'We have a culture of finding solutions to things that are quite difficult'

Thin glasses and strong innovation environments

One of them is ABH Optics, which has developed a thin film with a nanostructure that can be placed on top of a lens. With ABH Optics' technology, it is possible to make high prescription glasses without thick lenses. The thin film has several inherent qualities that make them attractive in addition to their thickness. The film has anti-reflective qualities and is also scratch-resistant.

It's innovative solutions like these that make Marianne Thellersen happy. As Senior Vice President for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, DTU Startup Day is something very special. Here, the university shows that DTU's innovation ecosystem exists to create the absolute best framework and conditions for startups to grow and flourish, and ultimately benefit society:

"We gather an entire ecosystem around the startups that are here. This means that they get to present to a whole bunch of people, get feedback, get better. In addition, we get the opportunity to show others what we are good at, at DTU."

"It's important because nobody can do it alone. As an engineer, you know something about technology and innovation, but not necessarily the business side. That's why we need to gather investors, mentors and companies around them. It's a way to help them test markets, customers and start growing," she says.

And the winner is...

At the end of the day, awards are handed out to some of the many startups that have made themselves noticeable. To the sound of the thigh-drumming crowd, golden envelopes are opened one by one to reveal the winners of the day's various awards.

One of the winners is Mensis, receiving the Steen Scheibye Innovation Award 2025. Mensis wants to give women a better understanding of their bodies. With a MyMensis, a small white biosensor attached to the skin, women can continuously measure hormone levels and thereby gain a better understanding of their hormones. The students behind the startup hope that their product, among other things, can help to better understand the relationship between the menstrual cycle and migraines. Thea Hage from Mensis emphasises the importance of the support available through the innovation ecosystem.

"Support is really important for a startup journey like ours, as it requires a lot of hard work. Sometimes you're so far down the rabbit hole that you wonder if what you're doing is right and if the world will see and understand it," she says.