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Danish businesses to benefit from space

February 10, 2017
A new innovation initiative will give more Danish businesses the opportunity to utilise satellite data.

New software will help support more Danish businesses being able to utilise free space data in navigation and surveillance products. Meanwhile, the Danish agricultural sector will be aided by using satellite data for precision agriculture, such as optimising and improving the spread of fertilizer in fields – benefiting both the environment and the economy.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Science is therefore allocating DKK 21 million to activities that will boost space technology. Minister for Higher Education and Science Søren Pind believes that Danish businesses should make the most of opportunities presented by European investment in satellites.

- Danish businesses should have the best possible chance to utilise the new opportunities presented by space technology and satellite data so that we may create growth and jobs in Denmark. I therefore pleased that we can now get started with a number of local activities that will benefit all of Danish society, says Minister for Higher Education and Science Søren Pind.

The funding is part of the Danish National Space Strategy and Denmark’s increased engagement in the European Space Agency. Three Advanced Technology Group (GTS) institutes will spearhead the new space activities – FORCE Technology, Alexandra Institute, and Danish Technological Institute.

Fact sheet

  • The Danish Government’s 2017 Budget has allocated DKK 350 million over the next 3 years for space activities under the auspices of the European Space Agency.
  • The Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education opened the first round of funding of DKK 32 million as of 26 January. (link:
  • As part of the new innovation initiative, the Ministry of Higher Education and Science has signed a contract with the GTS institutes FORCE Technology, in collaboration with the Alexandra Institute, on “Utilising space systems for increased growth” – providing funding of DKK 11 million. Similarly, the ministry has signed a contract with the Danish Technological Institute on “Precision agriculture’s new opportunities with downstream satellite data” - funded by DKK 6.5 million.Finally, the innovation networks Inno-Pro, Infinit and Inbiom undertake to carry out the joint knowledge dissemination project “Growth in Space Industry” – funded by DKK 3.5 million.
  • The space industry in Denmark consists of about 150 companies, of which they majority are considered “downstream companies”, which use satellite data in their products and services.
  • Even more businesses are expected to be able to use satellite data and services for developing new products and services in the future. This is as a result of the development of new types of small satellites, known as nano-satellites, together with the EU’s large satellite programmes Galileo and Copernicus, which became operational in recent years.

Contact information

For more information about the space strategy, the ESA and the European satellite programmes please contact Peter Mandix Sehestedt tel. +45 72318202, email: pse@ufm.dk

For more information about new contracts with the GTS institutes and the innovation network please contact Kåre Nordahl tel. +45 7231 8430, email: knj@ufm.dk

For further information please contact press officer Jakob Sejr Teichert tel. +45 7329503, email: jte@ufm.dk

 

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