In a global competitive environment, internationalization is a source of competitive advantage for SMEs. Due to resource constraints it is crucial for SMEs to look for means for an own internationalization strategy. One possibility SMEs can use as support are forms of cooperation such as clusters. We argue that the key to competitive advantage through internationalization is proficiency along the dimensions of international business competency (IBC). We show that the trustful, non-rivaling environment in a cluster with network characteristics is the ideal surrounding as a complementary resource pool. This offers access to lacking resources and competencies for SMEs, especially IBCs. We support our propositions by a case study which we conduct in a cluster in the automotive industry.