Biosolutions in Denmark : Industrial Biotech Driving Global Sustainability

Denmark stands out in Europe for its unique blend of industrial biotech legacy, cutting-edge scale-up facilities, and policy-driven innovation. The national ecosystem enables fast translation from research to production, supporting companies through every stage from lab to market. 

Industrial leadership and growth potential

The biosolutions sector is well-established, shaped by decades of enzyme production and microbial expertise. Alongside major players like Novonesis, the field includes a growing number of start-ups and spinouts working across food, materials, and environmental applications. The combination of scale, know-how, and technical depth points to a mature and expanding sector - one that already plays a significant role in the national economy.

• In 2024, biosolutions generated EUR 5.3 billion in domestic economic output. By 2035, this is expected to reach EUR 10.7-12.9 billion. 
• The sector currently supports 17,300 jobs in Denmark, with projections of around 35,000 by 2035.
• Every direct job creates 2.4 indirect jobs globally, indicating strong spillover effects across the economy.

Comprehensive infrastructure for scale-up and testing

For biosolutions companies, moving from lab to industrial scale requires access to advanced testing environments. Denmark has made this a political priority over several years, investing in national scale-up infrastructure to support innovation and industrial application. The existing infrastructure gives companies the practical means to test, validate, and scale new processes, without the delay and capital intensity of building everything in-house. 

• In 2025, the Danish government committed an additional EUR 8.04 million to further expand national demonstration capacity. This builds on earlier investments under initiatives such as Biosolutions Zealand, reinforcing Denmark’s long-term commitment to biomanufacturing readiness.
• Companies have access to a nationwide network of specialised facilities, including the Biosolutions Technology Center – Danish Technological Institute, Fermhub Zealand, DTU Pilot Plant, and 21st.BIO. Find out more here. 

Denmark’s biosolutions sector is backed by a coordinated policy approach. Ministries, business organisations, research institutes, and regions work together to strengthen infrastructure, align regulation, and promote long-term competitiveness. This strategic focus creates a stable operating environment for companies scaling production, entering partnerships, or expanding into Europe.

Key national initiatives include:

• Biosolutions Zealand: a cross-sector initiative supporting demonstration infrastructure and public-private matchmaking for companies preparing to scale.
• Growth Team for Agri-Food and Biosolutions: launched in 2025, with representatives from government, industry, academia, and labour. The team develops national recommendations to advance Denmark’s position in biosolutions and industrial biotech. Read more here.

Strong innovation and start-up ecosystem

Denmark offers a fully integrated support system for biosolutions start-ups. Public funding, specialised lab access, and a growing pool of investors help early-stage companies scale from idea to market.

• The BioInnovation Institute (BII) provides convertible loans up to EUR 1.8 million, lab facilities, and business development support. Alumni companies have raised over EUR 828 million in follow-up funding. Learn more here. 
• National organisations, alliances, and industry clusters are consolidating the ecosystem and working to reduce regulatory friction, improve access to scale-up infrastructure, and connect companies.

High-calibre research and smooth public-private collaboration

Denmark’s universities play a central role in biosolutions innovation. Research institutions maintain strong industrial partnerships, train biotech talent, and enable spin-outs on world-leading science. 

• The Technical University of Denmark (DTU), University of Copenhagen, and Aarhus University are among the universities anchoring Denmark’s research landscape. 
• Initiatives such as The Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition (BRIGHT) at DTU connects academic discovery with commercial application across microbial foods, sustainable materials, and microorganisms for net-zero agriculture. 

Global mindset and export readiness

Denmark’s biosolutions industry is not only science-driven – it is commercially positioned to meet global demand. Around 80 % of total revenue comes from exports, placing the sector among the most internationally oriented in the Danish economy.

The global focus is supported by:

• Companies operating in international value chains across food, agriculture, materials, and biochemicals, as well as target markets in Europe, North America, and Asia.
• A regulatory framework and business culture that make it easy to scale and partner globally.