Dr Tim Minshall of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), has given the keynote address at a major conference aimed at encouraging hi-tech and enterprise clusters in Japan.

The talk, entitled 'Developing Internationally Competitive Clusters', looked at ways in which open innovation can support cluster development and visa versa.

The talk drew on a number of international examples, such as Silicon Valley, Cambridge’s own ‘Silicon Fen’, Manchester’s creative industries cluster, Philips Eindhoven Campus and Unilever’s Colworth Park.

Structured around the resurgence of interest in clusters from policymakers, the talk also examined the role clusters can play in recovery from economic downturns and in addressing global challenges, and the changing nature of innovation.

Dr Minshall said: “Linking cluster development with open innovation approaches has the potential to underpin strong regional economic growth. At the IfM this is now a key area of our research activity.”

The conference was designed to help improve the country’s international competiveness and to look at how industry, government and education can work together to foster innovation.

In attendance were over 400 managers and policymakers, was run by the Japan Industrial Location Centre, and sponsored by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Tim Minshall is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cambridge Centre for Technology Management and coordinator of the Technology Enterprise Group. His research interests are grouped around open innovation, funding of innovation and university-industry technology transfer. He is also a non-executive director of St John's Innovation Centre Ltd, Cambridge.

The Institute for Manufacturing, is a division of the Department of Engineering; which brings together expertise in management, economics and technology to address the full spectrum of industrial issues. Its activities integrate research and education with practical application in companies, providing a unique environment for the creation of new ideas and approaches to modern industrial practice.

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