Government urged to transform more Research into Entrepreneurship and Innovative Solutions

A Danish governmental “Taskforce for Strengthened Knowledge and Technology Transfer” presented their recommendations on how to support research institutions as engines for innovation and knowledge-based entrepreneurship. The recommendations were presented at an event at Innovation District Copenhagen partner University of Copenhagen on 13th November 2025.

Proposing a framework for innovative environments

The taskforce proposes that supporting innovation and entrepreneurship should be a core task for public research institutions. The taskforce’s ambition is for Danish research institutions to increasingly provide the framework for internationally leading innovative environments, where research is commercialised and helps create more businesses. Environments such as the innovation district.

Where other countries live off their natural resources, Denmark lives off human talent, knowledge, and the ability to think differently. That is the raw material we must use to develop the best entrepreneurial environments in the world. Denmark should be the place the rest of the world looks to when they want to see how innovation is done at its very best”: Christina Egelund, Minister, Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

Companies and entrepreneurs on university campusses

Minister Egelund thanked the taskforce maintaining that their recommendations will pave the way for Denmark to enter the Champions League of research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The taskforce proposes several measures to enable companies and entrepreneurs to operate on university campuses. Not least to afford researchers, entrepreneurs, and businesses more opportunities to meet and exchange knowledge and ideas.

Denmark wants to be the best country in the world for entrepreneurs. That requires focus, because the competition is fierce. We need to bring businesses closer to our innovative talents and create environments that can develop the strengths of the future. We must give our young companies a competitive edge and make the path from laboratory to production shorter and faster”: Morten Bødskov, Minister, Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs.

Uniform agreements for licenses and patents

Minister Bødskov is confident that the taskforce has shown ways to securing Danish innovation in the future. Another recommendation from the taskforce is to harmonise the way institutions enter into agreements on the sale of patents and licences. This should help make it attractive and quick for entrepreneurs to make agreements with universities.

Denmark should be a place where new ideas can quickly become businesses and innovative solutions that benefit growth and welfare. Our recommendations are about building stronger bridges between research, entrepreneurship, and capital. That requires new frameworks, courage to act, and trust between the parties.” David Dreyer Lassen, Chair, Taskforce for Strengthened Knowledge and Technology Transfer.

Patient capital for research-based start-ups

Lassen, who is also Rector at Innovation District Copenhagen-partner University of Copenhagen, thanked the members of the taskforce for a strong and constructive collaboration, claiming that their work show a pathway to boost knowledge-based innovation and entrepreneurship in Denmark and Europe. Not least with the taskforce’s focus on the need to build bridges from public research institutions to the capital market and to increase access for start-ups to risk-tolerant loans and patient capital.

Facts

• The taskforce is part of the Entrepreneurship Agreement from 2024, concluded by the government and a majority consisting of the Denmark Democrats, Liberal Alliance, Conservative People’s Party, Social Liberal Party, and Danish People’s Party.
• The taskforce’s mandate was to prepare recommendations supporting a uniform, transparent, and flexible organisation of tech transfer efforts at Danish universities (and university hospitals) for the benefit of businesses and entrepreneurs.
• In addition, the taskforce was tasked with preparing recommendations to improve companies’ access to premises and facilities on campus in close contact with relevant research environments.
• The chair of the taskforce is David Dreyer Lassen, Rector of the University of Copenhagen. The other 14 members include representatives from the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science, the Ministry of Business, DTU, AU, AAU, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Coloplast, LEO Foundation, Rigshospitalet, Kamstrup, Ambu, Sternula, Visibuilt, and the Bitten and Mads Clausen Foundation.