The Center for Cluster Development
A new initiative, the Center for Cluster Development, is launching to help regions — particularly those including small and mid-sized cities — understand and implement industry cluster strategies.
Clusters have been demonstrated by academic research to help regions realize stronger businesses, greater innovation and entrepreneurship activity, and better employment outcomes, and it therefore makes sense for all economic development practitioners to understand cluster development and decide if or when this approach would benefit their region.
Training and Assistance Opportunity
Novice and experienced regions have an opportunity to receive free training and technical assistance to identify their local clusters and understand how to prioritize relevant sectors for public and nonprofit assistance strategies that unlock their full economic potential. Certain regions can even receive a stipend for participating.
Coming Soon
The Center is in the process of developing additional resources that will be available over the course of fall 2025:
- A self-guided curriculum that walks practitioners through the process of cluster identification and prioritization
- Series of factsheets, articles, and other information to provide greater context for the cluster approach
About Us
The Center for Cluster Development is a philanthropy-backed effort implemented by Excel Regional Solutions.
To learn more about this effort, contact info@excelregions.com.