Three Ukrainian clusters, the Association of Industrial Automation of Ukraine (APPAU), Kharkiv IT Cluster, and Lviv IT Cluster, have received the Bronze Label for “Cluster Management Excellence” from the European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA).
The award ceremony took place on October 9, during the #EU4Digital ICT Innovation Forum 2024, held in Chișinău, Moldova. Gerd Meier zu Koecker presented the award to the cluster representatives and led a seminar on “Building a Strategy for Cluster Management.”
Gerd Meier presenting the award to APPAU’s representative, Lesia Sobolevska
This recognition is a globally acknowledged “international standard for cluster management.” To qualify, each organization must confirm its status as a “Cluster Organization,” proving it operates as a cluster not only in name but in practice.
For the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance (UCA) and Ukraine’s overall cluster movement, this event marked the continuation of efforts to professionalize clusters and transform them into effective institutions for national and regional innovation ecosystems.
This goal was set in the 2020 National Cluster Development Program, but only after four years has this process been expanded to 30 Ukrainian clusters, three of which have now received the bronze quality label.
Gerd Meier presenting the award to the CEO of Kharkiv IT Cluster, Olga Shapoval
Today, basic cluster management requirements exist at the UCA level (member count, fees, and a permanent management body). However, these are not enough to earn even the bronze label.
The ESCA certification process is a comprehensive and multi-stage evaluation of a cluster organization’s alignment with excellence criteria across six categories:
- Structure
- Governance and Management
- Finances
- Strategy
- Activities and Services
- Achievements and Recognition
The process’s added value lies in personalized expert recommendations for improving cluster management.
The criteria set include:
- A functioning, tech/sector/region-oriented cluster initiative with at least 15 participants, mostly from the private sector.
- Cluster management should support “enhanced collaboration, networking, and learning” and provide “specialized and tailored business support” to stimulate innovation, especially for SMEs.
- The cluster management organization must be listed on the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP).
Today, over 1,100 cluster organizations from 45 countries have undergone benchmarking and/or earned the bronze label, with around 130 achieving silver and over 100 earning gold. The list of Ukrainian clusters with the bronze label can be checked here.
Meeting all criteria can be challenging for emerging Ukrainian clusters, as many lack resources for dedicated management and securing 15 participating companies. However, Ukraine’s cluster community cannot grow without aligning with European cluster standards.
The UCA supports Ukrainian clusters in this journey, and despite the obstacles we face, we anticipate that the number of clusters receiving ESCA recognition will continue to grow each year.
Lesia Sobolevska, Vasyl Tkachuk (APPAU), and Olga Shapoval (Kharkiv IT Cluster) at the panel “Trends in Development and the Need for Support of Innovation Clusters in the Digital Economy”
Before the ceremony, cluster representatives Lesia Sobolevska, Vasyl Tkachuk (APPAU), and Olga Shapoval (Kharkiv IT Cluster) participated in the panel discussion “Trends in Development and the Need for Support of Innovation Clusters in the Digital Economy,” moderated by Bianca Muntean.
The Ukrainian delegation with UCA ambassador, CLUSTERO CEO Daniel Cosnita. Left to right: Vasyl Tkachuk, Lesia Sobolevska, Olga Shapoval, Olena Lojenko, Daniel Cosnita.
UCA thanks our Romanian ambassador, Daniel Cosnita, CEO of CLUSTERO, and UNDP Moldova for organizing the event.