The research idea addressed in this paper is to investigate Open Innovation within micro-businesses and small businesses within the automation industry. Previous research on Open Innovation has mainly its standpoint in larger companies, and evidence from SMEs, especially micro and small businesses, is yet limited. Empirically this study is based on an evolving network in the manufacturing automation industry, which has potential of becoming a cluster, ie a geographically concentrated network in the same line of business. Interviews was carried out in the twenty one companies in the network, and are planned also with their customers outside the network. The contribution of this research is to describe how Open Innovation is conducted within and around an automation-networ