ECA Cluster Conference 2025

Co‑creating the next generation of cluster services and public support mechanisms

10-11 December 2025

Pabellón de Cecilio Rodríguez, Retiro Park

Madrid, Spain

Key Highlights

Practitioner‑led Cluster Conference

Best practices, case studies and take‑home tools from and for cluster teams.

2 DAYS OF INTERACTIVE CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Open to all participants, featuring thematic discussions, plenary sessions, and networking opportunities.

Thematic Visits

Guided tours of local innovation hubs or flagship projects.

Programme at a glance

A quick overview. Main Conference begins at 13:00 on 10 December.

Day 0 — Tuesday, 9 December (CITET, Coslada)

Co-Creation Lab preparatory meetings

14:00–14:30

Introduction to topics & methodology

14:30–17:00

Technical discussions on five themes

Clusters supporting SME collaboration
Digital & Green Cluster Services
Financing & Policy Alignment under the MFF
Skills, Innovation & Internationalisation
Start-ups — Deep Tech

17:00–17:30

Presentation of preliminary ideas

18:15–20:15

Guided visit — Madrid city centre

📍 Venue: CITET Cluster HQ, Avenida de Europa 10, Coslada.

Day 1 — Wednesday, 10 December (Retiro Park)

Pabellón de Cecilio Rodríguez, Retiro Park — Madrid

Pre-conference (morning)

09:30–12:30

Project & Eurocluster meetings

Onsite coordination slots

11:00–12:00

Invest in Madrid reception

Limited capacity (RSVP required)

Main Conference

13:00–13:15 — Opening Ceremony

Followed by 13:15 DG GROW Keynote Address and 13:30 Industrial Policy Session.

13:15–13:30

DG GROW Keynote address

13:30–14:30

Industrial Policy Session

Europe’s Industrial Future: Clusters, Competitiveness & the new MFF

14:30–15:30

Plenary Discussion

Proposals for the new EU for Business Network

15:30–16:15

Clusters as Value Chain Builders

16:15–16:45

Networking Coffee & Madrid Clusters showcase

16:45–18:00

Co-Creation Lab — presentations

18:00–18:15

Closing

18:45–21:30

Networking Cocktail @ Pabellón Cecilio Rodríguez

Day 2 — Thursday, 11 December (Retiro Park)

Theme: Co-creating and consolidating

09:15

Doors open

09:30–10:30

Industrial Transition Pathways & instruments

10:30–11:00

Networking Coffee Break

11:00–11:30

GBER: proposals for extension of operational aid

11:30–12:30

The Future of Cluster Services

Aligning industry with European priorities

12:30–13:30

Lunch & networking

13:30–14:00

Report-back from the Labs

14:00–14:30

Closing Policy Roundtable

14:30–15:00

Closing remarks

Afternoon

15:30–18:00

Thematic visits — Madrid innovation ecosystem

15:30–17:00

ECA General Assembly (members only)

All times CET. Sessions and speakers subject to refinement.

Explore the full Agenda

Three days of intense dialogue, co-creation activities and networking

Download the Agenda

Speakers rolling updates

Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė

Vice-president, European Clusters Alliance

Carolina Garcés

Clusters of Sweden

Luis Campos

EU Affairs, Tourism of Portugal

Teresa Azcona

Audiovisual Cluster of Madrid

Łukasz Górecki

Vice-president, Polish Cluster Association

Jorge López Conde

Leader ECA Task Force Sustainable Housing

Marek Przeor

Team Leader Clusters, DG GROW, European Commission

Daniel Cosnita

President, Clustero, Romania

Yolanda Alcalá

Deputy Director-General for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Ministry of Industry and […]

Luís Martins

President, Cluster Portugal Mineral Resources

Jaime Martínez Muñoz

General Director for Economy and Industry, Madrid regional government

Veerle De Graef

Internationalisation manager, Flanders Food Cluster

Luminita Mihailov

General Director of the RDA South East, Romania

Daniel González Bootello

President of FENAEIC, Spanish Federation of Clusters

Wolfgang Munch

Senior expert at Smart and Sustainable Growth, DG REGIO, European […]

Montse Daban Marín

President of CEBR, Council of Bioregions

Antonio Novo Guerrero

President, European Clusters Alliance

Engracia Hidalgo Tena

Delegate for Economy, Innovation and Finance, Madrid City Council

Hervé Floch

Vice-president, European Clusters Alliance

Monika Antonowicz

Department of Analysis and Strategy, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development

Jesús Rojo González

Head of Unit European Programmes and Technology Transfer Madrid+D

Jordi García Brustenga

Secretary of State for Industry, Spanish Ministry of Industry and […]

Lisa Besnard

France Clusters

Ramón García

CITET logistics cluster, Madrid

Thomas Röhr

Secretary General European Automotive Cluster Network Head of Unit European

Rocío Albert López-Ibor

Minister for Economy, Finance and Employment of the Government of […]