When DTU took the initiative in 2001 to invest in the commercialization of research, it marked the beginning of a new chapter in Danish innovation history, where the university not only created new knowledge but also took responsibility for transforming it into companies, jobs, and societal value.
Since 2001, Preseed Ventures A/S has invested in more than 450 early-stage technology startups, including Trustpilot, Glycom, Veo, Lunar, Vivino, Templafy, and Saltfoss Energy.
"DTU has, since H.C. Ørsted founded the university in 1829, had a deep understanding that knowledge must be converted into real value for society. Innovation is fundamental to DTU. But innovation also requires risk capital – and courage. That is why we led the way and created an investment company at DTU that could transform research into companies, jobs, and technological progress for Denmark and the world," says DTU’s President Anders Bjarklev.
Inspiration from the US set the direction
The establishment of Preseed Ventures A/S took place at a time when international trends – particularly from the US – focused on the role of universities in commercializing research. In the US, universities had already seen great success in patenting and commercializing research results, notably during the biotech revolution.
Professor Emeritus Knut Conradsen, who was Provost at DTU from 1995 to 2010, led the initiative.
"In 2001, we got a DTU law on autonomy, which opened up entirely new opportunities for the university. At the same time, we looked closely at the US, where universities were well underway with patenting inventions. Some might remember the Cohen-Boyer patent, which Stanford University made millions of dollars on," says Knut Conradsen.
This inspiration made it clear that, if technological research was to truly become a viable business, it required more than just good ideas. It also required access to early-stage capital.
A historic commitment to capital and innovation
In the early 2000s, risk capital was virtually absent in Denmark. DTU therefore assembled a group of major companies – among them Danfoss, Danisco, NKT, Grundfos, Radiometer, and Novo Nordisk – who invested significant amounts in a joint limited partnership.
"It was an unusual step for a Danish university and required both political goodwill, professional structures, and a strong network in the business community. But the ambition was clear: we wanted to create a professional investment environment that could serve as a bridge between research and the market," says Knut Conradsen.
After a period of capital from the business sector, followed by an injection of capital from the state, Preseed Ventures A/S became one of the state's official innovation environments. When the state scheme was evaluated and subsequently closed in 2018, it was clear that Preseed Ventures A/S was one of the most successful innovation environments in Denmark. DTU was therefore also the only university to continue as an active investment actor.
Contributing to access to venture capital
Today, Preseed Ventures A/S operates through several independent funds focused on tech, deep tech, and new technologies – continuing with a particular focus on the early stages of technology- and research-based companies.
"25 years with Preseed Ventures A/S has shown that DTU is far more than an educational and research institution. DTU has been an active co-creator of the technology companies of the future. We have completed hundreds of investments and built up unique knowledge of what it takes to bring startups to success," says Christel Piron, CEO of Preseed Ventures A/S.
She also points out that this experience is increasingly being shared and used across DTU's innovation ecosystem.
"DTU is a truly unique environment with access to world-leading research and strong technical and natural science communities. This gives us a strong foundation for identifying and developing the next generation of global technology companies."
25 years of experience shaping the next generation of companies
For President Anders Bjarklev, the anniversary is not only about looking back, but also about highlighting the importance of early-stage capital in the development of new technologies.
"For me, it is not just about marking 25 years, but about demonstrating why it is so crucial that capital is present in the early stages. A strong research institution is not enough in itself. If groundbreaking technology is to make it all the way from the laboratory to the market, it requires access to capital in the first and most vulnerable stages. I am proud that DTU has also been a pioneer in this area," he says.
That experience is now also being used to further strengthen DTU's innovation ecosystem with DTU's latest initiative, DTU SkyFactory, which will help more technology companies scale.
DTU's ambition remains to strengthen the connection between research, capital and companies.
"At DTU, we are proud to have contributed to 25 years of early-stage investments in technology startups. With DTU SkyFactory, we are building on the experience and competencies accumulated over 25 years of investing in technology companies. The ambition is to create an even stronger framework for research-based ideas to develop into global technology companies for the benefit of society," says Anders Bjarklev.
