The conference was attended by the leading researchers and practitioners in the field of innovation and cluster development, representatives of clusters and cluster organizations, authorities responsible for developing cluster policies from more than 15 countries: Rozen Plevneliev - President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2012-2017), Alberto Pezzi - Director of Cluster Group in ACCIÓ, Nikolay Minkov - Managing Director of the Industrial Cluster of the Middle Highlands, Ifor Ffowcs-Williams - Director General of Cluster Navigators Ltd, Evgeny Kutsenko - Head of the Cluster Observatory of Russia and etc. 

The main goal of the conference is to discuss the challenges and opportunities of clusters in the context of increasing globalization and creating common values ​​for social and economic development. The three-day conference program included visits to the most successful Bulgarian clusters, in particular:

 - “Technology and Innovation” cluster (T + IN), whose goal is to develop the competitiveness of science and entrepreneurship in Bulgaria, to ensure the exchange of knowledge of academic and business communities, as well as the commercialization of research activities. T + IN consists of a laboratory complex (11 laboratories), an incubator, an innovation forum and a museum. The complex is managed by an independent non-profit consortium, which includes universities and research centers.

- “Logistics and Transport” cluster is a part of the Trakia Economic Zone (TEZ), which is one of the largest economic projects in Bulgaria, which includes 6 large industrial zones in the Plovdiv region. These zones attracted more than 1.2 billion euros of investments in fixed assets. The total area of ​​the TEZ is 1,070 hectares. In 1995, in the territory of the 1st industrial zone of Maritza, about 120 investors (90 of them - multinational) occupied their sites in the region, providing more than 15,000 jobs. 

- Bulgaria's furniture cluster, successfully operating for 10 years, specializes in the production of export-oriented furniture products.  The cluster consists of 28 companies. The company enters into contracts with well-known international companies, including hotel chains (Sheraton, Ibis, etc.), Loreal and others. The meeting was attended by representatives of the leading company in the cluster Ligna Contract Furnishers Ltd.: President of the furniture cluster/founder of the company Hristova Zhenoveva, Head - Anelia Kassabova, Director for Business Development - John Murray.

Additionally, we inform that in April 2018, it is planned to hold public presentations for participants of 6 pilot clusters in their locations, namely in the following cities: Almaty, Karaganda, Kostanay, Shymkent and Kokshetau. At this meeting, further directions of development and cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises will be announced.

Please be reminded that implementation of the cluster policy is carried out within the framework of the State Program for Industrial and Innovative Development (SPIID) of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2015-2019 and the project between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the World Bank “Enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in Kazakhstan”. Within the framework of the project, it is planned to define 6 pilot territorial clusters, for which a cluster analysis will be carried out to implement the cluster initiative, and the accompanying measures of state support and the necessary basis for further implementation of cluster policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan.