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Cluster Programs Are Key to Economic Innovation As a strategy and transformation advisor to companies and governments globally, Christian Rangen offers expert insight into the value of cluster programs, the need for collaboration, and what countries globally are doing to meet their needs for economic growth. How does a country benefit from developing an innovation cluster system? Research has consistently shown that having strong innovation clusters translates into more competitive industrial sectors and higher economic output. A country can have many informal clusters — or formal clusters — but no overarching national cluster program. Australia, Mexico, and partially the US are great examples of this. Increasingly, however, countries are realizing they need to compete differently, and develop national — or federal — cluster programs. Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Canada are great example here. In short, having competitive clusters translates into a more robust, thriving, and future-fit economy.
You discuss local vs. global clusters. How is an environment of innovation and collaboration met with both (and possibly working together)? Most clusters start very local, then slowly grow into a regional, national, and in some cases, an international cluster. At the local level, clusters are built around strong, local networks with high levels of trust. At the global level, these networks of trust usually need time and investment to grow. One example is the Swedish tech ecosystem; there are immensely strong network effects between Sweden and Silicon Valley, where a lot of Swedish tech companies have been able to find partners, customers, and funding through these networks.
How can demand-driven innovation through clusters solve the world’s toughest problems faster and better? There’s little doubt that clusters have the capacity to be true engines of innovation and economic development. Focussing on demanddriven innovation ensures we’re working to solve real challenges, with real market applications. Globally today, clusters are truly racing to compete to solve some of our biggest problems within energy transition, health, and education. I’m thrilled to see the strategic leadership by the Canadian government and their ambitious cluster program. The world is looking to Canada here — many countries are trying to copy Canada’s playbook to develop their version of the global cluster program.
Q&A Christian Rengen
Innovation Is a Team Sport: The World of Canada's Agri-Food Innovation The Global Institute for Food Security and Protein Industries Canada are instrumental in making Canada’s agriculture more economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable. Ian Stavness GIFS Enhancement Chair & Program Director, Plant Phenotyping and Imaging Research Centre
Steve Webb CEO, GIFS
C
Tania Amardeil
anada’s agriculture system is one of the most sustainable in the world — economically, socially, and environmentally — thanks to sound management practices, and innovative practices and technologies. These innovations are the result of successful collaborations between government, academic, and industry partners. The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) was founded in 2012 in a partnership between Nutrien, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the University of Saskatchewan (USask). It works with partners across the entire food production value chain — including governments, industry, aca-
demia, and producers — to discover, develop, and deliver innovative solutions for the production of globally sustainable food.
Harnessing AI Recently, GIFS partnered with Protein Industries Canada (PIC), one of Canada’s five Global Innovation Clusters, and other partners to advance Canada's National Index on Agri-Food Performance. Together with PIC, Precision.AI and other industry partners, they also collaborated on a project to create new ways to spray weeds or other pests in a targeted way. They developed a precision artificial intelligence (AI) pesticide system that increases the efficient use of pesticides
while maintaining crop yield. “The aim is to develop new ways to spray weeds or other pests in a targeted way,” says Ian Stavness, GIFS Enhancement Chair and Program Director for the Plant Phenotyping and Imaging Research Centre, which is managed by GIFS at USask. “At GIFS, we recognize the value of collaboration,” says Steve Webb, GIFS’ CEO. “By joining forces with PIC and other partners on this exciting project, we’re developing innovative technologies to precisely target crop inputs only when and where needed, making production agriculture more efficient and more economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable.”
Learn more at gifs.ca. This article was sponsored by the Global Institute for Food Security.
Publisher: Greg Blackmore Business Development Manager: Chelsea Siemon Senior Strategic Account Manager: Anna Sibiga Strategic Account Director: Jessica Golyatov Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Content & Production Manager: Raymond Fan Production Lead: Michael Taylor Designer: Kylie Armishaw Lead Editor: Karthik Talwar All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve The National Post or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.
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