Territorial Review Copenhagen - Region Hovedstaden

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the effectiveness of innovation, provided that the economies of scale
connected to this operation are exploited.
Recent policies in Denmark and the Capital Region have stressed the
importance of knowledge dissemination. Several networks and institutions
have been created to stimulate better utilisation by the private sector of
research conducted at universities and public research institutes. Knowledge
dissemination is a central element of the Danish Agency for Science
Technology and Innovation‘s action plan, ―Innovation Denmark 2007-
2010‖. One of the initiatives in this action plan is the creation of the socalled
Advanced Technology Groups: institutions responsible for knowledge
transfer to SMEs. This is part of a broader initiative to encourage
commercialisation of innovative ideas and research through closer cooperation
between start-ups, research and capital providers. The national
government co-funds eight of these ―innovation environments‖; four are
located in the Capital Region. The central government backs an investment
company, Vaekstfonden, which invests in unlisted Danish companies,
mainly high-tech companies, and venture funds. Over the last decades,
several ―triple-helix networks‖ have been formed. Within these networks,
business, public authorities and research institutes collaborate on innovation
and the commercialisation of public research. An example is the strategic
co-operation of the Capital Region with the University of Copenhagen and
the Danish Technical University.
An important instance of university-industry co-operation is in the life
sciences. A central player in the co-operation between universities and
industry in this field in the Capital Region is Novo Nordisk. This enterprise
is the dominant player in the network and is connected to the life sciences in
all the major universities in the Øresund Region. The Capital Region and
Copenhagen University Hospital co-operate with research institutions and
private business to implement the region‘s vision for world-class research
and patient treatment in the region. At present, career possibilities for young
researchers in the health sciences in Copenhagen are limited, and many
leave the field. More flexible employment structures in universities and
hospitals that allow for career enhancement, could solve this problem.
Technology transfer from hospitals has been stimulated by TECTRA, a unit
within the Capital Region that consists of eight full-time staff members. A
new innovation and support unit for hospital research was established in
2008 whose main task is to help hospital researchers with fund raising, in an
attempt to increase use of EU funds. In addition, the Capital Region,
together with the Danish Technical University and the University of
Copenhagen, established an EU office in Brussels in 2008 responsible for
research and innovation.