INVEST IN DENMARK

Matchmaking across borders

Invest in Denmark brings new business partners together and gives international investors rapid courses on how to establish a company in Denmark.

By Solveig Willum

In times of intense global competition, companies are in constant search of countries and regions with the best labour and the best manufacturing and research environment. Before choosing where to expand or relocate a company, it is essential to know about tax rules, labour market, infrastructure, potential partners, competitors and a lot more besides. But in a global market economy, it is not possible to gain a total overview in one go.

All too many investors and research-based companies miss out on a good match because they do not know the opportunities. Invest in Denmark functions as a matchmaker and advisor for companies seeking to strengthen their business with a presence in Denmark.

“When you are not present in a region, it is practically impossible to know the advantages and disadvantages of choosing to invest in one country rather than another,” says director of Invest in Denmark, Ole Frijs-Madsen.

Invest in Denmark, which is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provides investors with the necessary information to make qualified decisions. It could be to point up a financial benefit such as tax exemption on electric cars, core competences in wireless technology or finding the perfect match for a company that needs an innovation partner.

“The staff at Invest in Denmark have backgrounds in business and research. So they are able both to advise on Danish business conditions and create contacts with relevant projects and innovation environments,” explains Ole Frijs-Madsen.

Invest in Denmark’s principal role is to attract investors to the country, and primarily focuses on four clusters: renewable energy, IT and telecommunication, life science and the maritime sector.

In these sectors, Invest in Denmark makes contact with foreign companies to provide offers, as well as providing calculations for other investors who make approaches. All consultancy work is confidential.

From 13 of the world’s global hotspots the organisation is on the lookout for companies and venture firms that can bring new knowledge and innovative jobs to Denmark. It can be companies seeking to move or expand, venture companies looking for promising research to invest in, or established companies that lack the necessary partners to move into new business areas.

If they match the Danish innovation environments, Invest in Denmark offers and provides – free of charge – a review of the company’s opportunities and barriers in Denmark.

Free consultancy on the Danish market

Invest in Denmark aims to show investors that despite the financial crisis there is still a future in making investments in Denmark. So far the investment flow in 2009 seems to confirm this.

Invest in Denmark explores the market for the individual company and creates an overview of the information that is relevant to the company. It could be information on how to set up a company, what labour is available and under which terms, tax conditions, or how the market looks as a whole.

Invest in Denmark has staff with both commercial and research backgrounds located regionally throughout the country.

They know their local area and are thus able to find the best matches between foreign investors and Danish companies, researchers, projects or areas.

“We identify specific projects or companies which can help the investor’s international development and business,” explains Ole Frijs-Madsen.

Subsequently, Invest in Denmark arranges fact-finding tours to Denmark, where investors are shown around and introduced to potential collaboration partners and research institutions.

Invest in Denmark has among others helped is Zhejiang New Jialian Electronics, one of China’s largest microelectronics companies, which has established a collaboration with Danish acoustics research and development centres.

International collaboration through innovation centers

Three innovation centers in Munich, Silicon Valley and Shanghai form the basis of Invest in Denmark’s activities to bring new knowledge and capital to Denmark. The centers also help Danish companies and researchers with their international aspirations.

“An increasing number of research institutions and companies are opening up their R&D activities and innovation to collaboration partners from abroad. It is thus important to find those collaboration partners that match the company’s or research institution’s need for new technology, knowledge and the like,” says Pia Starbæk Szczepanski, chief consultant at the Trade Council of Denmark, the Foreign Ministry, and adds:

“It is especially a challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises to establish international collaborations around research, development and innovation.”

The innovation centers help Danish companies and research institutions find foreign collaboration partners and innovation environments. They also help to develop business models and find venture capital. The staff at the innovation centers know both the Danish research and innovation environments, and what is going on in their region. The centers primarily focus on high-tech sectors such as environment and energy, ICT and life science.

Companies and research institutions from Denmark can also lease office space and facilities at the innovation centers. Small enterprises in particular make use of this offer.

“Physical presence is especially important if there is a desire to establish more long-term collaborations with foreign partners. In addition, it naturally gives a better idea of what is going on when you attend local conferences and events,” explains Pia Starbæk Szczepanski.

In addition to company consultancy, the innovation centers also initiate activities and projects that help create a good framework for establishment of new collaborations between Danish and foreign players.

In 2009, the innovation centers are carrying out a range of activities focused on green IT. The activities involve Danish and foreign partners in workshops, match-making and marketing of Danish key competences.

Invest in Denmark

Head Office
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Copenhagen
+ 45 3392 1116

Europe
Ambassade Royale de Danemark, Paris
+ 33 144 312 193

North America
Royal Danish Consulate General, New York
+ 1 212 223 4545

Japan, Korea and Taiwan
Royal Danish Embassy, Tokyo +81 3 3496 3001

China and India
Royal Danish Consulate General, Shanghai
+86 21 6209 0500

For information on Invest in Denmark’s other office locations worldwide, visit investindk.com or e-mail info@investindk.com

Innovation Centers

Silicon Valley
+ 1 (650) 543 3180 http://www.siliconvalley.um.dk

Shanghai
+ 86 (21) 5497 2000 http://www.shanghai.um.dk

Munich
+ 49 (89) 545 8540 http://www.icdmuenchen.um.dk

Denmark test country for electric car technology

It started with a contact made between an Invest in Denmark employee and Better Place – a company involved in creating infrastructure for electric cars. That contact resulted in Better Place entering a DKK 770 million (EUR 103 million) collaboration with Denmark’s DONG Energy, northern Europe’s leading energy company, in 2008 to establish a network of battery exchange and recharging stations for electric cars in Denmark. In January 2009, former Microsoft corporate vice president Jens Moberg was enticed from USA to Denmark to become director of Better Place Denmark.

As the first country in Europe to introduce an electric car network, Denmark will also function as a prototype and advisor when Better Place expands into other countries at a later stage. Several other international automobile manufacturers are now looking at Denmark as a test and development country for electric cars, intelligent solutions for recharging stations (smart grids) and battery technology.

The UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, where the successor to the Kyoto Protocol will be sought, is creating heightened attention around alternatives to combustion engine cars, including electric cars.