Barcelona, July 10.- Miquel Barceló, President of 22@Barcelona, has signed a collaboration agreement with Lars Eklund, President of The Competitiveness Institute (TCI), worldwide leader in cluster development and competitiveness, to foster innovation in the 22@Barcelona district.
The agreement includes TCI’s participation in organizing the Symposium on Urban Clusters given by 22@Barcelona, advising on the contents and format of the conferences and choosing the best speakers.
The first Symposium on Urban Clusters, which took place in February of this year, was a huge success. More than 300 national and international experts participated, representing the most important companies and institutions from the sectors that make up the Innovation District (Information and Communication Technologies, Media, Energy and Medical Technology).
TCI is a not-for-profit alliance whose mission is to improve living standards and local competitiveness of regions throughout the world by fostering cluster-based development initiatives. Their main objective is to promote the creation of clusters, innovation systems and to encourage entrepreneurs.
As a part of this collaboration agreement TCI has also announced that they will move their headquarters to the 22@Barcelona district. Their offices will be in the future
MediaTIC building, which the Zona Franca Consortium is constructing in the Barcelona Media Park and will be finished in 2009. In the meantime, TCI will have its headquarters in the 22@Barcelona building. The Competitiveness Institute will also advise on the design of networking spaces both in the 22@Barcelona and MediaTIC buildings.
22@Barcelona and TCI will also collaborate, through symposiums and other methods, to create a learning centre for the development of clusters and innovation systems in Barcelona. This centre will become a reference point in Europe on how to facilitate dialog using practical cases from around the world.
22@Barcelona
The 22@Barcelona project is transforming the industrial areas of Poblenou, which for more than a hundred years were the driving force behind Barcelona’s economy. The project uses the new model of knowledge space to promote collaboration between public administrations, businesses and universities in order to foster the development of a culture of innovation and talent.
The Competitiveness InstituteThe Competitiveness Institute (TCI) is an international not-for-profit association that was created ten years ago in order to improve the local competitiveness of regions throughout the world by fostering cluster-based development initiatives.
TCI also facilitates the exchange of knowledge and expertise between advisors and economic development agencies in order to spread information about clusters around the world. The company has more than 800 members from over 70 different countries, representing governments, the private sector and universities.
22@Barcelona Press Office: F&A Tel: 93 419 19 86 • Fax: 93 405 02 20 • E-mail:
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