Innovation District Copenhagen loves visitors
Attracting international stakeholders to Copenhagen is a central mission for the innovation district. Getting their attention across borders can be challenging. That is why the district is especially pleased, when visitors come of their own accord. During 2025 the district has hosted a number of high level visits.
High level European
2025 got off to a strong start, with a visit in January from Marc Lemaître, the European Commission Director-General for Research and innovation. His Directorate defines and implements European Research and Innovation policy, and he works directly under Ekaterina Zaharieva who is Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation.
Direct input to Danish legislation
Fast forward to springtime when a delegation from the Danish Agency for Digital Government (https://en.digst.dk/) paid a visit to learn how the district is supporting digital entrepreneurship and research. As this group prepares Danish position papers for EU legislation it was an important visit for us.
Indirect input to European legislation
As summer kicked off the district secretariat hosted 70 attachés for Telecommunications and information society from EU and EFTA-countries in July. This group, who advise their home countries on policy positions, were treated to a panel debate on digital competitiveness featuring three founders of Danish digital start-ups and the Head of Department for computer science at University of Copenhagen.
Cross Atlantic ties
Early August saw a group of 10 US congressmen visiting the district. Their primary goal was to discuss how Europe and the US ensure access to the necessary workforce within the bioeconomy. A visit to BioInnovation District and a discussion with representatives from IDC-partners University of Copenhagen and DTU helped them.
Global advocates for Copenhagen
Later in August, the secretariat had the pleasure of 40 so-called Copenhagen Goodwill Ambassadors. These are a corps of executive-level Danes living abroad, who have all agreed to advocate for Denmark and Copenhagen in their chosen countries.
National Parliamentarians across the EU
Mid-September set the stage for another high level visit. 80 members of national parliaments from across Europe paid the district a visit. They were invited to Copenhagen by the Business Committee of the Danish Parliament – Folketinget to discuss European competitiveness. During a three-hour visit, they received presentations about the Academic IDC-partners and a panel debate on university-driven innovation and how to maintain support as startups enter their growth phase. The visit concluded with a showcase of 13 startups rooted in the district.
Nordic friends
Late September featured a visit from Nordic sisters and brothers in Stockholm Science City. Representatives of 15 ecosystem actors had taken the journey south. Taken together, the Nordic economies would be number 11 in the world measured by GDP. We already share values and core conditions. When we also share insights and experiences about how to build and run Innovation Districts we become a force to be reckoned with.
Young global talents learning of innovation district job-opportunities
The beginning of October gifted the district with a very special visit. Our talent-attraction partner Copenhagen Capacity held their annual kick-off meeting for their Young Professionals in Denmark-initiative. 180 talents from around the globe, who had recently started studies at Danish universities, came, heard about job-opportunities in Innovation District Copenhagen, and did a bit of networking.
Many minor visits
Apart from these major visits, the district secretariat has also enjoyed guests from fellow innovation district Oslo Science City, from individual investors and companies, and from innovation actors in Flanders, Estonia, Baden Wurtemberg and many others.