Attending TCI Global Conference 2025 in Dublin

Together with Møre og Romsdal County Council, GCE Blue Maritime Cluster took part in the TCI Global Conference 2025 in Dublin,  one of the world’s leading meeting arenas for cluster organisations, innovation networks and policymakers.

Clusters as catalysts for global collaboration

This year’s conference, themed “Clusters: Sustaining a Global Open Economy,” brought together more than 300 participants from over 40 countries. The event explored how governments, businesses, universities and NGOs can work together to address global challenges – and how clusters act as catalysts and key drivers for change.

Hosted jointly by TCI Network, InterTradeIreland, Invest Northern Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, the conference offered a rich programme of company visits, policy discussions and case studies across sectors such as advanced manufacturing, health, technology and the blue economy.

The “all-island” collaboration model between Ireland and Northern Ireland was a central topic, illustrating how cross-border cooperation, joint programmes and knowledge-sharing can strengthen competitiveness and innovation capacity.

–Clusters are the most effective tools for developing business, innovation and value creation. But they are not just about meeting – they are about unlockng the power of collaboration. One of a cluster’s most important roles is to connect companies, knowledge environments and support systems so that together we can create more than we could achieve alone

Juuni Elisabeth Vatne, GCE Blue Maritime Cluster

A global perspective on cluster development

One of the keynote speakers, Dr. Christian Ketels, highlighted that clusters provide “a language for collaboration” – a framework connecting businesses, academia, and government to align strategies and accelerate innovation.

Throughout sessions and discussions, one consistent message emerged: the most influential clusters not only adapt to change but also shape it. They develop capacity, build trust, and serve as catalysts for transformation and growth.

Key takeaways from Dublin

Several insights from the conference resonate strongly with the maritime industry and our regional ecosystem:

Collaboration drives competitiveness. Strong clusters turn shared purpose into collective action and long-term results.

Global mindset, local strength. The future belongs to clusters that remain rooted in their regional identity while engaging globally. Openness builds resilience.

Knowledge flows faster together. Open exchange between industry, research and policy accelerates innovation, learning and sustainable growth.

Relevance for the maritime industry

The discussions in Dublin reflected many of the priorities at the core of GCE Blue Maritime Cluster’s work. The maritime industry is in rapid transition, facing global competition, digitalisation and green transformation. In this landscape, collaboration remains our strongest competitive advantage.

The lessons from Ireland and Northern Ireland’s approach reinforce the importance of coordination and shared direction across the innovation ecosystem. Norway’s maritime sector has every opportunity to take a leading role – by connecting regional strengths with international collaboration and by cultivating open, trust-based partnerships across the value chain.

– Our maritime cluster has been built through generations of collaboration,” adds Juuni Elisabeth Vatne, GCE Blue Maritime Cluster. “Shipowners, yards, designers, suppliers and technology companies have together created one of the world’s most complete maritime ecosystems. What we saw in Dublin reaffirmed how valuable that model truly is – and how relevant it remains in a global context.

Juuni Elisabeth Vatne, GCE Blue Maritime Cluster

Moving forward

We will continue to build on these insights – strengthening partnerships, facilitating knowledge-sharing and promoting sustainable growth across the maritime value chain.

As the Irish proverb reminds us:
“Ní neart go cur le chéile” – there is no strength without unity.