My overview
National inspiration: from output to reduction potential
In 2022, the Government appointed an expert group to strengthen the knowledge base for green research and innovation. The group’s key point is that research and innovation do not in themselves reduce emissions—the impact only arises when solutions are implemented and scaled. The expert group therefore recommends that, instead of simple, direct CO₂ accounts, an overall assessment should be made of:
- Reduction potential
- Feasibility
- Strategic considerations
Innovation Fund Denmark builds on the expert group’s approach.
International inspiration: from learning to systemic effects
The OECD points out that the evaluation of missions should mature in step with the initiatives themselves: from a predominantly learning-oriented and formative approach to increasingly also including summative assessment of progress towards the goals.
The OECD also points out that the systemic effects of missions should be assessed—the shared outcomes that arise when multiple actors work towards the same goal: a shared strategic direction, coordinated plans, and an overall portfolio management approach.
A key method for this is contribution analysis (‘contribution analysis’), which is an approach to evaluating complex initiatives where classic counterfactual designs with control groups are neither possible nor meaningful. The method is based on the initiative’s theory of change and tests it continuously through multiple types of evidence, while alternative explanations for the results are systematically assessed.
How the partnerships report
The annual reporting of Denmark’s four green mission partnerships supports an assessment of progress and impact. Specifically, the partnerships report on:
How the partnerships’ performance is assessed
The annual Annual Investment Review (AIR) is the focal point for the Fund’s ongoing professional follow-up on the partnerships. Here, the Mission Advisory International Board (MIAB), a panel of international experts, advises the Fund on the partnerships’ development.
To make the performance assessment more systematic, Innovation Fund Denmark developed an analytical framework in 2026 with five parameters:
Five parameters
The framework builds on Innomissions’ own impact framework and also draws links to both the green expert group’s and the OECD’s approaches. MIAB members first assess the parameters individually based on the partnerships’ annual reports. The Fund consolidates the input into a preliminary assessment, which is refined at the AIR meeting, and the final assessment is then agreed by consensus among the MIAB members.
What are the assessments used for?
The knowledge the Fund builds through reporting, AIR, and MIAB’s performance assessments can be used as supplementary and systematised evidence when the partnerships apply for additional funding. This always takes place within the framework of open competition and the criteria published in the individual call.
Sources
The Green Expert Group (2022): tool for assessing green research and innovation initiatives
The Government (2024): Speeding up the green solutions of the future
OECD (2024): Monitoring and Evaluation of Mission-Oriented Innovation Policies
OECD (2026): Forging New Frontiers in Mission-Oriented Innovation Policies