Startups celebrate each other’s successes in hardware competition

The Champagne is on ice on the top floor of Building 331 at DTU, where 20 hardware startups are competing against each other to win DKK 0.5 million in the Danish Tech Challenge growth programme.

It is important to celebrate your successes. Every Friday, the participants therefore nominate a colleague who has earned the title ‘Hero of the week’. The prize comes with a challenge cup and a bottle of Champagne. Another ritual of celebration is for everyone in the room to applaud if you ring the bell and announce that you have landed your first sales order or reached some other important milestone.

“It’s hard being a startup and not knowing whether you’ll still be here in a couple of months. Most startups have to go through a long process, and successes may be few and far between; so it’s great if we can help each other celebrate something. This is also one of the reasons why we value our sense of community highly. It’s important to both give and take. Our participants share contacts and give each other good advice. This is important for startups—throughout the process,” says Kristine Sylvest Brinks, Program Manager, Danish Tech Challenge.

Focus on health

The organizer of Danish Tech Challenge is DTU’s subsidiary DTU Science Park, which is hosting the acceleration programme for the tenth time. The Danish Industry Foundation has always sponsored the programme. Every year, more than 80 entrepreneurs apply for participation in the programme. Only 20 of the most promising startups are selected. This year, five of the participants come from DTU.

The activities of the various startups range from long-term, advanced, and cost-heavy development of hardware solutions to sports, climate, and health. Especially the so-called medtech technologies are in focus. In this field, several startups are working to streamline existing work processes or improve current solutions in the healthcare system. Others develop innovative technical aids.

The medtech startups include NeoCare Nordic, which is developing a solution for lifting prematurely born babies using a mattress without electronic parts. Another startup, Clair Scientific, is developing a microscope for the healthcare sector.

“This year is a bit special because the programme is running a pilot project focusing on medtech. Life Science is a growth area, and we’re experiencing a great need for innovative healthcare solutions. So we will continue to focus on this area in the future. If we look at the other startups participating this year, they are divided into groups that help solve other societal challenges such as contributing to the green transition and improving our quality of life,” says Kristine Sylvest Brinks.