My overview
2025 was the year when global technological power dynamics truly forced their way into public debate. Drones over Copenhagen Airport became the symbol of a far bigger challenge: Europe and Denmark are in a heightened geopolitical and technological tension, where the ability to develop critical technologies is decisive for security and prosperity.
The Draghi report documented that Europe has lost ground over recent decades. And we see the same picture in a national context. An analysis from ATV showed this year that, over the past decade, Denmark has been overtaken in 12 out of 16 critical technology areas compared with the world’s strongest tech regions, most of which are located in the US and China.
This theme recurred across a wide range of conferences during the Danish EU Presidency, where Innovation Fund Denmark has been engaged in key debates on Europe’s innovation capacity.
Sharp rise in application numbers
The dialogues across the many conferences underlined a point we already knew:
Innovation Fund Denmark’s role is more important than ever: to bridge research, knowledge and ideas with the society and business community that will use them. To invest in developing tomorrow’s solutions.
Against that backdrop, the Foundation’s Board, Secretariat and expert committees have worked intensively throughout the year.
The Foundation has seen a marked increase in the number of applications. Over the year – as of the article’s publication – more than 3,400 applications have been processed so far, and approximately DKK 2,080 million has been awarded in funding to around 740 research and innovation projects. Innovation Fund Denmark therefore currently expects to have around 1,900 active projects.*
Among this year’s investments were several with the potential to strengthen Danish and European security. The Grand Solutions project U-Shield was launched to develop an autonomous underwater drone to protect critical subsea infrastructure from threats and sabotage. Another Grand Solutions project, Drones for Defence, will develop new technology for a Danish-produced drone platform for use by the military, police and emergency services.
New initiatives during the year
The need for defence technology solutions is growing. That is why, in spring, Innovation Fund Denmark, EIFO and the Danish Industry Foundation launched a new defence programme called Defence Tech Denmark. The accelerator and transformer tracks, run by the Danish Technological Institute and DTU Science Park, will help startups and SMEs scale into the defence industry by providing access to capital, knowledge, mentors, networks and test facilities – benefiting Denmark’s security and exports. We look forward to getting the first cohort of selected companies started in the programme in January.
The past year has also brought a number of other new initiatives.
At the beginning of the year, the Foundation’s popular SME programme, Innobooster, reopened with a new programme design that ensures stronger competition among applicants. The programme design has been continuously evaluated and revised over the year to ensure efficient processes.
As a new initiative, in 2025 Innovation Fund Denmark introduced a space call under the Grand Solutions programme. The Foundation received 28 applications, and five projects made it all the way through the application process and received funding. The strong interest from both companies and research institutions in submitting projects bodes well for the next four years, during which the Foundation will award a further DKK 400 million under the strategic space programme. In 2026, it will also be possible to apply via the Industrial PhD programme.
In November, Innovation Fund Denmark held an international conference on mission-oriented innovation together with Aalborg University. Here, the Foundation brought together experts, companies and decision-makers from across Europe to discuss how missions can move from ambition to impact in Europe’s innovation agenda. The conference provided an opportunity both to reflect on our own learning and to draw relevant lessons from speakers and guests alike.
In the international arena, the Foundation also launched its new multi-year investment plan for international programmes. A plan intended to give Innovation Fund Denmark greater flexibility to take part in global initiatives and to promote Danish stakeholders’ access to international networks and markets outside the EU.
The year concluded by celebrating the winner of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s newly established Into Innovation Award, where Innovation Fund Denmark was a sponsor and handled part of the selection process. The Foundation’s expert committee and Board assessed and nominated the best candidates to Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund. From among the nominated candidates, the Minister selected Professor Peter Lodahl, who received the award on 15 December for developing a unique quantum chip with the potential to become the key to future secure communication and quantum computers. A well-deserved honour in a field where Denmark is strong, and where the Foundation, in its allocation of funding, is seeing applications of markedly high quality.
Internally, the year also brought a change: after the summer break, the headquarters and most of the Secretariat moved to new premises in the Akson development in Aarhus Sydhavn, providing a solid setting for the Foundation’s next chapter.
2026: A historic investment year ahead
As we soon turn the calendar to 2026, we do so with high expectations.
The Government and a broad range of parties in the Danish Parliament have entered into a historic multi-year agreement on the Research Reserve for 2026–2029. At the Foundation, we welcome that the agreement sets a clear direction for Danish research and innovation over the next four years.
The multi-year framework opens up new opportunities to strengthen Danish research, innovation and technological sovereignty. Innovation Fund Denmark is still exploring how the Foundation can concretely leverage these opportunities to the greatest possible benefit for our ecosystem and for Denmark.
In 2026, Innovation Fund Denmark will allocate the largest amount since 2020. On the Foundation’s website, you can already gain insight into how Innovation Fund Denmark will invest in the new year, and where we will focus in particular to help move Denmark into the next phase of global technological development.
Thank you for an extraordinary year
Thank you to all researchers, entrepreneurs, companies and partners who, with knowledge, courage and new thinking, help lift Denmark.
We enter 2026 with great ambitions to invest in solutions and impact that reach far beyond our own time.
Happy New Year!
Anders Eldrup
Chair, Innovation Fund Denmark
*All figures are as of mid-December, and adjustments will be made in the final days before the turn of the year