Copenhagen and the Øresund Region stand out as one of Europe’s most dynamic innovation hubs, not just for its thriving startup scene, but for its unmatched collaborative ecosystem.
At a recent Clusters Meet Regions event, organised by the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) on behalf of the European Commission, together with regional Danish partners, the two-day event gathered policymakers, entrepreneurs, and innovation leaders from all over the EU to explore blueprints.
A Seamless Triple-Helix Innovation Ecosystem
This isn’t just to be a city with startups, it’s a living lab where universities, research institutions, hospitals, and businesses work side by side. This triple-helix model, which tightly integrates academia, industry, and government, has propelled this region to become the second most innovative regions in the EU.
With over 1000 startups and a dense network of over 20 cluster organizations, Copenhagen creates a fertile ground for cooperation. The University of Copenhagen, for example, doesn’t just produce groundbreaking research, it actively bridges the gap between science and entrepreneurship, ensuring that innovations move from lab to market.
Representing the European Commission, Giovanni Emma underlined the unique role clusters play in implementing EU industrial priorities on the ground:
“Clusters are where scientists and businesses meet. Not in theory, but every single day.”
said Giovanni Emma
He made clear that Europe’s scale-up challenges: fragmented markets, slow validation, and uneven regulatory capacity, cannot be solved by institutions alone.
This ecosystem doesn’t just support startups, it accelerates them, providing the infrastructure, networks, and resources needed to scale quickly.
Cross-Border Collaboration: The Key to Scaling Globally
This regions innovation ecosystem thrives on cross-border collaboration, recognizing that no region can drive transformation alone. At the Clusters Meet Regions event, leaders emphasized the need for shared testbeds, interregional alliances, and coordinated regulatory frameworks to help startups scale internationally.
For example:
- Health & Life Science: Participants proposed a Europe-wide initiative to educate investors on medtech complexities and create shared clinical infrastructures to speed up validation.
- Green Transition & Energy: Discussions focused on leveraging Denmark’s Energy Island as a demonstration hub for hydrogen and renewable technologies, with cross-border pilots to accelerate deployment.
- AI & Digital Transformation: The need for structured knowledge-sharing and financial incentives to help SMEs adopt digital tools was a major theme.
“Europe has world-class research, but scaling remains too slow. Denmark’s integrated ecosystem shows how collaboration can turn ideas into global businesses.”
as one participant put it
Copenhagen’s ability to foster trusted partnerships, both locally and internationally, has made it a model for how regions can work together to drive innovation. With 13 unicorns born in Denmark since 2000 (including two in just the past weeks), the city proves that collaboration isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the foundation of success.
The programme also featured a dedicated GSA Nordics Spotlight, showcasing prominent Nordic alumni from the Global Startup Awards network. As part of two live recordings of the GSA Stars Podcast: Down the Rabbit Hole, hosted by GSA CEO Kim Balle, participants heard insights from Douglas Stark (Co-founder and Board Member, Voi Technology – GSA Unicorn) and Mia Grosen (Founder and Investor). Their on-stage conversations offered participants a closer look at the journeys of two successful Nordic founders.
The Øresund Advantage
For startups in the Øresund Region, Copenhagen offers more than just a strong local ecosystem—it provides a gateway to global markets. By combining local support, cross-border partnerships, and a culture of innovation, the city creates an environment where startups don’t just launch, they lead.
You can read more here:
https://www.clustercollaboration.eu/content/denmarks-model-europes-competitiveness
