Conditions for the implementation of a biotechnology Cluster of Innovation in Colombia: a benchmark of best practices with German clusters

Colombia has comparative advantages inherent to its natural resources that provide opportunities to create a broad portfolio of businesses in sectors based on technology, such as biotechnology. However, despite the efforts that the industry has made, the biotechnology clusters have not managed to consolidate in the country. To improve this situation the authors developed a conceptual model based on the "Systemic Competitiveness" of the German Development Institute to analyze the mechanisms and success factors that can trigger the growth of innovation clusters. The emergence of a cluster is studied in the case of a biotechnology cluster initiative, the Regional System for Biotechnology Innovation for agriculture, agribusiness and bioindustry (SRIB), in Valle del Cauca, Colombia comparing with Gatersleben, an existing innovation cluster in agro-biotechnology in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Based on the results of this benchmarking study the chapter describes the road map that the Colombian region must scale, empower and replicate, to have a successful clustering strategy for the development of the bioeconomy on the region.