New Innovation Center Opening Its Doors in Munich

Closer cooperation is now under way between Denmark and Germany in the area of innovation, research and business.

This is the vision today when Helge Sander, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, opens Innovation Center Denmark in Munich in the presence of Dr. Thomas Goppel, State Minister of Science, Research and the Arts, and representatives of Danish and German universities and enterprises.

Behind the opening are the Trade Council of Denmark under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

– Denmark is to develop into a leading knowledge society, and this calls for close contact with all the places around the world where pioneer work is creating new knowledge. It is against this background that the Danish Government has chosen to open a number of outposts in selected countries. The opening of Innovation Center Denmark in Munich sets the stage for closer collaboration between Danish and German universities and enterprises, says Science Minister Helge Sander.

– Munich is one of Europe's leading research and innovation environments. At the same time, Germany is our largest export market. The combination of a research environment ranking among the best in the world and a large commercial market makes Munich a strong platform for increased cooperation in future growth areas, and will strengthen the competitiveness of both countries, says Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller.

The southern federal states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are among Germany's richest, and the home of six of Germany's nine top-ranking universities. World-famed research institutions such as Max-Planck and Fraunhofer are also located there, as well as the head offices and R&D departments of major companies such as BMW, SAP and Siemens.

The Innovation Center will focus on the environment and energy, ICT, life sciences and design, and will assist Danish researchers and enterprises in the local market. For instance, the Center may assist enterprises in identifying customer and user needs in the market and establishing contact to relevant business partners.

The first two Innovation Centers opened in Silicon Valley (United States) in June 2006 and in Shanghai (China) in September 2007.

Science Minister Helge Sander can be contacted via Communications Manager Niels Hovmand on mobile +45 40 82 89 58 or nho@vtu.dk.

Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller can be contacted via the Minister's Private Secretary, Lars Gert Lose, on phone: +45 33 92 18 12 or larlos@um.dk.