Innoexplorer
Innovation Fund Denmark has asked research institutions to filter and assess applications
for the Innoexplorer programme to ensure they meet the established criteria.
At Aarhus University, the business developers at Enterprise and Innovation are responsible for filtering and approving potential applications.
Innoexplorer: Funding to mature your innovation project
Innoexplorer is a programme under Innovation Fund Denmark that supports research-based projects with commercial potential. The aim is to mature early-stage ideas and bring them closer to the market – for example through validation, market analysis, prototyping, or team development.
You can apply for up to DKK 1.5 million in funding. In order to apply, you must be approved by the business developers at Enterprise and Innovation. We help assess and qualify your project before it is submitted to the fund.
How does the process work at Aarhus University?
1. Start early
Contact the business developers at Enterprise and Innovation several months before your planned application. The earlier we start the dialogue, the better we can support you.
2. Get a business developer involved
Active collaboration with a business developer significantly increases your chances of success. We help qualify your project and assess its readiness for Innoexplorer support.
3. Project approval
AU’s support requires that we understand and assess the project underlying the application.
If your project is not already part of our portfolio, you must contact AU’s Innoexplorer contact person and be prepared to submit a short project outline and possibly present it in a meeting.
To maximize your chances of approval, you can fill out our internal application template and send it to us.
Who can receive support?
Innoexplorer funding can be granted to projects aimed at starting a new company based on research results.
| Project status | Evaluation and approval |
| Portfolio project (know to the business developers at Enterprise and Innovation) | Assessed on a rolling basis – no pitch or internal application required |
| New project (unknow to the business developers at Enterprise and Innovation) | Evaluated three times a year (Jan 7 / Apr 7 / Sep 7). Requires dialogue and possibly a short written outline and pitch |
What can the business developers help you with?
The business developers at Enterprise and Innovation can help you with:
- Feedback on your application
- Advice on structure and communication
- Pitch training ahead of the Innovation Fund panel
How is applications evaluated?
The business developers at Enterprise and Innovation assess applications based on the same criteria used by Innovation Fund Denmark:
Quality of the idea
- Describe the entrepreneurial idea
- Describe the knowledge and research results on which the project is based
- Describe the methods, approaches, and/or technologies you/they are using
- Describe the competitive situation
Impact
- Demonstrate the existence of potential applications and market potential, including internationally.
- Demonstrate that a sustainable business can be established based on the proposed solution in the long term.
- Demonstrate how the entrepreneurial idea has the potential to create value for Denmark, ultimately leading to the establishment of a new company that fosters economic growth, employment, and/or solutions to significant societal challenges.
Execution Quality
- Describe the Innoexplorer project, including what will happen in the Innoexplorer project
- Demonstrate that the project can be implemented in practice
- Describe and demonstrate how you/they have the skills to carry out the project
- Demonstrate that an Innoexplorer investment can bring the entrepreneurial idea closer to a stage where a company can be established
When is the deadline for applying for approval from Aarhus University?
Aarhus University operates with a fixed annual cycle of three application rounds, with internal deadlines on:
- January 7
- April 7
- September 7
These deadlines typically fall a few weeks before the final submission deadline to Innovation Fund Denmark. During these rounds, new cases are primarily screened and evaluated collectively.
In parallel, rolling approval may be granted for certain project types, such as:
- Projects in an active commercialization process with a business developer from Enterprise and Innovation
- Resubmissions and second-round applications
- Projects with special circumstances or external deadlines
What is the next step in the application process after approval?
If you receive positive feedback from Enterprise and Innovation, you should do the following:
- Prepare a written application that includes the feedback you received from the panel. Coordinate the application with your assigned business developer, who can provide feedback. We recommend using the application template found at our website, which contain additional information on the required information.
- The written application can be supplemented by up to 6 slides containing information about the problem the idea solves, the key research results on which the idea is based, etc. These slides are can be different from your pitch deck.
- Download the support letter template from Innovation Fund Denmark's website.
- Get the support letter and budget signed by your department head.
- Send your application along with the signed support letter and budget via email to your assigned business developer.
- The business developer assigned to you will review your final application, and you will subsequently receive the signed support letter from the Head of Innovation at Enterprise and Innovation.
- You are now ready to apply to Innovation Fund Denmark – be sure to upload your application before the deadline.
- Make the changes to your pitch as suggested by the panel and prepare for the pitch. Use your assigned business developer for feedback on the pitch deck.
If you have any questions regarding the application process, feel free to contact Morten Holmager (holmager@au.dk).
Ready to apply?
Are you ready to apply for internal assesment for Innoexplorer at Aarhus University? Or do you have questions about the process? Then contact AU’s Innoexplorer contact person, Morten Holmager, or your business developer.
We look forward to hearing about your project.
