other clusters or Business Support Organisations (BSO) to reinforce the Long-Term Joint Internationalisation Strategy
