14 new superclusters launched in Denmark

Submitted by Lee Gibson on 20 November 2020

Denmark will launch 14 new superclusters on 1 January 2021 to support and develop the innovative power of the nation's small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The new clusters will provide a link between companies and knowledge institutions in fields where Denmark has particular expertise, such as the environment, energy, the maritime sector and life sciences.

They will promote innovation and knowledge sharing as well as contributing to the transition to greener and more climate-friendly manufacturing and industry.

Danish Minister of Education and Research, Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen, and Minister of Business and Industry, Simon Kollerup, have backed the new clusters - satisfied that they demonstrate a clear ambition and will be clusters for the whole of Denmark and not just specific regions or cities.

"We have a strong business community throughout Denmark. The new clusters must help to support this by forming a bridge between research environments and companies," said Minister . Halsboe-Jørgensen, who officially appointed the 14 new clusters in October.

"Companies rely on the latest knowledge. Therefore, the government has a clear ambition to move the business community and researchers closer together. So I am glad that the new clusters in their distribution bind Denmark better together," added Minister Kollerup.

Between 2021 and 2024 the new superclusters will receive total public funding of approximately DKK 640 million from the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the Danish Executive Board for Business Development and Growth.

The areas of expertise on which they will focus their initiatives have been identified by the Executive Board for Business Development and Growth in its strategy, Business Promotion in Denmark 2020-2023.

These strongholds consist of the economically leading industries as well as emerging industries in Denmark and, in future, there will only be one publicly funded cluster within each.

Driving this reformed cluster structure have been issues around there being too many clusters and overlaps – which have been confusing and ineffective for companies. By coordinating efforts across the country, the new structure aims to be simpler, more efficient, and easy to understand.

For further information on the policies behind the new Danish cluster programme, please contact OliHed [at] erst.dk (Oline Hedvall), of the Danish Business Authority, or for information on the new clusters, contact kan [at] clusterexcellencedenmark.dk (Kaspar Nielsen), Head of Development at Cluster Excellence Denmark.

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