Financial Times shortlists Odense Robotics StartUp Fund as one of Europe’s best startup hubs
Today, Financial Times and Sifted have published a list of Europe’s top startup hubs and accelerator programmes in collaboration with the analytics agency Statista. The Odense Robotics StartUp Fund and its incubator at Danish Technological Institute are collectively ranked 36 on the list, which features a total of 125 hubs from 21 European countries.
“Many stakeholders have worked long and hard to provide the best conditions for robotics and drone startups to thrive as part of the robotics ecosystem here in Odense, Denmark. We have long known that we have a strong setup in Odense Robotics StartUp Fund and the incubator at Technological Institute. With this new ranking from Financial Times, it’s now official that we are one of the top hubs for robotics and drone startups in Europe. It is a validation of the fund’s unique offering and the result of the strong collaboration within the Danish robotics ecosystem,” says Søren Elmer Kristensen, CEO of Odense Robotics.
Odense Robotics StartUp Fund offers robotics and drone startups from Denmark and abroad access to capital, unique industry knowledge and an internationally recognised incubation environment at the Danish Technological Institute in Odense. Startups also receive coaching and mentoring from business and technical experts, as well as from the fund’s founders, who are among some of the most respected business leaders and investors in Denmark’s robotics industry. It’s a successful recipe that turns innovation into business.
“We wish to make the journey from idea to go-to-market technology easier for robotics entrepreneurs. We are incredibly proud of this international recognition together with our partners at Odense Robotics. Leveraging the expertise of the Technological Institute’s robotics specialists and innovation facilities in a way that attracts not only Denmark’s best robot ideas but also those beyond the country’s borders benefits not only new companies but our entire society,” says Director Anne-Lise Høg Lejre from the Technical Institute.
More than 2,000 hubs in Europe have been invited to participate in the ranking. They were subsequently awarded a score based on evaluations from alumni, investors, entrepreneurs and researchers. Alumni were asked to assess based on the following criteria: mentors, business development support, networking, funding, infrastructure and guidance on legal matters.
Read the full report from Financial Times here.
About Odense Robotics StartUp Fund
Odense Robotics StartUp Fund is an independent commercial foundation that supports robot and drone entrepreneurs from Denmark and abroad by providing access to capital, mentoring and a strong incubation environment.
- Get access to founder-friendly capital by way of a loan that you pay back when you can.
- Strengthen your business strategy so you’re ready to pitch to customers and investors.
- Develop your prototype into a viable product at the Danish Technological Institute’s incubator in Odense, where you get office space, work together with other startups and get access to advanced technical equipment.
- Mentoring from leading figures from Denmark’s robot and drone industry as well as technical experts and business coaches.
- Expand your network in Denmark’s thriving robot and drone ecosystem, meet partners, future investors and other startups.