Towards a virtual community: The Cluster Platform and other IATPs are projected towards 2025 as a collaborative and interactive space

ECLAC presented the progress of the Cluster Platform and other Productive Coordination Initiatives, also highlighting the objectives set for 2025. The event included the participation of cluster promoters in different countries in the region such as Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay , Costa Rica, and Panama, among others.

Featured advances of the Platform

The cluster community currently brings together around 370 initiatives in more than 15 countries in the region. Among the most notable actions of 2024, the following stood out:

• Community of practice: An initiative of specific workshops to address specific problems in cluster management. This community encourages the exchange of experiences and the strengthening of capacities.
• Circular economy: Good practices in this area were identified, developing successful case files to document and promote them. Work is also being done on a practical guide for clusters to integrate circular economy principles into their strategy, as a tool to improve their value offering.
• Digital economy: A first meeting was held to design a Latin American strategy that promotes the strengthening of digital clusters, recognizing their potential in productive transformation.
• Newsletters: Progress was made in the publication of newsletters that document regional integration experiences, such as the case of Brazil, and it was proposed to intensify dissemination to reach an audience of 150 thousand people interested in productive development and who are not currently members of the Platform. .

Goals towards 2025

The second part of the meeting was focused on establishing a roadmap to consolidate and transform the Platform into an interactive and participatory virtual community. The main objectives for the coming years include:

1. Transformation of the Platform into a virtual community: Promote participatory management and collective learning among cluster promoters by generating a virtual community organized by thematic discussion groups and exchange of experience.
2. Capacity building: Intensify technical assistance and support tools, such as incorporating circular economy principles and developing standardized guides.
3. In-person interaction: Organize events in 2025 that promote joint work between clusters, including in-person meetings as part of regional initiatives, such as Córdoba Technology Week.
4. Expanded dissemination: Increase the visibility and reach of the Platform through thematic newsletters and digital tools, promoting successful experiences and good practices.
5. Thematic working groups: Consolidate four main lines of action (circular economy, digitalization, community of practice and community management). We will seek to define moderators and commentators for each group, with an operational work plan starting in January 2025.

Joint reflection and next steps

During the meeting, the importance of building a collective strategy that allows identifying regional priorities was highlighted. The central purpose is that the Platform not only serves as a space for exchange, but also is a means to strengthen productive and competitive integration in the region. With a focus on collaboration and mutual learning, ECLAC reaffirmed its commitment to converting the Platform into a collaborative management model that promotes the sustainable economic development of Latin America.