Copenhagen Bio Science Park

Copenhagen Bio Science Park
Name	Copenhagen Bio Science Park
Type	Science park
Founded	2000
Location	Copenhagen, Denmark
Key people	Lundbeck; Novo Nordisk; University of Copenhagen; Technical University of Denmark
Industry	Biotechnology, Life sciences

Copenhagen Bio Science Park Copenhagen Bio Science Park is a major life sciences cluster in Copenhagen that hosts biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and biomedical research organizations. The park functions as a nexus connecting institutions such as University of Copenhagen, Technical University of Denmark, Novo Nordisk, Lundbeck, and Rigshospitalet with startups, investors, and regulatory bodies like European Medicines Agency, European Commission, and Danish Medicines Agency. Founded at the turn of the 21st century, it has expanded through partnerships with entities including Novo Holdings, Carlsberg Group, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Maersk, and Novo A/S.

History

The park emerged from initiatives involving University of Copenhagen, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen Municipality, and Capital Region of Denmark to commercialize research generated at institutions such as Rigshospitalet, Statens Serum Institut, Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, and Herlev Hospital. Early milestones involved collaborations with pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk, Lundbeck, H. Lundbeck A/S, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, and Bayer and venture groups including Vækstfonden, Seventure Partners, Northzone, Sunstone Capital, and Seed Capital. The park’s expansion parallels Danish life sciences policy actions tied to Ministry of Higher Education and Science (Denmark), Ministry of Health (Denmark), and EU frameworks such as Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe; it hosts events with speakers from European Investment Bank, European Research Council, and Danish Industry (DI). Over time, infrastructure projects engaged construction firms and developers like COWI, Ramboll, and MT Højgaard.

Campus and Facilities

The campus comprises laboratory buildings, incubators, and shared core facilities developed with partners including Novo Nordisk Foundation, Carlsbergfondet, FLSmidth, and ISS A/S. Core amenities include biobanking capacity comparable to standards set by Human Tissue Authority, high-throughput sequencing suites aligned with consortia such as 1000 Genomes Project and Human Genome Project, and imaging centers with equipment from vendors tied to Thermo Fisher Scientific, Illumina, and Zeiss. Facilities support translational workflows interfacing clinical sites including Rigshospitalet and Herlev Hospital as well as contract research organizations such as Charles River Laboratories and ICON plc. The park’s design reflects urban planning input from Copenhagen Municipality and transport links with Copenhagen Airport, Øresund Bridge, and regional rail operators like DSB.

Research and Innovation Centers

Research groups and innovation centers within the park foster translational research in collaboration with institutes such as Statens Serum Institut, Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Niels Bohr Institute, Center for Basic Metabolic Research, and Copenhagen Center for Glycomics. The park has hosted consortia linked to projects funded by Wellcome Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Nordic Innovation, and European Molecular Biology Laboratory. Innovation initiatives intersect with accelerator programs run alongside Founders Factory, Techstars, MassChallenge, Startupbootcamp, and investor syndicates like Balderton Capital and Accel Partners. Collaborative networks include membership with European Cluster Collaboration Platform, BIO (Biotechnology Innovation Organization), and Nordic Life Science.

Tenants and Partnerships

Tenants range from global corporations such as Novo Nordisk, Lundbeck, GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, and Philips to startups spun out of University of Copenhagen, Technical University of Denmark, and hospital research like Bayes Life Sciences, Orphazyme, Genmab, Biogen spin-offs, and small firms backed by Lundbeckfond Ventures. Corporate partnerships link with legal and IP firms including Bech-Bruun, Kromann Reumert, and Bird & Bird as well as contract manufacturing organizations such as Lonza and Evonik Industries. Investment connections extend to Nordea, Danske Bank, SEB, and venture capital firms like A.P. Moller Holding-affiliated funds.

Education and Training

Educational activities involve degree programs and executive education from University of Copenhagen, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen Business School, and professional courses with Novo Nordisk Foundation support. Training initiatives partner with regulatory education providers such as European Medicines Agency training schemes and clinical trial networks linked to European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network. Internships and PhD positions integrate with doctoral programs including Danish National Research Foundation-funded centers and cross-institutional graduate schools like BioCEED and iNANO. Lifelong learning collaborations include offerings from CBS Executive, Danish Technological Institute, and industry training with Novo Nordisk and Lundbeck.

Funding and Governance

Funding derives from public and private sources: foundations such as Novo Nordisk Foundation, Lundbeck Foundation, and Carlsberg Foundation; EU instruments like Horizon Europe and European Structural and Investment Funds; national bodies including Danish Innovation Fund and Vækstfonden; and corporate investment from Novo Holdings and Lundbeckfond Ventures. Governance involves stakeholders such as University of Copenhagen, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen Municipality, Capital Region of Denmark, and advisory input from entities like European Investment Fund and Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education. Strategic oversight aligns with frameworks promoted by OECD and regional planning coordinated with Greater Copenhagen initiatives.

Category:Science parks in Denmark