Regional cooperation to promote innovation in food, cleantech and health
Companies, organisations and the university in Central Denmark Region are working together to establish a new unit that will work to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and growth within food, cleantech and health – the region’s growth industries. The ambitious initiative in Central Denmark Region will be anchored in The Kitchen.
A new initiative is to create an outstanding regional ecosystem for innovation in close collaboration with the new cluster organisations, leading research institutions in these fields and industry.
The establishment of a new unit to spearhead the region’s ambitious innovation plans is a direct result of the prestigious Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (REAP) headed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Together with Grundfos, Incuba, Færchfonden, the City of Aarhus and Central Denmark Region, among other partners, Aarhus University is participating in the first regional MIT REAP project in Denmark. The main focus of the two-year project, which ends in October 2020, is encouraging the growth of innovation-driven companies.
The unit will be housed in Aarhus University’s new innovation hub, The Kitchen. Rector Brian Bech Nielsen, who chairs the steering group behind the initiative, anticipates strong synergies between the initiative and Aarhus University’s high ambitions within innovation and industry-university collaboration.
“I’m very pleased that we will have the opportunity to create the right framework for this unique initiative within food, clean tech and health – the leading industries in our region. I’m sure that the initiative will succeed in creating networks and partnerships with faculties, clusters, companies and other players in the region, so we can realise our ambition of creating a world-class ecosystem together,” said AU rector Brian Bech Nielsen.
Contact
Lone Ryg Olsen
Director of Enterprise and Innovation
Mobile: + 45 2076 7679
Mail: lro@au.dk