Major Donation from Otto Mønsted Foundation Paves the Way for New Student Entrepreneur Hub at the University of Southern Denmark
The University of Southern Denmark (SDU) is set to receive a remarkable boost to its efforts in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation among students. The Otto Mønsted Foundation has pledged a generous DKK 50 million – one of the foundation’s largest single donations to date – to establish a new, creative innovation hub on the Odense campus.
The new hub will serve as a vibrant environment for students and recent graduates with great ideas and the ambition to turn them into reality. Focusing on entrepreneurship, startups, and bridging the gap between students, researchers, investors, and the business community, the hub will provide a dynamic platform where ideas can grow into sustainable businesses.
“We are incredibly proud of the trust the Otto Mønsted Foundation has shown us with this donation. The forthcoming hub will be a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship at SDU. It will be a place where students and recent graduates can test their ideas, connect with investors and collaborators, and create solutions that make a real societal impact. The vision is to establish an inspiring meeting point where creativity, research, and business converge,”
Bridging Students and Business
The hub will feature event spaces, workshops, and flexible meeting areas for students, startups, and companies. It aims to strengthen the connection between SDU’s educational programs and the labor market while fostering new opportunities for collaborative innovation.
“We are proud to support SDU in this ambitious initiative. We hope the hub will inspire more young people to turn their ideas into reality and contribute to innovation and growth in Denmark. The talent pool at SDU was again evident in 2024 through our Bright Idea Award, where a team of SDU students received a runner-up prize. This new hub holds tremendous potential for enabling even more students to achieve their goals and create real value in practice – and we are excited to see that happen,”
For SDU, strengthening interaction with society and the business community is a strategic priority. This initiative marks a significant step toward promoting entrepreneurship, creating new jobs, and developing solutions that support a sustainable future.
Facts about the Building
SDU expects the construction costs of the new building to exceed DKK 120 million. In addition to the DKK 50 million contribution from the Otto Mønsted Foundation, SDU will finance the remaining costs for construction, additional works, and furnishings and equipment.
The building will be located in an area with strong technical and business research and educational environments at SDU and will be connected to the university’s other campus buildings via walkways.
Facts about the Otto Mønsted Foundation
The foundation’s primary purpose is to contribute to the development of Danish trade and industry, with particular focus on initiatives that promote skills development and entrepreneurship in business and natural science fields, as well as other initiatives that support Denmark’s commercial sector. In 2024, the foundation granted a total of DKK 36 million for research stays, visiting professorships, and study-related international experiences. For the seventh consecutive year, the foundation will present the Bright Idea Award on 5 November in Copenhagen, distributing over DKK 500,000 to winners from universities across the country.
Further information
Sanne Elin Vinderslev
Startup Initiative Manager
Connecting people and interests, while collaborating with a variety of partners and thus creating new possibilities and a stronger business environment in Odense is my drive. I develop new initiatives to grow the ecosystems in Odense both within the robotics and startup scene.
+45 3012 0734
savra@odense.dk
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Joost Nijhoff
Director - Invest in Odense
I’ve started companies in Holland, Germany, and Denmark – and I know how tough that can be. Let us at Invest in Odense take care of the troublesome parts – so that you can focus on what you’re best at: growing your business further - by using the City of Odense as a major stepping stone.
+45 4046 9001
joni@odense.dk
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