France Clusters was at the Biennial of Design to promote design management to increase innovation and access for SMEs to the market. Véronique Durand and Paul Robert animated a workshop on 24th March, 2017, at the occasion of the launching of the book "When design...takes up residence".

      In 2014, the French Ministry for Industry launched an ambitious programme for businesses to raise awareness of how design creates value, through the competitiveness centres and clusters : Designers in residence scheme.13 clusters over the whole regions responded to this call, and as many projects were launched, covering all sectors of the economy and demonstrating, once again, the cross-disciplinary nature of design.More than 1000 businesses were made aware of design and 106 given support for their innovative projects. This success has led to continue this programme when the Ministry's financial support in 2016 and 2017 comes to an end.Similar initiatives will be launched by the Saint-Étienne Cité du Design, Lille-design and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine development and innovation agency, supported by regional or European funds. So this programme, initiated by the State, has found an echo in the regions and a natural extension to the local activities of leaders of innovation ecosysytems.To further disseminate the benefits of this programme, it is now important to remember the methodologies developed : this is the purpose of the book "When design...takes up residence", which, through numerous individual accounts, provides and inventory of best practice and the most outstanding successes.As you browse this book, you will discover the full richness of our local aeras, the industrial inventiveness of our businesses and the creativity of our designers, which when they are pooled, form powerful tools for the competitiveness and performance of our economy.Christophe Sirugue, state secretary responsible for industry, digital and innovation.All infos about the book "When design...takes up residence" and purchase : contact Laurent Vacheresse

Programme of the day (in French) >>More pictures >>