The existing foundation for research and development in Danish SMEs is challenged. Over many years, the number of companies that invest in their own research and development (R&D) or purchase R&D services has declined in Denmark, and the remaining investments are concentrating in fewer and larger companies. Considering the societal challenges we face, it is therefore concerning that the layer of innovative companies is shrinking. There is already, and will increasingly be, a need for companies that are capable of developing, scaling, and implementing new solutions and knowledge that address issues such as climate change, food and energy security, and health challenges. Therefore, there is good reason to focus sharply on which specific measures can strengthen the number of R&D-active SMEs, but also that these measures are specifically targeted at SMEs with the capacity to innovate.
The project is based on the conclusions from the DFiR report "Innovation-Ready Companies (IMVs) – a new target group for innovation promotion efforts" (2019), which estimates that there are 25-35,000 companies in Denmark that can be described as potential innovation-ready companies (IMVs). That is, companies that could be expected to benefit from the available instruments in the innovation system, but which for various reasons do not currently use the system.
The project is divided into a series of work packages that will be published continuously.
Backround Analyses
Mapping of Innovation Policy Instruments and Recent Strategies for Danish Innovation Policy
Mapping of Innovation Policy Instruments and Recent Strategies for Danish Innovation Policy In the background report, DFiR investigates the rationales behind a number of the innovation policy instruments often used in Denmark to support private companies' innovation activities, the international empirical evidence for the instruments' innovation-promoting effect, and the factors that matter in this regard. DFiR also provides an overview of the political goals for the innovation effort, established in the period 2020-2023 as part of a series of political strategies that have contributed to Denmark's overall innovation policy after 2019, when an international expert panel evaluated the Danish research and innovation system.
DFiR Conference on November 7, 2023
The new geopolitical reality and the increased pressure to deliver solutions to urgent societal challenges affect the framework conditions under which the Danish innovation system operates and increasingly demand cooperation across the system. The Council's annual conference, therefore, invited a broad range of stakeholders to discuss the global challenges for the Danish innovation system.
As part of the project, DFiR has published two briefs:
- Read DFiR Brief 37: Knowledge-Based Innovation (only in danish)
- Read DFiR Brief 42: We should ensure that Danish innovation is driven by a broad circle of companies (only in danish)
Workgroup
DFiR's workgroup for the analysis project includes:
- Jes Broeng (project leader)
- Mette Birkedal Bruun
- Christine Nellemann
Knowledge-Based Innovation
"Innovative SMEs – Rich and resilient Societies Have Smart Companies" is the first project in DFiR's three-year analysis program Knowledge-Based Innovation. The analysis program examines the scope for future efforts for knowledge-based innovation, as it is crucial for our society's robust and sustainable development and prosperity. In the analysis program, DFiR focuses on the conditions for knowledge-based innovation, with the aim of exploring the potentials for strengthening the framework conditions.
The results of DFiR's analysis program are intended to nuance the debate about knowledge-based innovation and uncover the scope for future political action.