1. Agro Food Park Development of a (national) food cluster
By Søren Madsen, Clusterpreneur, November 2010

2. Cluster, sector, business park??
The Danish Agriculture and food sector:
employees
Third in Western world after Bretagne and Ontario and before Bayern, Pays de la Loire etc.
Export 110 billions
Dominant “positions” – meat, dairy and agricultural production

3. Clear vision
In 2020 Agro Food Park will be one of the worlds strongest centres of innovation and distribution of knowledge within agriculture and food and close to 3000 knowledge workers.

4. A strong starting point
650 knowledge workers and m2 laboratory, office space and conference facilities from the start
Danish Agricultural Advisory Service (DAAS) and AgroTech have unique competences within primary production and a joined focus on the whole value chain of food production
High concentration of international companies in Århus and within an hours drive. Examples are Danisco A/S, Arla Foods, AarhusKarlshamn and Danish Crown/Tulip Foods
World class knowledge institutions at Aarhus University, IT Byen Katrinebjerg and The University Hospital in Skejby
New infrastructure – new highways and a coming city railway
Agro Food Park is the driving force for agriculture and food in the new growth strategy plan for the municipality of Århus

5. The opening
130 participants

6. Preparation phase Formulation of the vision
Analysis of “clusters” in Denmark and abroad
A lot of interviews with interests (companies, institutions etc.)
”Let’s take the chance and start up building Agro Food Park”

7. Inspiration Food Valley, Holland Scion DTU, North of Copenhagen
Sophia Antipolis, Nice
Ideon, Lund
Medicon Valley Alliance, Copenhagen/Lund
Incuba Science Park(s), Århus
Øresund Food Network, Copenhagen
Food
Valley

8. What is Agro Food Park?
An international centre for innovation and distribution of knowledge within the agriculture and food sector
A new cluster of companies and institutions in Skejby, Århus
New frames which strength the innovation capacity in the Danish agriculture and food sector
A centre for the ambition of the Danish governments to make Denmark “Food Valley” in the world.

10. A part of a larger vision – a technology corridor

11. The Management Vice President Hans Elbek Pedersen, Danisco A/S
CEO Villy Helleskov, The University Hospital
CEO Niels Chr. Sidenius, Incuba Science Park
Vice President Søren Frandsen, Århus University
CEO Director Per Fogtmann, KOFF A/S
CEO for business development Jan Beyer Schmidt-Sørensen, The Municipality of Århus
CEO Rene Damkjer, AgroTech
CEO Frank Bennetzen, Danish Agricultural Advisory Service (DAAS)

12. Profile for newcomers
Small established knowledge companies within the agriculture and food sector
Development and application departments in larger companies
Public and private research laboratories
Institutions of education
New national and regional initiatives

13. Development team
Started as a business unit in Danish Agricultural Advisory Service (DAAS)
New building m2 for 9 newcomers
Several companies have indicated own buildings in Agro Food Park – Master Plan 2020
Arrangements
Meetings with interests and friends
Innovation projects
2012- new organization form

16. Agro Food Park and local competitiveness
Is Agro Food Park only a business park – or?
Does Agro Food Park also contribute to local (East Jutland, Region Midtjylland or Denmark) competitiveness?

17. Local competitiveness
Macroeconomic, Political, Legal and Social context
Microeconomic Competitiveness
Company operations and strategy
Quality of business environment
State of cluster development
Source: Michael Porter

18. Cluster Development Defining a sustainable competitive advantage
5-8 months
Setting the future challenges
Defining a sustainable competitive advantage
Structuring actions to build the new value chain
First meeting
Second meeting
Third meeting
Interviews with companies and institutions
Benchmarking trips
Buyer interviews
Strategy meetings
Action lines task groups

19. The best UK cluster
PRESS RELEASE: 24 March :30
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (National)
                                                     
Minister for Business, Ian Lucas, tonight presented the UK’s first-ever "Cluster Marks"- a new award recognising the best of Britain’s manufacturing clusters and their valuable contribution to the country’s economic growth.
Clusters are regional concentrations of related companies and organisations that compete, but also collaborate to share knowledge, increase innovation and drive growth within the sector.
The Cluster Mark was established to raise the profile of UK manufacturers involved in cluster activity and to help promote their local strengths internationally. The awards also aim to boost the reputation of the manufacturing sector as a whole and highlight its importance to the British economy.

20. Cluster development
Representing the judging panel, Minister for Business, Ian Lucas said:
"It was not our intention to have an overall winner of this competition but the strength of support from the panel for the Humber Seafood Processing Cluster was so strong that we wanted to reflect this.”